I Flew All the Way to Seoul to Test the New Medicube Booster Pro X2 Skincare Tool

I will do a lot in my quest for flawless skin, including traveling almost 7,000 miles to Seoul, South Korea, a.k.a the mecca of skincare innovation, to discover the latest and greatest in beauty development. I'm talking buzzy ingredients that you can't yet find in the States, aesthetic treatments that leave your skin looking naturally airbrushed, and of course the beauty technology that is primed to inspire a new wave of device innovation around the world. Such was the case when the Medicube team invited me to their Korean headquarters to learn all about the new Booster Pro X2, the next generation of the brand's iconic Booster Pro line.

In case you're not already familiar with the skincare tool or brand—but really, if you love beauty tech, I sincerely hope you are—Medicube is at the forefront of K-Beauty science, and has been since 2016, bringing now-household items like exfoliating toner pads and PDRN serums to market. You also may have spotted Hailey Bieber using the Age-R Booster Pro on TikTok in 2023. Now, two and a half years after the launch of the original Booster Pro device in February 2024, the brand is revisiting its hero device and updating it with both new software and new hardware to enhance the lifting, firming, and anti-aging benefits.

As Medicube CEO and founder Byung-hoon Kim explained to media at the brand's headquarters, "Medicube is really about the speed of innovation and how fast we can get things out to market. It feels like that's kind of the differentiator when it comes to K-Beauty itself and K-culture, that we're really that fast-paced culture, and it feels like that's one of the deep-rooted secrets of K-Beauty in general." Serving the consumer, who obviously wants noticeable results as fast as possible (as long as you use any device consistently!) is just one of the reasons why both Korean Beauty and skincare devices are having such a moment in 2026.

With over six million devices sold around the world at the start of 2026, per Joe Cho, Medicube's media relations lead, the buzz around the K-Beauty brand shows no signs of slowing down. The only thing left to do—after sleeping for 15 hours upon my return to Brooklyn—was to test out the Booster Pro X2 for myself.

What Is the Medicube Booster Pro X2?

The Booster Pro X2 is a Korean skincare device that features seven modes of action to improve your skin, and offers benefits that are comparable to in-office treatments, all in the comfort of your own bathroom (or wherever you decide to use it—you do you, babe). Compared to the first generation model, the Booster Pro X2 now has seven core modes, up from four, with an additional level of intensity, six compared to five, and a 1.3x larger head to reach more surface area for more efficient treatments. "With the Booster Pro X2, we built upon that same idea by making the experience even more effective, enhancing performance to help consumers better maintain healthy-looking skin and stay ahead of potential concerns over time," explains Cho.

The four original modes are all still included, with three more options to enhance your at-home skincare regimen for a more lifted, glowing effect. But now, "the Booster Pro X2 has two times the output power, two times the electrode count, and two times the LED coverage," says Cho. Each mode also includes LED benefits to boost collagen production and minimize inflammation (you can adjust the settings in the AGE-R App). The seven modes are as follows:

• Air Shot mode: Targets needle-free technology to create tiny micro-channels in the skin and exfoliate for a brighter, more even complexion.
• Booster mode: Helps ensure maximum absorption of your topical skincare products via electroporation technology.
• MC mode: Uses microcurrent to smooth fine lines and plump the skin.
• Derma Shot mode: Features mid-frequency electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to tighten, lift, and improve skin elasticity.
• AI mode: Uses AI-guided recommendations to tailor your device usage though the AGE-R app.
• Mask mode: Designed to be used with a Korean sheet mask to support ingredient absorption
• Dual mode: Allows the user to utilize two modes at one time.

So if you want to wear your sheet mask and receive a boost of EMS to tighten your skin, the Booster Pro X2 makes it possible. I know I certainly want to achieve maximum benefits in as little time as possible, so I started to incorporate the device (most often the Dual mode setting with Mask and MC mode) into my morning skincare routine four times a week. Can you use it everyday? Absolutely, but I'm only human with a tight schedule!

How Do I Use the Medicube Booster Pro X2?

One of my favorite parts of this device is that you don't need a conduction gel to make it function. You can simply apply your favorite skincare serums and slowly swipe the device around your face. For the Airshot mode, you're meant to use the device on clean, dry skin (angling it slightly so it doesn't pull at your skin), but otherwise, you can reach for your go-to skincare and use the Booster Pro X2 until your product has fully absorbed.

I prefer to use a sheet mask from my stash (like the Biodance Bio Collagen Real Deep Mask or the OMAD Bio Cellulose Restore & Repair Serum Mask) while on the Mask mode. For the Booster mode, a serum with active ingredients like EGF or PDRN is a must for me (try the Angela Caglia Cell Forté Serum With Biomscor the Medik8 Exo-PDRN Prismatic+). The MC mode definitely needs a plumping and hydrating product (I gravitate towards the StriVectin Peptide Plump Line Filling Bounce Serumor Dr. Barbara Sturm The Peptide Serum). The only real rule here, per Cho and the Medicube team, is to avoid using the Booster Pro X2 with any retinoid product or a spicules product so as to avoid potential irritation. Otherwise, consider the device as a seamless accessory to your established skincare lineup.

My Experience with the Medicube Booster Pro X2

There are so many ways to use this device, but I decided to focus on lifting and contouring my face since my allergies are leaving me a little puffy, and helping my usual skincare absorb more effectively. More bang for my buck, right?

After cleansing my face with a gentle gel cleanser in the morning, I added a hydrating toner (the Isla Tone Balance Elixir is a favorite right now) and a plumping serum (the StriVectin Peptide Plump Line Filling Bounce Serum) in the MC mode twice a week, or an antioxidant serum (the Biologique Recherche Spectral Serum) in Booster mode twice a week.

I really appreciated that I could feel the microcurrent (and see it—my eyes and brows went wild with the stimulation), and that I didn't need the conduction gel to make it happen. For the Booster mode, it was harder to tell if the Booster Pro X2 was really helping my serum absorb better, but considering how finicky my skin has been lately, I'll take all the help that I can get. The device is super intuitive, and I've been enjoying toggling through all the different modes and intensity levels. For example, on a Sunday morning, when I've had a busy weekend, I like to turn it up to a level five or six out of seven to really tone my face, but on a Tuesday morning, I keep it to around a three. For days when I need to film content, or I have an important meeting and I want to look my best, I know that I'll be reaching for this device to ensure my complexion looks snatched and ridiculously glowy.

I'm considering it both an investment in the longterm health of my skin and an immediate boost to my appearance, especially when my lifestyle choices have affected my skin (read: two glasses of wine with a friend and some extremely greasy pizza). So while I may not make it back to Seoul anytime soon, I can rest easy knowing that the Korean Beauty philosophy of highly effective skincare is feasible from home—no appointment or plane travel require.

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