What is a jjimjilbang?
One thing I’ll really miss from South Korea is the jjimjibang. There I was, completely naked and totally embracing it, strutting around as if I owned the place. My friends Charise, Chi, and I decided to dive into the local scene at a Korean bathhouse. At first, we felt a bit intimidated, but then we figured they were going to stare anyway, so we might as well enjoy it. Just picture three black women turning heads and loving every second of the attention we got that day. This is my beginner’s guide and etiquette for foreigners visiting a Jjimjibang Korean Spa.
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- Bathe Like a Local
- Paradise Hanjungmak in Suseong Lake
- My First Korean Bath
- Hot and Cold Pools
- Honey Pot Steaming
- Scrubbing
- Help
Social Benefits of Jjimjilbangs
Bathe Like a Local in a Jjimjibang Korean Spa
It has been an integral part of their society for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. A Korean bathhouse is more than a place to take a bath. It is where Koreans go to rest, relax and socialize after work and on the weekends. And I highly recommend you visit one and bathe like the locals if you can.
Paradise Hanjungmak Jjimjibang
We went to Paradise Hanjungmak Jjimjibang in Suseong Lake, a very unassuming blue building behind the indoor driving range. Still, most jjimjibangs offer the same services: hot and cold pools, Korean traditional kiln sauna, scrubbing and massage tables, rest and relaxation rooms, nail salons, a gift shop, and honey pot (or poom poom) steaming.
We paid 47,000 ￦on each for a 3+ hour experience that I’ll never forget. There was a 7,000 ￦on entrance, 15,000 ￦on for scrubbing and bath, and 25,000 Won for the steaming of the nether regions. That’s about USD 41 right now and well worth it. The entrance fee gives you access to the pools, relaxing room, sauna, and showers.
We were handed a locker key and a hand towel, just large enough to wrap our heads in the traditional sheep hat.
Can Tourists Visit Jjimjilbangs in Korea?
First off, I want to say the staff were really friendly and helpful, which made this jjimjibang visit much more comfortable than my first one (I’ll re-post about that experience soon). Unfortunately, given the nature of the place, I don’t have many pictures to share, which I know is a bummer.
The bathhouse we visited was small, which was actually perfect. It wasn’t crowded with too many people, just a few dozen ladies at the busiest time, and we didn’t get too many stares. However, this place didn’t have extras like heated salt rooms, fancy beauty treatments, overnight stays, or snack areas with big TVs. And there was no karaoke or gaming unless you count the one lady playing Angry Birds in the hot pool.
Tips for Visiting a Jjimjibang Korean Spa
What to Bring to the Jjimjibang?
After fully disrobing, we made what seemed like “the long walk off the plank” to the pools covered in the large towels we brought from home. Most jjimjibangs will have everything you need, including outfits, sandals, and body gel. Once through the door, you notice there are also substantial plastic buckets, stools, and a combination of seated and standing showerheads. There are three massage tables covered in plastic in the corner to your right.
Directly across from the showers, there are two pools in the Jjimjibang. The hot pool is 42 degrees Celsius (or 108 degrees Fahrenheit). It’s hot. I don’t know what the temperature of the cold pool was, but it was cold. It was so cold I didn’t sit in it, but I waded around it a couple of times when the hot pool got too hot. After 20-30 minutes, we were summoned back to the front of the spa for our honey pot cleaning appointment.
I met so many kind people while I lived in Korea– here are a few stories.
Health Benefits of Jjimjilbangs
Honey Pot Steaming
GIRL… you sit on a bench with a hole in it. The seat is low to the ground and has an opening in the front. The attendant places a crockpot full of bubbling, fragrant herbs underneath, which smells like delicious mint tea. This herb-infused steam session in the Jjimjibang Korean Spa, or Korean public bathhouse, was a unique blend of comfort and culture.
I loved it, but I especially cherished the time spent in that little room, talking to my girls who have become, very, VERY good friends. Lol. We laughed and sipped on iced tea for 40 minutes.
Why? It’s supposed to cleanse and tighten. Should I go on?
Something changed when we finished stewing. We left that room, with outward confidence, swinging our towels OVER our shoulders instead of wearing them. The “long walk” turned into “the catwalk” as Chi and I followed Charise’s lead. “Hey, if they’re going to look, give them something to look at,” she said. So we did.
We sat in the hot pool again until they called us for our scrubbing. We realized no one was paying us any mind. They were butt-naked too. And some of them didn’t seem to be completely comfortable in their nakedness either.
Jjimjilbang Etiquette: What should I know?
The scrubbing in the jjimjibang brought me back to my childhood and my grandma Mabel who used to scrub us raw in the tub– minus the tears and brown lye soap.
I laid down, face-up on a table covered with plastic. The scrubbers, the only ones with any clothes on besides the lady at the front desk, splashed me with warm water and then covered me with a wet towel before applying a thick layer of chilled crushed cucumber on my face.
We were surprised our scrub came with a cucumber mask, which Chi says is usually an extra charge. My senses are hyperactive. It’s crisp, refreshing, and quite heavy. It almost forces me to close my eyes, which is great because the next 45 minutes, the scrubber contorts my body is some of the most awkward poses imaginable. And I don’t even want to see what that looks like. Not even for a second.
She began by vigorously scrubbing my right leg with her loofah-glove covered hands. Then she leaned in and put her elbows into scraping away the layers of old skin. She shows Chi how “dirty” I am, showing her the dead black skin she just forcibly removed from my living body.
She goes from the bottom of my feet to my ankles and knees, to the belly, breast, arms, neck, and back down the other side of my body. It’s a jarring experience initially, a combination of being tickled or tortured to death. But I soon block out the imagery of what I look like, replacing it with the sound it makes against my body, the warm water, the anticipation of where she’ll go next. Yup, she went there too.
It Hurts So Good
It was relaxing for me. But Charise later asked me if she was bleeding? She wasn’t, of course, but she did seem a shade or two lighter if that’s possible. Lol.
The jjimjibang scrubbers laugh at one point, and I feel an extra set of hands-on my backside. I peak to see Charise’s girl, in bra and panties, scrubbing my butt. And I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. My girl needed some help, and Charise’s girl came to the rescue.
Forty-five minutes later, no crevice, nook, or cranny is left untouched– if you get my drift. I can see the remnants of dead skin all over my body and the massage table. The scrubbing ends with a soapy bath and rinses off, which Chi says is also usually an extra charge.
I head back to the hot pool to wait for everyone to finish. Freshly scrubbed, the hot water seems a tad warmer. I reach down and caress the bottom of my feet. They feel like silk.
We sit in that hot pool an extra 15 minutes talking about the experience and how we can squeeze in one more visit before I leave, then strut our sexy selves back to the lockers to get dressed for lunch.
For Foreigners– Cultural tips for jjimjilbang visits.
Situations like this, where you can’t hide behind your clothes and are fully exposed, heighten your awareness. As a foreigner who doesn’t understand the culture or the language, and who looks visibly different, the exposure in a Jjimjibang Korean Spa can be quite intense. Yet, it’s exactly these moments that push you to notice the nuances of local behavior and customs more keenly, allowing you to get a few steps closer to truly immersing yourself in the Korean culture. And perhaps, just maybe, your presence might be the catalyst that changes their perspective and stops the intense staring.
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Comments
I’ve never participated in a bath like this before. I’ve only done jacuzzis lol! This looks good.
ok someone needs to take me right now. this looks like it was a great time.
Lol. Come on, I think youd enjoyvthe Korean bath houses.
I’ve always wanted to do this because I see them in the Kdramas and it sounds fun. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
I enjoy watching the Korean dramas too. Its my favorite afternoon pasy time.
Well I have never heard of something like this! I am not sure if I would be able to go through with it Though I can’t even do a topless beach here in Florida LOL
Most people say that. But its not so bad, just takes a little while to get used to.
WOW this would be a very difficult experience for me! I don’t know if I could do this!
I have never experienced this before and it would be so nice to do so. I thought it’s just a place to bathe but I’m damn wrong! You’ll feel refreshed and relaxed after you go through this.
I wouldn’t mind going into one of these spas. I think it’s an awesome experience and one that I would treat myself to.
Now this is the experience that you want to have after a long week from work! It sounds sooooo relaxing!
Wow! What an interesting article. Can’t wait to try it out now
This is so awesome. I wish they had these here in the US. I would likely live there. Ha ha
What a cool experience! That sounds like the best and most intense exfoliation one can have haha!
This sounds amazing!! We need these here in the US! I would possibly live there.
Wow. I’ll try this once I get there in Korea. Thank you for this article. Good read. 🙂
This is the first time that I heard about this place and It really sounds Interesting for me, I would love to go there
All that for $41?! So wish they had places like that here. We need a soothing bath house and fewer expensive spas! And if Gwenyth honey pots herself, well I’m all for it:)
What a wonderful experience, I would love to visit one of these places. Loved reading about how you strutted your stuff!
Always love your ‘off the beaten track’ posts. Different cultures have varying spa techniques which are so worth trying – south India’s hot oil spa and healing clinics get visitors from the world over.
My mom and I did a bathhouse experience in Hot Springs, AR. I am sure they have some cultural differences but it looks like there are some similarities. It is great to pamper ourselves!
I had literally never heard of this. Almost like Roman baths. It looks like a lovely experience to share with friends.
I love how much you immerse yourself in the culture! This looks so amazing. I would love to travel there and do this.
It does sound like an interesting experience. Then again a friend of mine said that they had a Korean bath house like that out here in L.A. So maybe you won’t have to miss it forever if they have it in other places.
I’ve seen a few in America. I wonder though how authentic they are. So we’ll see.
I can just picture the scrubbing ouch. I do not want to do that lol but everything else sounds lovely.
Ashlea, the scrubbing wasn’t so bad, it turned out to be my favorite part of the whole thing. They scrubbed 51 years of dead skin that hadn’t come off by itself and I felt totally rejuvenated. My skin is skin butter soft almost a week later.
This was such an interesting read! I would not have ever considered going to a bath house, but it sounds like a rougher and more cleansing trip to the spa.
I always like to hear about things that are traditional in other cultures that Americans don’t experience.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Yes you are completely correct. When the Koreans talk about spa, they invasion something completely different than Americans do.
How beautiful is that bath house! A great place to enjoy some relaxing time!
How beautiful is that bath house! A great place to enjoy some relaxing time!
The relaxing part takes some work as an American we are anxoious being naked until we’re not. But the jjimjibang is a way to connect and understand how the Koreans relax.
The whole experience sounds intriguing. I’m not sure if given the opportunity I would run away or jump right in! lol
So true. And I was anxious right up to the part where I had to take off my underwear. But by the end I realized its just butts and boobs and we all had them. Lol
I would love to go to a bathhouse. My daughter and I were just reading about them. I would love to try the scrub.
When we first arrived there was a toddler, a boy, he didn’t pay anybody, us included, any attention. I was reminded of my own boys and that I took them to a German spa and they were quite a few years older. They were good and respectful but were in awe of all the butts and boobs.
Girl, you lot are glowing from the experience! I am bookmarking this post for my future visit as I want that scrub down. Awesome!
I want to go back before we leave. It was a therapeutic experience and honestly my feet never felt so good.
While it sounds a bit strange, it also sounds pretty great! I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a good spa day? While it might be awkward at first, I think I would enjoy it.
Yup awkward sums it up. But I got over it and I highly recommend the jjimjibang experience if you get a chance.
I’d enjoy this place. The steaming room would give me the giggles though. I’ve never done anything like that before.
Amber talk about giggles… this very pale girl comes into the shower area. She has midnight collored hair and one of the hugest bushes down there I ever saw. I was expecting most women to be clean shaven… some were but many had just about as much hair above and below.
This is so awesome and for $41 this is definitely worth the experience. However I am not a fan of the scrubbing table, sounds a bit weird too! Plus the honey pot is a definitely intruiging!
Ikr. I am going to miss the price of beauty services here. Its pennies on the dollar compared to the United States.
The honey pots look so weird. I don’t know if I could roll with that one! lol
Oh I don’t know, you might enjoy it, lol. I enjoyed it very much.
This really seems like a wonderful experience! I’d love to try it out myself and see what’s it’s all about
It was Amy. I am glad I got a chance to do it before we left Korea. I hope I get a chance to do it again.
I would love to go there!! but i’ll remember to take bigger towels with me!! LOL love this post.
Yes, just one big one, but make sure you drop it and make the long catwalk butt naked. lol
Wow, I would love to go there. It looks beautiful and a must see!
I hope you get a chane to experience one.
What a cool experience! I have never been in a bathhouse before, I think I would be scared because I’m so self-conscious. But I would try it out at least once.
You have to get over that. J yhink its a great place to learn. Becauae you cab seeceven wonen whi we think should be confident are not.
I love Korean bath houses. They’re so relaxing! It takes a bit to get used to. But it’s all good after you conquer it!
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You are so right. I think people should try it and they’ll se its not so bad.
This seems like a super luxurious spa. It looks very interesting and like it would be a cool experience.
I wouldn’t call it luxuries, but its definitely a cool things everyone should experience once at least.
Haha!! This sounds like an experience for sure! I think I would be like you…a little uncomfortable at first but then get the hang of it. Thank you for sharing!!
I am so glad I jumped on. It was definitely a.must do here, but I’d like to do it again… regularly.
I really want to try a bath house, but I’m nervous because I’m plus size. But like always great article.
Don’t let your size stop you. There were lafies of all shapes and sizes there. I am so glad I jumped on. It was definitely a.must do here, but I’d like to do it again… regularly.
I absolutely love these places and have gone to them in Hawaii, but not had the opportunity in Korea. I am super curious about the Honey Pot experience. I need to go to this place so I can try it. ?
You should definitely go them to see if the jjimjibangs are any different here in Korea.
That place looks really good!! I would love to go there and have a relaxing time.
Trisr me it took a few minutes to relax bu once we did it was very relaxing.
I am not sure I would love that, but I think I would have to try it if I ever visited there.
You never know until you try. I would never live abroad without tasting their foods and culture.
I love this spot and I loved to hate the scrub. After my first one was like I have been dirty all of my life ????. Miss this place and the moments of reflections. Thank you for blog, it brought back some great memories ppl
Its a great gateway experience, lol. I am glad I had a chance to experience the real thing. Thanks for your support, keep the comments coming.
Thanks for the blog post. I’ll admit, I’m super intimidated, yet oh so wanting, to experience the jimjilbang. This sounds like just the right one! Thanks for leading the way here in Daegu and blessings for your next adventure.
Thank you Michelle, I hope you get a chance to visit one soon. It was a lot of fun and very empowering.
This was so well written that I feel like I was there with you! I can’t wait to try one out for myself.
Thank you Chandra. Please please come back and tell us all about if… when you do.
Great times. Excited I was able to convince you to try it again! Hopefully other women will come out their shell and walk the “catwalk” like we did!
Thanks Chi. It was fun and YES I hope everyone reading this steps out their comfort zone and experiences everything the Korean culture has to offer.
Okay, so you brought bigger towels from home sonyou didnt do a completely nude walk of shame into the pool area first?! I’ve been to self conscience to go and especially with any friends I’ve made here ? Once you see friends nude that’s a whole new level! This being a small place, maybe it’s where I need to try first! Thanks for the review! ❤️
That’s why you go with friends you can bare it all to, lol. None of of us are completely confident with our bodies, no matter what. It took awhile, but we did find our strut and walked around that place like we owned it. We are trying to go again and yes, I said we were good friends, but now we are GREAT friends. I am so glad I went.
That was a awesome blog!!! Too bad we couldnt video tape it, because you know here in Korea the goods would’ve been censored anyways. It was a totally awesome experience and I’m truly glad we went for it, even with all of our insecurities about our bodies. It’s definitely a MUST DO before leaving Korea!!!
We did, didn’t we? I did a search for one in Austin, and there are two in the area, but probably not authentic. I’ll let you know once I get there. Thank you for being such a great friend.
Stacy, this is hilarious! I need to ‘put on my big girl panties’ and ‘just do it’. They aren’t ready for all this ‘junk’, lol.
No LaSheryl you have to take your big girl panties OFF. lol, if they could handle me, you’re good girl. It was definitely a great way to get “out of” your body insecurities.