A Korean spa is the perfect place to scrub down your skin, detox the body, rejuvenate the face, and leave feeling refreshed and with a glow that would make anyone jealous. In a Korean spa, you can expect multiple baths, saunas, massage rooms, therapy rooms and even places to eat.
Full Answer
What to expect in a Korean spa?
In a Korean spa, you can expect multiple baths, saunas, massage rooms, therapy rooms and even places to eat. You can make use of herbal saunas, Himalayan salt saunas, steam rooms, beauty treatments, and even ice rooms for all different types of holistic health and beauty therapies.
What to eat in a Korean spa?
Most Korean spas will have the typical snack foods like spicy rice cakes (topokki), boiled eggs, noodles, soup, and more. The typical snack to eat with friends if you aren’t extremely hungry would be eggs and a sweet rice drink known as sikhye.
What are the etiquette rules of a Korean spa?
One of the biggest etiquette rules of a Korean spa is to ditch the technology. Lock the phone away with all of your inhibitions, and just switch off. Once inside, there will be no distractions, no work phone calls, and no annoying text messages. Just relax and enjoy the soothing ambience of the spa for the duration of your stay.
Can you bring clothes to a Korean nude bath or sauna?
Since there’s a lot of stuff you can’t take inside the Korean nude baths and saunas, many of such establishments have lockers where you can keep your valuables. Usually, shoe lockers are located before you reach the front desk, while lockers for your bags and clothes often are available in the changing rooms.
What happens at a Korean spa?
Korean spas, commonly known as Jjimjilbang, is a large, public bathhouse with hot tubs, showers, traditional massage tables, and is segregated between genders. There is a communal unisex area that is filled with snacks, heated floors to sleep, lounge, and watch TV.
Do you wear a towel in a Korean spa?
If you're going to the baths, you need to remove all your clothing, bringing only a small towel and toiletries with you (wear your locker key on your wrist). If you're going to the sauna, change into the pajamas provided. The cardinal rule here is that you need to wash before getting into the baths.
Can you wear bathing suit at Korean spa?
A Korean spa is not for the modest. To enter the spa and sauna on gender segregated floors, we ask that no clothing be worn. Bathing suits are not allowed in the spas. Please shower prior to entering the spas.
How do I get the most out of a Korean spa?
Here are my four tips for making the most out of your first Korean spa experience.Get yourself really drunk in Koreatown within walking distance from your preferred Korean Spa. ... For your first time, go to the spa ALONE. ... Book an appointment for the “Oil Scrub Massage” ... Prepare yourself for “AUNTIE GAZE”
Are Korean spas separated by gender?
There are 2 distinct areas in a jimjilbang: the wet rooms and the dry ones. After entering the jimjilbang, the men go to one side of the building and the women go to the other. The wet area which comprises of hot and cold baths (or jacuzzis) are gender separated. Men stick to their side, and the ladies stay on theirs.
What is a Korean body scrub like?
Good Korean scrub The intense Korean cleansing process (called "seshin") entails soaking the body in hot water, then rubbing it with a "Korean Italy towel" -- a colorful, thin loofah with a sandpaper-like texture -- to rid the body of all the gunk, dirt and layers of dead skin that accumulate naturally.
What should a Korean body scrub wear?
Body scrubs require a steam or a soak for 15 – 30 mins prior. This helps the skin prepare to be exfoliated. Scrubs are done in a semi-private station in the bath house. While we do encourage you to go completely nude, you are allowed to wear a bathing suit bottom, should you wish.
How often should you get a Korean body scrub?
Ideally scrubs should be done once a week to keep your skin healthy or at least once a month. Regular scrubs improve skin vibrancy and blood circulation, as well as muscle relaxation.
What is a Korean sauna?
Hanjeungmak (Hangul: 한증막, Hanja: 汗蒸幕) is Korean traditional sauna. Intensely hot and dry, it uses traditionally burning wood of pine to heat a domelike kiln made of stone. Nowadays, hanjeungmaks are incorporated into jjimjilbang rather than being independent facilities.
What is a Korean bathhouse called?
If you’ve ever been to a Korean bathhouse (also called saunas) though, well those are a league of their own. Also known as jjimjilbang, these Korean hotspots started popping up in urban areas across the United States within the last few decades. And the international rise of jjimjilbangs isn’t surprising. Granted, when visiting these saunas, you’ll ...
What are some good ingredients to use in Korean masks?
In that case, stick to soothing Korean face masks instead. Often sold in packs online and imbued with ingredients like honey, lavender, aloe, and cucumber, these sheet masks will not only improve the look and feel of your skin, but provide that extra bit of self-love your nervous system may be in need of.
What is the word for auntie in a sauna?
Granted, when visiting these saunas, you’ll have to be comfortable with public nakedness, but rest assured, the ahjumma (Korean word for auntie) in the corner doesn’t care about you.
What to do when you have a bathtub?
If you have a bathtub at your house or apartment, this is a good time to lower the lights, lose the phone, draw a steamy hot bath, and schedule some interruption-free soak time.
Why do people use saunas?
However, it’s not exactly known why using a sauna can have these outcomes. Some researchers guess that bathing in this much heat may: 1 reduce arterial stiffness 2 dilate blood vessels 3 calm the nervous system 4 lower the lipid profile, which reflects your cholesterol and other indicators of heart health
Is sauna good for you?
According to a 2018 study of sauna bathing in Finland, regularly visiting a sauna is linked to many health benefits, including an improvement in cardiovascular, circulatory, and immune functions. A trip to a jjimjilbang — or recreating the experience at home — could possibly soothe a number of things that ail you.
Do Korean saunas have a dress code?
For the uninitiated, here’s the full experience. Most Korean saunas sort pool and shower areas into male and female. While there are common areas for everyone, like saunas and relaxation rooms, the availability of these depend on the spa. What they tend to have in common is a dress code, where they give you matching pajama-like outfits ...
What is the difference between Asian massage and American massage?
17:00 – Comparing Asian massage experiences to American massage, the difference are extreme. Both are based very much on science, physiology and intuition, but Korean, Chinese and Thai massage really use moments of intensity and release, vs gradual body work.
What is the best room for mediation?
Clay Room – hotter than the salt room, the clay room is lined with terracotta clay. This is a great room for mediation and relaxation.
Do you have to be naked?
Yes. Not to be too blunt, but it is a no-clothes zone in most Korean Spas that for the wet spas (hot tub, cold plunge pool, single-sex saunas). Some of us (Laura) were more on board for this part than others (Stella), but it really is the type of thing that you get used to and is not at all as scary or nerve-wracking as you may think.
What should you bring with you?
You don’t need anything really, you can get by with just yourself. But we found the following things helpful and cheaper to do on our own vs. buying there.
What really happens when you get a scrub?
Get ready to experience the softest skin of your life! We opted to get the “buff” on our last trip and my oh my is it amazing.
Do you have to book services in advance?
They recommend it and for weekends at a busy spa, it’s a necessity! That being said, if you don’t book ahead, just ask and see if they can squeeze you in.
How long should you spend there?
We were at the spa for just over 2 hours and it was a delightful visit for a post-brunch activity. We had ample time to get our pre-scrub soak and post-scrub plunge in, as well as a sampling of each of the dry sauna rooms.
What is a Korean spa?
You’re probably wondering what is a Korean spa and how is it different than its North American counterparts? Think ancient bath house rituals infused with modern treatments in private men and women’s areas . You’ll sauna together, but bathe separate and naked. Most of these spas open 24-hours, so it’s a great first destination if you can’t check into your hotel yet.
How many saunas are there at Wi Spa?
This is where you’ll find the poultice rooms – a series of dry saunas, each with its own specialty and healing materials. At Wi Spa, there are five co-ed specialty saunas.
What is the section in the change room?
In both the women’s and men’s change rooms, section is where you get spa your spa treatments, but like the rest of the zone, you’ve got to be comfortable in your own skin and only your own skin. (This is where the naked part comes in.)
How much is a day pass at Wi Spa?
Typically, it’s only $25-30 for a day pass, so it’s worth sussing out. Before you shed some skin, here are a few things you might want to know, gleaned from my experience at Wi Spa in L.A.’s Koreatown. See the video below, even Conan checked out it!
Where to stay if you don't want to stay overnight at Wi Spa?
If you don’t want to overnight at Wi spa, here are two hotels I’ve stayed at and can recommend. Hotel Normandie is an architectural delight, built in the 1920s, with a landmark designation. Fixtures and furnishings are vintage, and there’s a very cool retro diner, cocktail bar and fancy French restaurant to suss out.
Can you wear shorts in the sauna?
Only in the pools. In the saunas you’re wearing shorts and a T
Can you be side by side in a spa?
You’ll be side by side getting your spa treatments.
Just Go With It
One of the best pieces of advice we can give you is to enjoy it and get on with it. Yes, there will be naked strangers there, but it is normal. Try not to stare at people, and just ignore if people stare at you. You are there to relax, so just enjoy the moment.
Go Tech Free
One of the biggest etiquette rules of a Korean spa is to ditch the technology. Lock the phone away with all of your inhibitions, and just switch off. Once inside, there will be no distractions, no work phone calls, and no annoying text messages. Just relax and enjoy the soothing ambience of the spa for the duration of your stay.
Arrive Ready To Be Cleansed
Most Korean spas will enforce strict rules before you enter the baths. These rules usually entail you deep cleaning yourself before you are even allowed into the baths, saunas or spa. The first thing you will have to do when you arrive is shower, and wash away any products, make up or build ups from your skin before you are authorized to enter.
Scrub It Up
Korean people love to keep their skin young and fresh by scrubbing and exfoliating often. Korean spas will be full of people scrubbing away at their skin with mitts, towels and creams.
Dress For No Mess
Although Korean spas are mainly nude, there are areas where you do not have to be naked. For instance, the cafe and food places are not somewhere you should be robeless. There will be co-ed areas where people may be sitting down, watching television, or eating. These are places where you should never be naked.
Bring Beauty Supplies
It’s not just about relaxing. Korean spas are great places to use beauty products and treatments to care for your skin and leave with a younger, healthier and more youthful glow. However, you do not have to purchase all of the products inside the spa.
Aaaaand Relax
Finally, just have fun with it. You will be at the Korean spa to relax, so try not to overthink things too much. Just enjoy the feeling of face masks seeping into your skin, whilst you scrub away all the dead skin cells from your body.
The Price Point
Most obvious benefit first: entry at Korean spas are generally cheaper than their western counterpoints. (In Los Angeles entry fees run between $20-$40, although there’s usually some kind of Groupon deal going down).
Nudity
This is probably the biggest worry of first time Korean Spa attendees. While high school gym-like uniforms are issued for the coed areas, the gender segregated saunas and tubs are strictly no-clothes affairs. Sure it can be awkward at first, but think of it as a chance to embrace body positivity.
The Food
Cafes at Korean spas generally serve … you guessed it, Korean food. Everything tastes better with a pinch of salt, right? So load up on the delicious galbi (barbecue), kimchi (fermented cabbage) and bibimbap (rice and veggie hot pot). Don’t worry too much about the sodium—you’ll sweat it all out in the sauna anyway.
So. Many. Saunas
In the Korean culture there’s a hot room for pretty much anything that ails you. Got arthritis and in need of some stress relief? Try the jade sauna. Looking for respiratory purification? Head over to the salt sauna. Ready for heavy metal detoxification? Take a trip to the clay room.
Community Building
Inspired by the tradition of the Korean bathhouse (you know, the place people bathed before running water at home was a thing), modern Korean spas are big on community. So throw on your shorts and T-shirt and hang out in the jimjilbang (aka the coed area).
So, Where Can You Find Them?
Laura Studarus is a Los Angeles-based writer. Sometimes she can go several hours without a cup of tea.