By: Angela Alvis, South of Seoul volunteer
No stay in Korea is complete without an authentic Korean spa experience. These are places where Koreans come to relax, unwind, and do some serious cleansing.
Korean spas and jjimjilbangs (which literally translates to “heated room” in English) are not designed for tourists, though foreigners are always welcome. When you go, don’t expect much to be in English, and employees may redirect you, especially if you are headed to the areas designated for the opposite sex. If you are non-Korean speaking, a good rule of thumb is the following: signs for women are in pink or red, while signs for men are in blue.
Speaking of rules of thumb — while every spa or jjimjilbang is slightly different, there are a few things you can expect regardless of where you go:
- Shoes are not allowed. There will be small lockers near the entrance for you to place your shoes. Some places will give you sandals or slippers to borrow, others don’t. You can wear socks or water shoes if you like, but this is not common. Just make sure they are super clean!
- Some areas are for mixed genders, some are gender specific. Generally in the women or men only areas, you are expected to be nude. You will be given scrubs or you will wear your own swimsuit in the mixed gender areas depending on the type of establishment.
- While most places will have everything you need, many people opt to bring their own toiletries. Bringing a bath basket with travel size shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotions, hair brush, and scrubbing towels is a good idea, especially if you have brand preferences or skin sensitivity.
- Entrance fee is for the facilities; many of the services provided inside are an additional charge. The price you pay to get in typically includes the use of the pools, public baths, saunas, resting areas, and lockers. Any additional services like massages, scrubs, salons, and rental of special equipment is an additional fee. Depending on the establishment you will either pay as you go or settle up at the end.
- Food and drink is allowed. Generally you can bring in food and drink to eat, or you can purchase things there. I always bring a water bottle, although I am usually the only person with one. You should eat and drink in designated areas and NEVER in the saunas or pools. If you are unsure, take your cues from those around you. Also remember that you are in a shared space so be mindful of pungent foods.
- Respect the silence. While jjimjilbangs and spas are social places, people are also there to relax and rejuvenate. Speaking should be in hushed tones and whispers in the relaxation areas (and in some areas silence is the rule).
- Children are allowed. In Korean culture jjimjilbangs and spas are places for families to enjoy together. Most have at least a small play area and shallow pools for children in the public bath areas. Children under the age of 5 can accompany an opposite sex guardian in the public baths.
No two Korean spas are the same. Each one offers different amenities and services in a variety of different types of facilities. Korean spa experiences range from rustic to over-the-top and everything in between. In and around Pyeongtaek, you will find four major types of spa.
1. Large Leisure Spa
Large leisure spas combine some traditional Korean spa elements with water park amenities. There are two in the Pyeongtaek area–Paradise Spa Dogo and Spavis, both in Asan. These two spas are family oriented but also fun and relaxing for those without children. They also offer similar experiences, though seem to emphasize different amenities. For example Paradise Spa Dogo has a larger indoor blade pool area with a variety of hydro jets and a larger outdoor area, where the whole family can be together. On the other hand, Spavis has larger public baths, areas where the women and men are separated … and a much bigger water slide!!
Spavis
Phone: 041-539-2000
Paradise Spa Dogo
Phone: 041-537-7100
2. Neighborhood Jjimjilbangs and Public Baths
Jjimjilbanng amenities include gender-segregated public baths, hot tubs, kiln saunas, ondol-heated relaxation rooms, and snack bars. While you will find large jjimjilbangs with several floors in larger cities, each Korean city is filled with harder to find (and more affordable) jjimjilbangs. As far as I know, there isn’t a special term for these smaller jjimjilbangs. I call them neighborhood jjimjilbangs because there seems to be one located every couple of kilometers (well, at least one in every neighborhood). Even though these establishments are much smaller than the leisure spas, one could still easily spend an entire day at these places relaxing, soaking, and scrubbing.
Here are a few local hot spots:
Phone: 031-692-4020
Phone: 031-665-7227
3. Traditional Saunas and Hot Springs
These establishments are a little more rustic than the neighborhood jjimjilbangs and highly enjoyable. This is where you go to get a truly unique cultural experience. These places tend to specialize in either saunas or public baths, rarely do they offer both. They do one thing and do it well. You will find traditional kiln saunas at the Red Clay Charcoal Sauna in the Pyeongtaek countryside and traditional hot springs at Onyang in Asan.
Red Clay Charcoal Sauna
Phone: 031-686-5151
Onyang Hot Springs
Phone: 041-545-2631
4. Enzyme Therapy Spas
This type of spa experience is super rare, and we are so lucky to have one right here in Pyeongtaek! Basically you get burried in fermented rice powder or rice enzyme. It is warm and wonderful and feels like a heated weighted blanket. After 15 minutes in the rice enzyme cocoon, you can rest in the warmth for up to an hour. This type of spa treatment is said to have healing effects while strengthening immunities. There are also massage chairs if you want even more relaxation after your shower.
Green Smile Village Golden Therapy Experience Center
Phone: 031-683-1888
Visiting a Korean spa can be intimidating at first; however, once you get past those first few awkward moments, you will discover a wonderful form of self-care and pampering. Check out South of Seoul’s other blogs on jjimjilbangs to get the most out of your visit.
Angela Alvis holds a Master’s in Education and Bachelor’s of Arts in Sociology. Ms. Alvis specializes in curriculum development and instructional design.
Angela Alvis has a depth and breadth of experience in education and early childhood that has taken her across the world to work in a variety of school settings, from rural programs to large urban districts, and everything from ECSE and DLL classrooms to childcare and university settings.
Prior to her work with South of Seoul, Ms. Alvis spent several years leading the wide-scale implementation of play-based learning and a formative assessment model with over 120 educators in five early childhood schools that served over 15,000 students in Washington D.C.
After transitioning back to the US, Ms. Alvis became the Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives at Tools of the Mind, she works on cross-departmental teams as the education and content expert. She is currently co-designing a multi-faceted teacher development model that integrates workshops, video coaching, and professional learning communities.
