The Jjimjilbang

I mentioned in my last blog that I went to a Korean sauna for my birthday, which is called a jjimjilbang (pronounced jim-jill-baang.) It’s a very ‘Korean’ thing to do, so of course I had to give it a go.

Koreans go to the jjimjilbang like Americans go to the mall. They range from the simple to the luxurious, and include a wide range of services. Basically, there are pools of water at various temperatures, and you alternate between them, occasionally throwing in a trip to the sauna. Typically there’s a wet sauna and a dry one, which are tiled with precious stones believed to have healing properties. Some of the fancier spas have an aroma-therapy room as well, though not the one I went to.

The cost ranges from about $10 - $30, and for that you get a towel and locker for your stuff, and then walk about the place naked, you know, like you own the place. Which is totally what I did.

Before you enter any water, it’s mandatory to take a shower first. The sauna has a girls and boys side, and some even have a family section. It’s not uncommon for Koreans to spend an entire day at the jjilmjilbang, soaking and scrubbing each other’s backs. And I mean SCRUB!

If you spend any amount of time watching Korean television, you will inevitably see an infomercial or three on the latest product that removes dead skin. Koreans are crazy about shedding old skin! So I took part in this time-honored tradition and paid someone to forcibly remove my skin, dead and alive.

For a mere $25, a woman around the age of 50, and very nearly naked, put on cloth mittens that felt exactly like steel wool grazing my skin. Talk about service! Thought tiny, she had a wiry strength that still frightens me. So I got on the table, face-down, and this lady proceeded to scrape and scour my entire backside. Again, I do mean SCRUB! She lifted and lowered, bent and parted, washed and rinsed every inch of my bod. When she wanted me to flip, she’d roughly pat my glowing red skin as to indicate so. There was no part of my body too private for her formidable rub, and the multiple occasions I would pull away, she never relented in her task. Besides the obvious uncomfortable spots, I found the deep chaffing in my armpit more than a bit distracting.

Since this was the first time I’d ever done this, the amount of skin that was ripped from my body was definitely disconcerting. The skin, my skin, would wind itself into little grey worms, and when I squished it between my fingers, felt exactly like clay. After my thorough cleanse, she washed my body, face and hair. When we were done, she smacked me a few more times and awaited a tip. And I thought my job was sadistic!

Afterwards, we, that is to say, Val, Kat and I, soaked for a spell in the cold pool to close our pours. And sooner than later, it was time to catch my bus, so I sauntered into the locker-room to find my lady just chillin with other Korean women, and I kid you not, she smacked my butt when I passed her! The nerve of some Koreans!

The rubdown was definitely painful, but I was told later that my skin had a healthy glow to it, so, eh, yeah, I’ll probably do it again. Maybe. There are individual stalls for friends to scrub each other at, which was a common sight, and the overall atmosphere was one of respite and relaxation.

We didn’t take advantage of all the amenities, which included massages, acupressure and acupuncture, but regardless, I definitely felt squeaky-clean!