So let me tell you! I am a huge fan of Onsen life here in Japan. I go often and it helps that my gym has a small onsen inside.
Also if I am throwing you off by saying onsen, I mean hot spring/spa!
So while in Korea I had to visit the biggest onsen (jimjilbang in Korea) in Busan, South Korea.
Now Jimjilbang's are very different than onsen in Japan. A jjimjilbang is essentially a large, public bathhouse (gender-separated) furnished with hot tubs, showers, saunas and massage tables. Every spa offers unique features; however, there are often snack bars, ondol-heated flooring for lounging and sleeping, wide-screen TVs, exercise rooms, ice rooms, heated salt rooms, and even sleeping quarters (as one of my students told me, I don't really need a hotel I could just stay at a jimjilbang, but not at Spa Land which does have regular closing hours!).
So Yeah!
I went to Spa Land in Shinsegae Centum City Mall in Busan. Spa Land has of 22 spas fed by two different kinds of all-natural springs, 13 themed saunas, and an open-air foot spa. The maximum occupancy is a whopping 1,500 people! I got there pretty early in the morning so I didn't have any wait going in, but as I left there was a long line and some people receiving wait tickets and being told to come back later!
Spa Land is kinda hard to find unless you know what you are looking for. I went to Shinsegae Mall the day before and walked around and found 4 food courts, and ice skating rink, and even 2 VR experience corners but didn't find Spa Land until the next day when I was on the hunt for it.
and is kinda hard to find unless you know what you are looking for. I went to Shinsegae Mall the day before and walked around and found 4 food courts, and ice skating rink, and even 2 VR experience corners but didn't find Spa Land until the next day when I was on the hunt for it.
Don't worry I have a link above to the Website, it is all in Korean though. But be careful Shinsegae mall is made up of like 8 different and massive buildings so be sure you go into the Centum building and go the the first floor! It's near Channel.
So when you come in you first pay up front for your initial time (which is 4 hours and then extra from time after that).
Rates: Basic - weekday 12,000won / weekend* 14,000won
Early Bird (before 8am) - weekday 7,000won/ weekend* 9,000won
Night Owl - after 8pm sun-thurs 7,000won / after 10pm fri&sat 9,000won
*means Sat, Sun, & holidays
On your receipt you get a locker number for you shoes. It's Asia, so yes you still have to take off your shoes so I would wear socks if I were you.
You'll keep this key and keep the number in mind because once you get into the locker changing room you will need this key to unlock your assigned locker (same number). It's also the way you'll be able to pay for extra things inside of Spa Land!
And can I say this place is huge! and 2 floors!!
But before I went out I went ahead and showered first cause the subway is so hot I was a little sweaty already. Even though the bath area is also large there are not many showers nor seated showers.... I'll come back to this later.... I got a story....
Once you venture down the hall towards the jjimjilbang you'll be transported to the hotel style area. Here is a list of the rooms available to you here, with some descriptions.
Charcoal Room - 참숯방
Ice Room - 아이스방 / 어름방
Yellow Ocher Room - Hwang-to / 황토방: Hot, but comfortably dry.
Hammam Room – 하맘룸: Meant to replicate a Turkish-style bath sauna.
Bali Room – 발리룸: An open area with soft floor-mattresses where you can congregate with your friends and loved ones and talk freely.
Pyramid room: Angled walls for a relaxing mood.
Roman Room – 로만룸: Replicates the feeling of a traditional Roman sauna room. Warm and very humid, like Korean summers. Stand over the steamer in the center with your towel over your head for max effect.
Body Sound Room: Raised platforms which vibrate with the bass in the calming background music. Bonus fake bamboo along the walls.
Wave Dream Room: Places to lay along the sides, and from the middle lights are reflected through water waves for a meditative, colourful view on the ceiling.
SEV Room: Therapeutic ions emitted into semi-private, wooden 2-seater benches lit by dim coloured lights.
Relax Room: An amazing 3-tiered arc-shaped space with reclining leather chairs together by two's, each one equipped with it's own mini TV!
Outdoor Foot Spa: In the chilly months, don one of the quilted jackets at the entrance to this patio with various temperatures of walking- and soaking-foot-tubs with seats for small or large groups, singles, or couples.
(I tried my best with the Korean but clearly gave up)
Near the cafe-bar downstairs was an open area with wooden head pillows and heated flooring (pretty much everywhere had heated floors quite nice since your walking bare foot). While some were napping in the corner, others were sitting with friends eating hard-boiled eggs!
On the second floor there are more resting areas – including a room full of private chairs with individual TV’s and headphone jacks, relaxation and quiet rooms, a restaurant, and a few massage chairs.
I did go to the restaurant and got a beer and bibimbap. I also got a massage from the massage area.
While I brought my phone along and tried to get as many pictures as possible, I have no photos from the bathing area for obvious reasons (actually your not supposed to use a your phone or camera at all in the locker room). The next picture is not mine but one I found on ol'google!
There is also a sign that reads “No tattoos, drunks or people with infectious skin diseases.” But I have a small tattoo on my ankle and I noticed one woman with 3 different tattoos going diagonally down her back. Neither of us were asked to leave, sooo. I think you're good as long at your tattoo isn't too over the top.
When you walked in you can, should, grab this pink cloth. It's rough and it's meant for scrubbing your body. The intense Korean cleaning process, called ‘seshin’ entrails soaking the body in hot water and rubbing it with a the previously described pink towel to rid the body of all the dirt and layers of dead skin that occur naturally. The process has been described as both rejuvenating and painful, I didn't mind it so much. Actually I ended up buying my own and now use it every day and my skin has become so soft! I watched in the open shower area as many mothers were putting their unhappy daughters through this process.
OK.
So now my story about the showers... So in Japan at the Onsen when you are done with a shower stall you don't leave your stuff there. You either put it back in your locker, in the cubbies they provide, or set it on the ledge above the shower. Well here there were so many people. But I noticed one stall not being used but I saw someone's stuff there. So I stood by it for like 3 minutes to see if anyone was coming back. Well no one did, so I didn't touch their things but I sat down and started to take out my stuff when soddenly this woman came up to me and said that it was her spot. I apologized and felt a little embarrassed. Well as I walked away in search of a shower I glanced back.... And this woman didn't even shower she just walked back to the bath and got in!!! She wasn't even using it!
I'm not sure if this is Korean culture or what but honestly it pissed me off cause in Japan that would be so ducking rude!
Well finally, 10 minutes later I finally found an open shower... Then once I finished I realized I was over my time! Uhhggg. It's cool they only charge me 1,000 won (1,000won > 100 円 > $1.00 -ish)
So I was blowdrying my hair and doing my makeup. I put down the blowdryer cause my hair was still a little damp but still mostly dry. Well I noticed that woman from before came into the room I was in where many women were drying their hair and doing their makeup. And she looked around and then started walking towards me. Then I realized she was going for the hair dryer I had used, again I was basically done using it....
but.....
Before she could grab it I picked it back up and continued drying my basically already dry hair and then just stared at her through the mirror...
Is that petty? Yes!
Do/did I care? .... Nope!
My SpaLand cost:
Entering- 18,000 won
over time fee- 1,000 won
Beer- 5,500 won
Bibimbap- 8,000 won
Strawberry smoothy/bottle of water- 11,000 won
Massage- 38,500won
Total: 82,000 won ~ $82-ish
Overall it was fun. But I think when I go to Seoul in the future I want to try a small more traditional jimjilbang! Have you been to a Jimjilbang? What was your experience?
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