Relaxing at the 찜질방

Visiting a 찜질방 (Jjimjilbang – public bathhouse) has been on my to-do list for years. Last time I was in Korea, we didn’t get to go because of COVID. I found a big one online (hoping it would be foreigner-friendly) and headed out. It was only one metro stop away, so I decided to get some fresh air and walk instead.

The sauna was located on the top floor of a large mall. There was also a big gym and a bathhouse, but I believe I only paid for the sauna part. I didn’t take any pictures (it felt rude) but I found some online.

The Chilling Area

The main area was a big open space where you could just hang out and relax. There were no benches or lounge chairs—just yoga mats and firm cushions you could pick up. There was space on the floor, elevated areas, and even small cubbies where you could hide away. Some were just for one person, others big enough for a whole family.

I went into one of the sauna rooms to unwind and quickly felt some of the stress from the past few days sweat right out of me. Afterwards, I grabbed a yoga mat and took a short nap.

Food

After that, I went to get some food at the canteen inside the bathhouse. They mostly sold snack food, but I got 순두부찌개 (sundubu-jjigae – soft tofu stew), another dish I’d wanted to try for a long time.

Another popular item here is ‘sauna eggs’. Instead of boiling them, they’re prepared by placing them on the hot stones used for the sauna. The egg whites turn a brownish color in the process. They taste like eggs—nothing too crazy, but fun to try!

Massage

After dinner, I decided to get a massage. I was still sore from the hike, and the chair in my room isn’t exactly ergonomic, so my back had been bothering me. I paid for an hour-long full-body massage. It was… strange? I’ve never paid for a massage before. I expected some simple shoulder kneading—which is what I really needed—but this was something else entirely. There was tugging, pinching, pushing… I’m pretty sure the masseuse stood on my hand at one point.

There was a bit of a language barrier, but we made do. Even though I didn’t really feel my soreness go away, it was still relaxing—I almost fell asleep. At one point, she tapped me on the shoulder. I woke up groggy and blurted out in perfect Korean, “Are we done?” She laughed and said, “No, just turn around.” “How much time is left?” I asked. “Twenty minutes,” she replied (good god!).

After the massage, I headed back into the sauna for a few more minutes, then got ready to leave. While changing, I realized I’d missed an entire section—the actual bath area! No wonder I was confused by how little “bath” there was in this so-called bathhouse. Oh well, I’ll try that next time.

In the end, it was a really relaxing experience. I can see why people love coming here, especially if your apartment is small or in a noisy neighborhood. Having a quiet, relaxing space like this makes a lot of sense.

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