Dry vs Wet Sauna in Korea: The Complete Beginner's Guide
A simple guide to the difference between dry and wet saunas, plus Korea's own jjimjilbang kiln rooms and hanjeungmak. Learn the temperature, humidity, and which type suits you, with easy etiquette tips for first-time visitors.
2026-07-21 · 5 places
Dry vs Wet: What's the Difference?
The biggest difference is humidity. A dry sauna has hot, dry air. The temperature is high, usually 70-90°C (158-194°F), but the low humidity makes you sweat fast while still feeling bearable. A wet sauna (steam sauna) is cooler, around 40-55°C (104-131°F), but the humidity climbs close to 90%. Because hot steam wraps around your skin, it can actually feel hotter than the number suggests.
An easy way to remember: dry sauna is "hot, dry heat," and wet sauna is "warm, moist steam." Most Korean bathhouses and jjimjilbang have both, so you can choose based on how you feel that day.
Dry Sauna: Hot and Refreshing
A dry sauna heats the air with a heater inside a wood-lined room. Sweat evaporates and cools your body, so many people stay 10-15 minutes even at high temperatures. If you want a good sweat and relaxed muscles, the dry sauna is a great fit.
Because the air is dry, your throat or nose may feel a little dry too, so drink plenty of water before and after. If it is your first time, start with about 5 minutes, check how you feel, and slowly build up.
Wet Sauna: Gentle, Moist Steam
A wet sauna fills the room with hot steam. The temperature is lower, but the high humidity means steam settles on your skin along with your sweat. It feels less drying, easier on the throat, and many people find it gentler than a dry sauna, leaving the skin feeling moist.
The steam can make it hard to see, and the floor may be slippery, so walk slowly. It suits people with sensitive airways or anyone who finds dry heat too harsh. Alternating between dry and wet lets you enjoy the best of both.
Uniquely Korean: Jjimjilbang and Hanjeungmak
Korean jjimjilbang have more than just dry and wet rooms; they offer creative themed rooms too. Low-heat kiln rooms lined with yellow clay (hwangto), salt, or charcoal glow at around 40-60°C (104-140°F) and let you enjoy the heat and scent of natural materials while resting for a long time. These are mixed-gender spaces, so you wear the provided jjimjilbang clothes.
Hanjeungmak is Korea's traditional kiln sauna. A dome-shaped room made of stone or clay is heated with a wood fire, and you enter the lingering heat. It gives off strong radiant heat, often well over 90°C (194°F), so people go in and out in short bursts. If you want a deep sweat that feels different from both dry and wet saunas, it is well worth trying.
Which Sauna Suits You? Health Tips
For a short, strong sweat and relaxed muscles, choose dry. For moist, gentle warmth, choose wet. For resting a long time in soft heat and scent, choose a low-heat kiln room. There is no single right answer, so try a bit of each and find the temperature that suits you.
The basic rules are the same for every sauna. Drink plenty of water before and after, and take several short sessions rather than one long one. If you feel dizzy or your chest feels tight, leave right away and rest somewhere cool. Avoid the sauna right after drinking alcohol, on an empty stomach, or when you feel unwell. If you are pregnant or have heart or blood pressure conditions, talk to a doctor before using one.
Basic Etiquette
Saunas inside a bathhouse (both dry and wet) are usually used without clothes, and it is polite to wash your body thoroughly before going in. Sit on a towel inside, and avoid loud conversation or taking photos. After sweating, rinse off in the shower before you leave.
In the shared jjimjilbang rooms, you must wear the provided jjimjilbang clothes. Keep your phone on silent, and when you lie down to rest, be mindful of others' space. Follow these simple rules and anyone can comfortably enjoy Korea's sauna culture.
Recommended Places
Cheongna Sparex
RecommendedThe textbook clean, spacious jjimjilbang with few people.
Rapa Sauna
Recommended24-hour jjimjilbang near Gaerong Station. Various specialty baths and famous massage.
Siloam Sauna & Jjimjilbang
Recommended24-hour large sauna near Seoul Station with germanium mineral water from 300m underground
Spadium 24
Recommended24-hour multi-wellness spa in Dasan, operated by Josun Hotels & Resorts
The Park Spa Land
RecommendedBest accessibility in Yeongdeungpo, great baths
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