Jjimjilbang vs Korean Spa vs Sauna — What Is the Difference? (2026)
Jjimjilbang, bathhouse, sauna and private sauna are different spaces in Korea. Sorted by what you wear, whether it is co-ed, and how much it costs — so you know which word to search for.
Quick Answer — The Difference in One Paragraph
A mokyoktang (bathhouse) is a nude, gender-separated space. A jjimjilbang is a co-ed space you enter wearing a cotton uniform. Sauna is used two ways in Korea — it can mean the heated room inside the bathhouse, and it is also a common business name for the bathhouse itself.
Most larger Korean venues put both under one roof: a nude bathing floor below, and a jjimjilbang floor above that you enter in the uniform. One entry fee usually covers both floors.
Mokyoktang (Bathhouse) — Nude, Separated, Cheapest
Neighborhood bathhouses usually cost 7,000-12,000 KRW. They consist of pools, showers and heated rooms, and towels are handed out at entry. Nudity is the norm and the mens and womens sides are fully separated, so mixed-gender companions cannot meet inside.
Seongsu-tang in Seoul opened in 1966 and is designated Seoul Future Heritage; entry is 9,000 KRW, cash. Sherray Rock Water Sauna in Jongno is 12,000 KRW and closes on Tuesdays. Older neighborhood bathhouses are plain on facilities, and are often judged instead on water quality and cleanliness.
Jjimjilbang — Uniform, Co-ed, Often 24 Hours
Jjimjilbang entry runs about 10,000-17,000 KRW. You wear a cotton uniform — short-sleeve tee and shorts — and men and women share the same space. Venues usually combine several heated rooms at different temperatures with sleeping rooms, a food court and a comic room.
Many run 24 hours and are used as a late-night lodging alternative. A night surcharge of roughly 1,000-3,000 KRW after 10 PM is common. Some venues include the uniform in the entry fee and some charge for it separately.
Foreign visitors often set out for a jjimjilbang and end up at a plain bathhouse, because many bathhouses carry "sauna" in their name. The quickest check for a real jjimjilbang floor is whether a uniform rental price is listed.
Sauna — The Word Means Two Things in Korea
First, it refers to the heated room inside a bathhouse. Dry saunas commonly run 80-90C and wet saunas 50-70C.
Second, it is used as a business name. Even when the sign says "sauna," the venue may only have a bathhouse and no jjimjilbang floor. Expecting a jjimjilbang from the word alone in search results can leave you in the wrong place.
Hanjeungmak and bulgama are a separate format again. These are dome-shaped kilns built of stone and clay, heated with wood and warming the body by radiant heat — a traditional form dating back to the 15th century. They run hot, so visitors go in for short stretches and step back out.
Private and Solo Saunas — The Newer Format
These are reservation-based spaces you use alone or only with your own party. Pricing is on a different level: Solo Sauna Repo in Noryangjin charges 45,000 KRW for 60 minutes and 55,000 KRW for 90 minutes, per person.
Worth considering if a shared nude space feels uncomfortable, if you want to stay together with a companion of a different gender, or if you want a quiet setting. Most require booking in advance.
So Which Word Should You Search For?
If you want a co-ed heated floor and a sleeping room, search jjimjilbang (찜질방). If you only want baths and a body scrub, searching mokyoktang (목욕탕) or sauna (사우나) returns more accurate results. Add oncheon (온천) if you want hot spring water — Hurshimchung in Busan, a large hot spring venue, is 15,000 KRW on weekdays and 18,000 KRW on weekends.
Where to go next:
First visit procedure and etiquette→
12 jjimjilbang in Seoul→
What a body scrub is and where to get one→
Private and solo saunas→
Full price breakdown→
Hurshimchung
Busan's largest hot spring — overwhelming variety of pools alone
Seongsu-tang
Est. 1966, Seoul Future Heritage. Clean and cozy neighborhood bathhouse.
Sherray Rock Water Sauna
Since 1989. Bukhansan bedrock water bathhouse. 15 consecutive years Jongno-gu Best — filter removed, fresh water daily.
Solo Sauna Repo Noryangjin
Hinoki-scented Finnish sauna with self löyly. Private 1-person reservation.
Sparex Dongmyo
A large jjimjilbang opened in 2024, with a Himalayan salt room and a cypress forest bath.
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