Your First Korean Body Scrub, Step by Step

This is the private-room sequence. In a bathhouse only steps ② and ③ happen in the shared bath.

① Check-in and undressing — fully naked, in the room or a private changing area. Underwear comes off too; swimsuits are not allowed because the mitt cannot work through fabric. Almost no studio hands out disposable underwear; you get a large towel instead.
② Soak 10–15 minutes — mugwort or hot bath to soften the skin. Many studios do face cleansing and a mask here.
③ Scrub 20–30 minutes — on the table. The usual order is face up → one side → face down → the other side. Arms rest at your sides; "hands above your head" only while the armpit is scrubbed, 10–20 seconds per side. A towel covers between the legs and the chest, and is moved only while that spot is being done.
④ Shampoo, hair pack, massage — depending on the course. The towel goes back on.
⑤ Shower and finish — lotion, hair dry, dressed, done.

The attendant is actually looking at your body only during ③, and only at the part being scrubbed. Conversation is limited to "too hot?" and "does it hurt?", and gestures work fine without Korean.

1. Body hair not removed / cannot remove for medical reasons — nobody cares. The attendant scrubs dozens of people a day, and plenty of Korean women leave armpits and arms unshaved. It never gets mentioned.

2. Body shape, weight, stretch marks, scars — same. A scrub is not a beauty treatment but "getting the dead skin off", so there is no culture of judging bodies. In a private room there is no other guest at all.

3. On your period — most private studios will not take the booking, because the course includes a soak. Move the date if it overlaps. Bathhouses let you in, but staying out of the tubs is the etiquette.

4. Tattoos — private rooms do not mind. Some bathhouses still refuse large tattoos (Sparex Dongdaemun allows them). Small ones are generally fine.

5. Wanting to keep underwear or a swimsuit on — not possible; the mitt cannot work through fabric. A towel covers chest and lower body instead.

6. No Korean — you need two words: "hot" and "it hurts". Raise a hand and the pressure eases. For private rooms, put any requests in the Instagram DM or booking form beforehand.

7. Tipping and hidden charges — there is no tipping culture. The listed course price is everything. In a bathhouse you pay the scrub fee in cash directly to the attendant, separate from admission. Private studios take cards.

Four women-only private studios where LUWEI confirmed prices and the women-only rule with the venue itself. All are fully private rooms, one attendant to one guest.

Sooryeon (Sindang) — basic 60 min 88,000 won. 06:00–21:00, opening at 6 am, one stop from Dongdaemun and DDP. Maternity course available; mugwort bath, mask and hair pack included.

Dano (Jamsil) — Dan course 60 min 88,000 won. 06:30–24:00, so late evenings work. Wedding and prenatal courses. Handy if you are staying near Lotte World or Seokchon Lake.

Jongno Sauna The Private Spa (Jongno 3-ga) — 60 min 77,000 won (opening price), English spoken, 30,000 won deposit paid in advance. Rooms come with a private sauna.

Yeoun (Yeoksam) — from 133,000 won for 85 min. Gangnam side, treatment-focused (houttuynia, gold), for people who want scrub plus aesthetic care.

Also clearly women-only from public information, but not yet confirmed by the venue: ONA Dongdaemun (right by DDP, 09:00–23:55, basic 99,000 won) and Yeonnam Scrub (basic 78,000 won). Re-check prices when you book those two.

If a private room is more than you want to spend, a bathhouse scrub is 30,000–40,000 won. To keep it low-key:

· Go early (6–8 am) or on a weekday afternoon, when the neighbouring tables are empty.
· Walk up to the attendant first, say "seshin" and get in the queue; holding up one finger is enough.
· Pay the attendant directly in cash, separate from admission, so bring 40,000–50,000 won in notes.
· Sparex Goodmorning City at Dongdaemun (24 hours, admission 14,000–16,000 won) admits tattoos and has many foreign guests, so you stand out less.

For men — almost every private-room studio is women-only. The rare private option for men in Seoul is Spa Homme (Bongcheon, men only, 98,000–198,000 won, 12:00–24:00); otherwise it is the men's bath, where the attendant is also male.

Private rooms are reservation only. Instagram DM is the default (Sooryeon @sooryeon_sesin, Dano @dan.o_official), or tap "Book through LUWEI" on the venue page here, send date, time and party size, and get the venue's answer by email. No Korean needed.

On the day: arrive ten minutes early, come without makeup since it will be cleansed off anyway, and keep valuables to a minimum. Skin is thinner and drier after a scrub, so use plenty of lotion. For a first time the 60-minute basic course is enough; 90 minutes and up mainly add a steam massage or oil.

One last thing: in Korea a scrub is not an event but a monthly chore, like a haircut. To the attendant you are the dozenth guest of the day, and that is exactly why it is not awkward.