Naked With Strangers: My Korean Spa Experience
If you know nothing else about South Korea, you must know that they rule the spa scene.
One of the things that intrigued me the most about the prospects of living in South Korea was indulging in the true blue Korean spa experience, or the jjimjilbang.
While I love being naked and the liberation that comes with baring the skin I'm in, showing love and feeling love for the body that gets me through this life, thinking about that part of the jjimjilbang experience filled me with anxiety. Because, as much as I love spas, the idea of being naked in a room full of Korean women was rather intimidating.
To those of you who may be unfamiliar, the jjimjilbang is a Korean public bathhouse and sauna that’s separated into two parts. First, is the co-ed communal area that includes ice rooms, saunas, sleeping rooms, restaurants, and more. Second, is the gender-segregated bath and shower room where you can lay in hot tubs, use the steam rooms, or get the famous Korean scrub. In Korea, the jjimjilbang is for everyone – young couples, old people, families, and friend dates with your besties.
[Tweet "As much as I love spas, the idea of being naked in a room full of Korean women was intimidating."]
As a black woman living in Korea, I already had garnered my fair share of stares, gawking, and the occasional creeping hand trying to touch my hair. I definitely didn’t want to deal with that while trying to bask in a space that's meant to allow me to relax.
But one holiday weekend, my boyfriend and I took a trip down to the south of Korea to Busan, and that's where my life was forever changed. Busan is home to what CNN has called Korea’s “most outrageous sauna,” the Spa Land Centum City. I wouldn’t say it’s "outrageous", but going there was definitely one of the best experiences I’d had in Korea.
After changing into the standard jjimjilbang pajama spa uniform, my boyfriend and I spent an hour or so lounging in the saunas, cooling off in the ice room, and eating smoked eggs with tea. We both kept remarking on just how awesome the experience had been so far and how we needed to come back more often. But I was still hesitant about what was yet to come, the wet and dry sauna/shower rooms.
As I got undressed in the locker room, I noticed that no one was really paying me any attention at all - actually, no one even looked my way. Everyone there was just enjoying themselves, chatting with friends, helping each other wash their backs, or just relaxing in their own world. All of the fear and anxiety I felt about being naked in a spa full of women was for nothing. Feeling confident, I stepped into the sauna, and it was pretty much game over. I took an awesomely long shower, washed my hair, sat in the hot tubs, and went to the steam room.
It felt so liberating and relaxing! But what really threw my experience into OMG YES, I MUST DO THIS ALL THE TIME NOW territory was the Korean body scrub.
A woman clad in black underwear guided me to a wet massage table where she proceeded to put soap all over my body and with a Brillo pad-type scrubber, scrubbed me so hard I thought she was trying to take the black off of me. It was both amazing and terrifying. She scrubbed literally everywhere, no holds barred. I regularly exfoliated on my own at home, but it was no match for this scrub. After she finished, she rinsed me off with warm water, and then gave me a scalp massage, which was the icing on the cake. My body had literally never felt so smooth. It was like I was a newborn baby! And from that day forth, I made a vow to myself that I’d try to go to a Korean spa at least once a month.
I now have my Korean spa game down to a science. I go regularly and am no longer afraid of being naked around strangers. If anything, it’s made me realize even more so that women come in all shapes and sizes, and honestly no one really cares what you look like.
In the U.S., there are Korean spas sprinkled everywhere in most major cities. When I lived in LA, Wi Spa and the women’s only Olympic Spa were the hot spots. Wi Spa is basically the Disneyland of Korean spas and is open 24/7. They have a computer room, a restaurant, a gym, a nail salon, and more. Olympic Spa is for women only, which makes it a great place for a squad get-together. With massages, scrubs, manicures and facials, you could be there all day!
And for my friends on the east coast, have no fear! My friend Tiffany from TiffanyandLupus gave me her recommendations for the NYC area:
- Spa Castle Premier 57 in Midtown. It's a Korean spa with a sleek minimalist design that provides ultra comfort. Most jjimjilbangs are family friendly, however, you have to be at least 18 to enjoy this one.
- King Spa & Fitness in NJ is one of my favorite jjimjilbangs! Children are welcome, as long as an adult accompanies them. The beauty of this spa is that it's open 24 hours. You can spend the night sleeping on a plush reclining chair bed! But find a spot to sleep by 9 pm or else you'll be left to find a not so comfy floor spot.
Have you ever been to a Korean spa? What did you think? Let us know in the comments.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
How A Stay At Switzerland's Luxurious 7132 Hotel Reminded Me To Live The Life I Deserve
Sometimes, as women—especially as single Black women—we simply need to be reminded that we are deserving of living a life we dream of. Even if that means creating it for ourselves. I recently set out on a weeklong trip to Switzerland, a trip I’ve been wanting to take for years, and near the end of my visit, I had an epiphany.
“DeAnna, this is the life you deserve,” I thought to myself as I took in the gorgeous bathroom in my suite at the famous 7132 Hotel and Thermal Spa. It was one of the most luxurious hotels (and bathrooms) I had ever stayed in—and that’s saying a lot for someone who often travels for work.
To help you better understand why this was such a mental awakening for me, I first need to give a bit of my backstory. I’m in my late thirties. I’m an attorneyand a journalist. I own a home and have traveled the world extensively. Essentially, I’ve done everything in life I set out to do. However, when it comes to dating, I struggle. Not because there is anything wrong with me per se, but because my career and “lifestyle” often create problems in my romantic relationships.
View from my hotel room
Courtesy
I’ve been told everything from, ‘I can’t continue to date you because you seem to choose your career over wanting to settle down and have kids’ by a man after only the second date to ‘Maybe if you just sat down somewhere for a while, I’d actually wife you’ by someone who has honestly never proven themselves to be the settle down type. And these are only a handful of the things I’ve been told over the years.
It’s been frustrating, to say the least, and there have even been seasons where I purposely dimmed my light in hopes that my career wouldn’t push away potential suitors. I know what you’re thinking, “Girl, why would you even consider that? If they’re for you, it won’t matter what you do.” Hey, don’t judge me, but also, I one hundred percent agree.
My hotel bathroom
Courtesy
That’s why this recent moment in Switzerland was right on time. When I first walked into the hotel to check in, I was blown away by the surrounding beauty. It was a five-star property with one of the world’s most famous thermal bathhouses. Yet, it was something about seeing that 90% of the hotel’s guests were couples, that forced me to sit back for a bit of introspection—while soaking in the thermal spa, of course.
As I went through the mental conversation, there was a battle of sorts. On one hand, I knew that being able to partake in experiences like the one I was having at that moment was important to me. I knew that, at times I actually love being able to dabble in the finer things—after all, I’ve worked hard to be able to afford them. On the other hand, and sadly, I knew that sometimes being a single Black woman that publicly showcases her “luxurious” habits can intimidate men and even scare them off from pursuing you under the guise of them feeling like they “can’t do anything for you, because you have everything.”
My hotel room
Courtesy
So, what is a girl to do?
Do I minimize/hide the life and experiences that I have? Do I play down the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am professionally? Or, do I risk being single in exchange for being able to have said life, without backlash?
Luckily, the joy that I felt while being at this property won. There was something about taking a full day to simply pamper myself at the bathhouse and in my in-room steam shower and soaker tub, indulging in cuisine from a 2-star Michelin restaurant and doing all of this while surrounded by an amazing group of Black women that reminded me—this is certainly the life I was meant to live and that I deserve. Even if it means that right now, I’ll just have to provide it for myself until the right partner comes along. And honestly, I’m okay with that.
Restaurant at 7132 hotel
Courtesy
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image courtesy