A steaming hot tub inside a Korean jjimjilbang nicely decorated with flowers in a wooden house.

This was the most authentic cultural experience we had in South Korea—a peaceful and energizing afternoon that we’ll definitely do again whenever we visit this beautiful country. There’s a lot to know about Korean jjimjilbang etiquette, and while the nudity might seem intimidating, there’s really nothing to worry about! We’ve created this step-by-step guide to help you prepare and fully enjoy the experience. For our visit, we explored the Hurshimchung Spa in Busan.

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WHAT IS A JJIMJILBANG?

A Jjimjilbang is a traditional Korean spa where you can relax and unwind. It’s like a sanctuary with hot and cold baths, saunas, and special rooms like salt or clay chambers. People come to enjoy the warmth, get a body scrub, and just take a break from the world. You wear comfy clothes provided by the spa and can spend hours moving between different rooms, chatting with friends, or simply enjoying the peaceful vibe. It’s a unique and essential part of Korean culture for relaxation and rejuvenation.

AREAS IN A KOREAN SPA

There is are two different types of areas. The gender segregated area includes the shoe area, locker & changing rooms, hot springs, hot tubs and showers. The reason why this areas are specifically arranged per gender is because everybody is walking around completely naked.

Hang-out areas, however, are not gender segregated and here you can meet with your partner or friends here, all while wearing a cute pajama-like set (shorts & a t-shirt) that you rent inside of the locker room. This set is meant to be used only in the sauna and hang-out area. We saw some people with their own sauna clothing, so you may want to bring your own, too.

LET’S GET STARED & … NAKED

Step 1: Shoes off

After check-in, you’ll head to a shoe locker, as it’s considered unsanitary to enter the spa with street shoes, especially since everyone will be barefoot.

Step 2: Store your clothes and get naked

You will receive a bracelet with your locker number and key. Keep this bracelet on at all times, as it can also be used to purchase drinks and food in the hang-out area. Store all your belongings in your locker and get rid of your clothes—yes, all of your clothes!

As you enter the locker room, you’ll notice everyone walking around, drying their hair, removing makeup, or brushing their teeth, completely bare-skinned.

TIP | Remember, nobody will look weird at you, laugh, or stare. In this country this is normal and honestly, it should be everywhere. So if you are a bit anxious or think it will be uncomfortable, relax! We reassure you that you will be fine.

Step 3: Get Clean & Shower, Always Shower!

Before you go to either the hot springs or the sauna, please make sure you are completely clean. This is very important to Koreans and it is Jjimjilbang etiquette! You have to repeat this everytime you go out of the sauna to re-enter the hot springs area.

It’s best to arrive without any makeup, but if you’re wearing some, be sure to remove it in the designated area where others are doing the same. Don’t forget to bring your own makeup remover.

After this, you will notice some thin scrub towels—make sure to grab one. It is time to shower and scrub your whole body until it becomes red. We are not kidding, this is how Koreans scrub and exfoliate their skin.

Step 4: Tie-up your Hair

If you have long hair, do not forget to tie it up after your shower. Once you are done with this, you are finally ready to start with your relaxing day…

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Step 5: Explore the Hot Tubs

First stroll around to see which hot tub you are interested into trying and get to know the area. Be sure to check the temperature display by each pool (all marked in Celsius) to know how hot they are. Start slowly and increase the temperature of the tubs as you go. Feel free to move between the tubs as long as you like, but don’t forget to switch between the hot and the cold tubs for a balanced experience.

Step 6: Try the Saunas

Inside the segregated hot tub area, there are saunas where everyone enters naked. Be sure to grab a towel from outside the saunas to sit on for hygiene purposes.

Step 7: Get a Scrub

For an additional fee, you can get a body scrub inside the bathroom. Simply ask one of the Ajummas (older ladies) for a time slot, and they'll tell you when to return. These scrubs aren't for relaxation—they're intense, as they aggressively remove dead skin from every part of your body. It might be a painful, but afterwards, your skin will feel be softer and brighter.

Alternatively, buy your own scrub and bring it with you. You can give yourself a good scrub as you are used to and to your liking. You will see many friends or families scrubbing each other at the shower / scrub area.

PRICE | ₩60,000 | €40 | US$41 for 1 hour

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Step 8: Relax at the Hang-Out Area

To get into this area you will have to go change into your pajama set, as you are not allowed to go nude in here. In this area you will find more saunas and you can go in with your partner or friends from the opposite sex. We were surprised to see that Korean Saunas and hanging areas have a TV. So, it might not be just pure silence.

You can find a restaurant, snack stores, drinks and a of course areas where you can hang out. But Korean culture love the floor, so in the hang out areas there are no seats. You will see everyone sleeping or sitting on the floor. There are some wooden bricks to use for your head as support. Bring a book or an e-Reader to pass the time. This is the only area where you can bring your phone, but we never did because we were here to relax.

A glass covered sauna with wooden benches circular around the fire pit filled with stones. banks

HOW MUCH TIME TO PLAN?

This is definitely a place you can spend all day, but we spent here around 4 hours and we wish we would’ve stayed longer. But we started to get hungry and the restaurant was already closed.

PRICE |

₩15,000 | €10 | US$10 (weekday)

₩18,000 | €12 | US$12 (weekend)

₩2,000 | €1.30 | US$ 1.40 per extra hour

WHAT TO BRING?

The spa provides essentials like shampoo, shower gel, Korean-sized towels, body lotion, and hairdryers, so it’s possible to show up without packing anything—especially if you have short hair! However, for a better experience, check our list below of recommended items to bring.

As you may know from our Korean packing list, there are no normal sized towels in Korea. So you will only receive hand-towel size at the spa. Drying your body with the towel isn’t an issue, but if you have long hair and usually wrap it, you’ll need to get creative to make two towels work!

READ | South Korea Packing List: What to Bring for the Colder Months