De-dreading the do

The cat after staying up all night watching me wrestle with my hair

My dreadies - we were inseparable for 2 years

After cutting them in half

After 12 hours of combing them out

A visit to the hair salon and I'm a new person (and I bet you were expecting me to be bald!)

Before moving to Korea I had dreadlocks and I loved them. After a lot of thinking I decided it would make my move to Korea easier if I got rid of them. In Australia I worked at a university which never had a problem with my hair. Actually they would never dare have a problem with the way anyone looked because that would be unPC. But Korea is a different story. I figured because Korea is a fairly conservative country and because I would be working as an English teacher, I figured my chances would be better if I went back to my usual curly hair. I also figured that eventually the dreadlocks would have to go and in a way it was easier having the decision made for me.

So after my first visit to Korea where the stares were impossible to count and after an Ajuma actually touched my hair, I decided to lop them off before my next trip to Korea. Note: the term Ajuma refers to married women, however it tends to be used more to describe an older woman.

With the help of the Internet, I researched ways to get rid of dreadlocks. It's a common myth that you have to shave your head to get rid of them. From experience I can tell you that this myth is busted and doesn't need to be featured on Mythbusters. I thought about trying to grow the roots but this would take a lot of time and because my dreadlocks were dreading on their own, it would prove challenging to try and keep the roots straight. So with a couple of inches of roots dread free, I wasn't satisfied. Not one to shy away from short hair, I was hoping for a bit more length. So I turned to some de-dreading products.

I decided to use Dreadhead HQ's Dread Zasta. I ordered two bottles and decided on the night I was going to do it (with an appointment waiting for me at the hair salon for 9:00am the next day). I started around 8:00pm with the first part, cutting my dreads to just past my ears so there would be less to comb out (I actually cried a few tears after doing this). Then I followed the instructions on the bottle and wet my hair thoroughly before applying at least half a bottle of the de-dreading solution. I let it sit for an hour and then started combing the dreads out from tips to roots. It was easy at first because the cut ends were frayed but once I got to the middle of the dread, it was hard going. I found it easier to apply a liberal amount of de-dreading solution to help guide the comb through.

12 hours later I had shoulder length hair (although very thin), a comb with 4 tines missing, a garbage bin liner full of knotted hair, a very messy towel and a cat sporting the oddest expression after watching me all night. Needless to say I was very tired walking into my hair appointment but at the same time very relieved. My hairdresser (who specializes in dreadlocks) was amazed by my hair and after a deep conditioner, a few highlights and a new haircut, I was back to looking like my pre-dread self.

8 months on I've moved to Korea, I'm getting a lot less looks and my hair is a little easier to look after. The only thing I've noticed since combing out the dreads is my hair is a lot thinner than it used to be. I'm not sure if this is from the dreads, the combing out process or simply because I'm getting older. I figure time will tell and hopefully my hair will replenish itself eventually.

Shiny Suits - don't forget your sunglasses

If you're wondering where shiny suits went to die, well wonder no longer. They have been reincarnated on Korean men. Oh yes, this tragic fashion statement has taken a strong hold of Korea and refuses to let go. Shiny suits are every where and in every colour! The worst bit yet is the constant need for shiny ties to be teamed up with the shiny suit. I'm not referring to a simple satin like sheen, I'm talking about sequins, diamontes and sparkles! If you don't believe me, come see it for yourself.

For best viewing times, venture out in Seoul between 1:00-2:00pm, Monday-Friday.

It wouldn't be Korea without Hello Kitty!

The Sanrio Company's Hello Kitty will soon take over the world, I'm sure of it! Although Japanese in origin, Hello Kitty has become well known across Asia and Korea is no exception.

I came across this magazine in one of the book stores in Seoul. It's a regular update for members of the Hello Kitty Fan Club. It has some very interesting features such as Hello Kitty sushi, how to make Hello Kitty origami and my favourite, an update on Hello Kitty's boyfriend Daniel and Hello Kitty's pet kitty (oh yes, Hello Kitty has her own Hello Kitty).

You can buy pretty much anything you'd like with Hello Kitty on it. From the obvious items such as hats, jewellery, bags, mugs; to the more obscure dishwasher and desktop computer. I've even found myself getting caught up in Hello Kitty fever. Must be something in the water! The Sanrio Company is genius!

The best snacks and oh how I've sampled!

If you are a fan of chocolate and cookies, you'll love this post. Some of the best snacks I've ever had have been in Korea.

Admittedly many of the snacks I'll be talking about are actually Japanese but since they are easily found in Korea and this is about snacking in Korea, I think I can have a bit of artistic licence on this one.

Warning: in my inability to read Korean or Japanese, I've come up with my own names for these products.

1. Chocolate Pillows - these little cookie pillows of delight are filled with a soft chocolate centre.

2. Panda Cookies - these are the best! Although there aren't a lot in a box, each cookie is in the shape of a panda and is about the same size as an animal cracker. They are coated with white and milk chocolate. Yummo!

3. Yan Yan - okay, this one I was able to read because it's in English, but who knows what Yan Yan means?!?! Basically this little cup comes with a bunch of cookie sticks that you can dip into a little tub of chocolate. It's like a chocolate fondue on the go!

4. Chocolate Mushrooms - this one is easy, the stem is a cookie, the cap is chocolate. Brilliant!

Coke in the Land of Convenience

Many of my friends and family will know that my favourite soft drink and a weakness of mine is Coca Cola. The fact that you can find Coke in South Korea isn't anything to marvel at since Coke can be found in virtually every country around the world. Instead, what makes it interesting is the packaging. I've already touched on the convenience of things in Korea and this one doesn't disappoint. Most people would be used to the standard sizes for Coke (2 Litre bottle, 1.5 Litre bottle, 500ml, etc). However one thing I've noticed in Korea is that Coke can be purchased in more sizes than I have seen anywhere else, perhaps to cater to how thirsty you are. The above picture is a cute, squat 300ml bottle which is a good thing to have in case you're more thirsty than a 250ml bottle but not thirsty enough to finish a 500ml bottle.

The Seoul Hair Experience

I left the salon feeling a bit like this.

Luckily after a lot of product, I managed to get it looking more like this. Note: that is not actually me in the photo, I prefer to remain mysterious and aloof.

After a bit of time living in Seoul the inevitable happened, I was due to have my hair cut. I put it off longer than I should have because of a simple reason, I was reluctant. It is commonly known that Asian hair is very different from most Western hair but to top it all off, my hair is crazy curly which at times challenges the hairdressers back home let alone hairdressers who aren't used to even the basic differences such as texture and facial structure.

So after doing a bit of research and reading many horror stories found on blogs and Dave's ESL Cafe, I narrowed it down to 3 recommendations and took the plunge. I started with Zen Hair near Ewha Women's University simply because it's the closest one. Once I decided, I gave them a call to book an appointment. The girl who answered spoke enough English to make my appointment. So when the day came, I followed a set of directions found on one of the blog posts and found it easily (it also helps that I'm familiar with the area because it's excellent for shopping!) Upon arrival I found the salon to be empty except one guy. I told him I was there for my appointment. He told me that there were no appointments that day and proceeded to call my hairdresser. I spoke to him on the phone and he said he'd be happy to reschedule. I wasn't too bothered because after spending a bit of time in Korea, I've come to realize that this often happens and it's best to just go with it. So we agreed on another day. My second appointment was scheduled for 10:00am. I thought it was a bit early because many places don't open until at least 11:00am but I didn't question it for long (again, just go with it). This time when I arrived at the salon it was completely locked up. I decided not to hang around and I also decided I wasn't going to try a third time.

So back to the drawing board. By this time my hair was looking awful, so I tried my second choice, the Green Turtle Salon in Itaewon. This is probably the most highly recommended salon for Western hair in Seoul. I made an appointment with relative ease because the girl who answered spoke excellent English but I wasn't holding my breath considering the luck I had with previous appointments. The day came and I headed to Itaewon. Upon arrival I was relieved not only because there were people there but also because they seemed to be expecting me. So after slipping on a pair of slippers, I was introduced to my stylist Michel (a flamboyantly gay Korean guy who has spent many years in Australia). Since it was a while since my hair had been cut and I had absolutely no style left for him to follow, I was equipped with countless photos. I asked him if I could show them to him and he led me to a couch and took his time looking at the photos and asking me questions. I was prepared to have my whole head coloured (since I turned 30 I've been seeing more and more "pale" hairs if you know what I mean). And I told Michel as much but he responded with a "no, no, no, those hairs are blonde". I appreciated his attempt to placate me, however I still had a situation happening on my head. So after agreeing on a full head of highlights, I was asked to take off all my jewellery (weird) and go into a changing room to put on a t-shirt (also weird). Once in the chair Michel draped a fleece blanket across my lap, offered me beverages and presented me with the latest edition of Vogue (shame he's gay because Michel knows how to make a woman happy!)

Once the colouring process began (a bright red added to my dark brown) I was praying that my hair would not turn orange. I was having a positive experience so far except when Michel decided to go have a cup of ramyun (instant noodles) while watching a Korean soap. I found myself praying some more that it wasn't going to be an intense episode or I might be forgotten and then I would end up with orange hair! To my great relief his assistant emerged at the right time and showed me to the basin. She proceeded to put a towel over my face so that my makeup wouldn't smudge (thoughtful) and proceeded to wash not only my hair but my ears and neck too (hence the removal of makeup and shirt). As usual I was looking forward to the head massage (my favourite bit) and sure enough I was not let down. She not only massaged my scalp but also my neck and then sat me up to do my shoulders!

Back in the chair Michel came back to do the actual cutting. He didn't take off too much which was great and I actually asked him to take off a bit more (it's always easier to take more off than to have to add some on). Oh and I forgot to mention that the colour looked great. Once finished I had both Michel and his assistant blow drying my hair (apparently one person is not enough). The cut wasn't perfect and certainly nothing like what I would get at home but it was good enough and I could do something with it. Glad I figured that out because when it came to the final styling, Michel didn't have a clue. He put in some "curl serum" and messed it up a bit and that was it. I have an inkling he thought that once the curl serum was in my hair it would instantly fall into beautiful even curls. Sorry to disappoint honey but curly hair needs A LOT of product and a lot less messing up. But I didn't complain because I knew I could fix it later. So after I left with my beehive I was greatly relieved that it all turned out okay. I suppose in hindsight I shouldn't have worried, like my supportive boyfriend says, "with your crazy hair, you wouldn't be able to tell if it was cut badly anyway."

The verdict: Green Turtle is a safe bet. It's also reasonably priced for Korea (it will seem super cheap compared to Western countries). I paid 75,000 won (approx $75) total for a full head of highlights and a cut and style. Green Turtle also does nails, waxing, facials, tanning, etc.

Directions to the Green Turtle: take exit 4 out of Itaewon subway station. At the top of the stairs, you will be facing the wrong direction. Turnaround and you will be on the corner where Gecko's is. Directly across the street is the Quizno's building. Green Turtle is located on the third floor above the Coffee Bean.