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.