Korean Job Discussion Forums

[changmee]

Do you know where I can get a "magic straight" perm from an experienced hair dresser? I can go to Seoul, but would prefer a place near Yongin/Suwon.

[peppermint]

The salon above Burger King in Itaewon is where I go when I want anyhing where having caucasian hair might make a difference, but I suspect that any salon will be pretty experienced with giving "magic straight" perms, since I think that's mostly a Korean thing. just make sure you get a conditioning treatment too.

[MissT]

Magic Straight is awesome!

I have super curly hair, and one day last Feb. I decided to take the plunge. I just went to the local hair salon and asked to get the magic straight done to my hair. The whole process took about 3.5 hours... so be prepared to be there for awhile. Anyways I was so pleased with it! My spirals were turned into perfectly straight and soft hair. Since then I had it done 3 more times when my curls started to grow in again. Repeating the process didn't seem to damage my hair at all and I have very fine hair, dying it burns it. I think that whatever the chemicals in Magic Straight are pretty safe from my experience anyways.
Hope that helps

[Koreabound2004]

What do you ask for when you go in, just say Magic Straight-Uh....?

Will they try to cut my hair too?

[changmee]

Thanks for the advice. I got a magic straight perm last year in Daejon and really liked it. I'll probably go to one of the local salons in Yongin as it will probably be less expensive than one in Itaewon. Have you found any products that work well post-perm? Do you still have to blow dry your hair? Was your second magic straight treatment more successful? I still had to blow dry my hair after my first perm.

[MissT]

[Shutterfly]

How long does a straight perm last? Is it really damaging? ANd how much does the place in itaewon charge?

[MissT]

[changmee]

I ended up going to a place in downtown Yongin called "On & On". It was 50,000 won (including a trim). They did a great job! Much better than last year when I paid 100,000 at an "upscale" salon in Daejon. When shopping prices around, the salon two doors down quoted me 200,000 won! When I mentioned that the price was too high, they felt my hair and then claimed that magic straight wouldn't work on weagook hair!

[PolyChronic Time Girl]

I love magic straights...although there still tends to be bit of a wave only because my hair is really course. I use a straightening iron everyday which isn't the best thing for my hair.
The only thing though is that some salons charge by the length of your hair...I now pay about 80,000--90,000Won easy for my hair lenght vs. 50,000 won when it was short.
Has a salon charged you by length? I'm worried maybe I'm getting ripped off because the women say "ohhh, long hair...90,000 won" I just assumed this to be logical because in the states, they also charge by length.

[MissT]

PCTG,

How long is your hair? Mine was about 5-6 inches past my shoulders and I paid 50 000 won (with a trim). But my hair is thin, so there isn't a lot of it... I had one salon tell me that waegook hair was difficult to perm, so they wanted to charge me 100 000 +, but my hair is fine, not course like korean hair at all. Some places will do anything to make a buck.

[PolyChronic Time Girl]

My hair is about 7-8 inches past my shoulders, but the last time I got magi straight it was maybe only 4-5 inches past my shoulder...and yeah, I got charged 80,000 won. I don't know if it's the texture of my hair (think horse-hair thick) that requires more solution, thus more money. I've had the same situation in the States, mostly because of my course texture...
MissT---What salon do you go to? Maybe I gotta give that one a try....

[MissT]

[casey's moon]

Is Magic Straight just for people with really curly hair? I used to have extremely straight hair naturally, but lately it has little waves and kinks (due to the climate or just getting older ) that I kind of hate -- would it work for me too?

[PolyChronic Time Girl]