Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ilsanman]

This is for people to share any interesting stories on how they first learned the truth behind the overabundance of 'barber shops' here in the hub.

Mine isn't that funny. I just mentioned to my co-worker one day about how many barber shops there are. She informed me of what they really are.

[seattlespew]

ed

[Newbie]

[the eye]

I went in for a haircut during my first month here back in 2001. How could a barber pole mean anything else, right?

The place i went to was part of a great health club i used. The 'barber shop' itself was modern on the outside, but it looked like 1945 on the inside. Old stainless steel framed barber chairs, antique mirrors, combs in blue barbicide, old linoleum tiles on the floor, giant sized electric clippers. Even the barber himself wore an old pastel colored smock with big white lapels, and his hair was greased back with something like brill cream.

When i opened the door, i was greeted by the barber's wide eyed shock, followed by silent discomfort and anxiety. There was already a customer, a middle aged man, in one of the chairs actually getting a cut. On his far side, was a woman on a stool. She had on a tight, bold red skirt outfit. She looked about 35, but she was fit. I though it was his wife.

I motioned to the barber that i wanted a cut. He showed me the seat on the near side of the man. The point of no return flashed through my mind as i imagined what my haircut might look like.
While the barber put an apron on me, i noticed that the woman in red had one of her hands under the man's apron. I noticed because it was moving. Her other arm was draped on his shoulder. They were talking closely.

Then, more red outfitted women began to circulate around me. One asked the barber about me, i think. He said something and she went away. I glanced back at the couple next to me...and suddenly everything clicked in.

My cut was over quickly, and one of the women reappeared. She took me by the hand for a shampoo. I had to kneel on a chair and lean forward over a scummy, makeshift 'trough' that acted as a sink while she put no effort into her work.

The interesting part came when i asked for some hair gel. The woman took my hand again, and led me to another room. A very dimly lit room, with a row of beds down each side. Maybe 12 in total. Half of them were empty. There were much more red skirts. They looked better in the poorer light. I noticed they were also barefoot as they walked around on the carpet. It reminded me of that Robert Palmer video. Very mechanical movements. Some were twisting their subjects in strange ways. Some were contorting their own bodies against the men, brushing their body parts in awkward poses.

"You massagee?", the woman asked me as i sat down.
"Ani-yo", i answered as she started with the gel.

There was some grunting and groaning. There was some rapid movement sound against fabric. I was facing away from the action now. One guy was out cold, i heard him snoring.

I left, making an effort not to look back. I did catch my reflection in the mirror...and that was the most uncomfortable part of the whole thing.

[kermo]

I learned about it... on Dave's! Awwwww. Tender memories.


The Eye, if he is telling the truth, has corrected my misconception that you can't get a haircut in one of those places. Seems mighty odd they would go to all the trouble of decorating in an old-school sort of way. I admit I was worried as to what was going to happen with that hair gel...

[the eye]

[Mashimaro]

can't remember when and whom I heard it from, wasn't a particularly significant moment for me..

[cruisemonkey]

Me: How come some barber shops have two polls?

Experienced waygukin: Have you ever seen one with one?

Me: Kum to think of it... no.

[Swiss James]

nah some places have one pole-

What I find weird is that sometime it comes up in conversation with k-girls and they're shocked that I know this dark secret of life in Korea. I've even heard
"But I only heard about them last year / month!" on a few occasions.

I suppose what happens in the barbershop stays in the barbershop

[Bo Peabody]

[deleted]

[Hater Depot]

Yeah, I too was amazed at their abundance once I knew what they meant. I learned from Dave's I guess, I don't really remember.

[Kyrei]

A long-timer friend of mine (in 25+ year category) once told me that if the barbershop is on the ground floor, it probably is a legitimate barbershop with the old Mr. Grover-type dude inside. In the basement or above the ground floor however, haircuts optional (and not recommended). I like to think of the barbershops as places where old whores go to fade away. There has always been controversy over the one-pole two-pole barbershops but no difinitive answer has even been presented to me. If any of you know better, please pass along the info.

[bellum99]

There is a type of pole that is for women hair salons, too. It spins but it has pictures in it, not stripes.

[seattlespew]

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[Tiberious aka Sparkles]