Korean Job Discussion Forums

[banillaq]

I just got back from the hair salon that I usually get my haircut at. I am not a happy camper. THe lady who normally cuts my hair was off today and she is the only one who speaks an ounce of English. ANyways decided to let one of the other gals cut my hair and showed her a pic from a book of how I wanted it cut. I also told her "no Korean style" and attempted to explain to her what a Korean style cut was (really short on the bottom, like a mushroom cut I guess). SHe said "okay no Korean styley". Then she went about cutting my hair and hacked the crap out of it. I got the worst Korean style haircut in the history of Korean haircuts. She finished and I told her "no happy". THis is not my usual style but I was ticked and wanted her to know. She tried to smooth it over and cover her embarrassed face by saying "shorter?". I ended up saying "yes, shave it" and continued to tell her to make it all as short as the shortest parts around my ears. I wanted to shock her as a way of showing my unhappiness.

Does anyone else have hair adventures in Korea to share?

[zappadelta]

This will give you some incentive to learn a little Korean.

[Return Jones]

It's happened to me too. I have a very simple hairstyle but they always want to complicate things with a mushroom top tapered buzz thingy. Bringing a picture, speaking Korean, or even bringing a Korean friend doesn't necessarily help when they're trained always to cut hair to a default style. Best thing to do is a find a barber who speaks some English and who has been trained overseas. If you're in Seoul, check the Seoul Classifieds magazine. There are a couple of places that advertise in there.

[nrvs]

I have the polar opposite of a Korean man's haircut, and I was really nervous about getting my hair cut here for the first time. After dealing with Jason at Toni & Guy in Apgujeong, I worried no more. He speaks very good English and was trained in London, so he knows how to cut whitey hair. It's expensive for Korea (W30,000 + tip) but the salon itself is fantastic; they treat you really well.

It's on the "Rodeo" street, above the Versace store (really). It's a bit of a walk from Apgujeong station, but they can give directions to taxi drivers over the phone. You should call ahead to make an appointment.

Toni & Guy
664-14 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu
(02) 540-0061

[canadian_in_korea]

I let my husband cut my hair......I won't go to a korean hairstylist.....I told him...if they try to cut my hair like I'm korean I'll look like i stuck my finger in a light socket.. My friend who is chinese had the same problem in canada....it took him a while to find a hairdresser who knew how to cut asian hair half decent.

[Tiberious aka Sparkles]

I always visit the hairdresser with my wife, who explains exactly what I want (short, semi-caesar, no long bangs on my forehead) and they still manage to butcher me. When I say I don't want bangs on my forehead -- as is the Korean style -- they never listen. I think they're afraid they'll make me look like a soldier or something. So what I do is, when I get home, I chop an extra few inches off my bangs. Problem solved.

By the way, if anyone reading this lives in or near Sinchon, the Heo-Jun hairshop across from the Hyundai Dept. store used to have this really good guy who always gave me the perfect cut. It would often take close to an hour, because the guy was such a perfectionist, but I was always satisfied. Maybe he's still there.

Sparkles*_*

[Gwangjuboy]

1cm ���߾��ּ���. (please cut about 1 cm's worth) obviously change according to desire.

������������ּ���. (only use the scissors please) I think this avoids many of the problems that result when they go haywire with the clippers.

[Hollywoodaction]

You are guys, right? Be a man and stop obsessing about your hair. It will grow back (maybe).

[Koreabound2004]

When my bf goes he brings a photo of the haircut he wants, and that seems to do the trick....

However, last time he went, he forgot to bring a photo. He tried to communicate to the lady to use the clippers and shave it all down pretty low. She started clipping the edges really short...and he started to resemble my K-coteacher....I tried not to laugh. He kept stopping her and motioning for her to shave all of his head...and I think she thought he was crazy....she finally got the hint...although around the ears and back it was a little shorter. They are just trained to do that, it's what every K guy seems to want, no?

Anyways, as the last guy said, it's only hair...it grows back, and if you are men, that is usually only a short wait. If it is that bad, where a hat as often as possible until it looks better.

[eamo]

I found a hairshop in Daechi-dong with a sign on the window, "English service!". Nice!

I went in as I needed my shag trimmed and he did indeed speak English very well. 20k though. Twice what I've paid anywhere else in Korea before. Although a cute girl gave me an orgasmic scalp massage after the final wash. Much better than the ajumma hairshops!!

As I don't get my hair cut more than twice a year 20k is acceptable.

[casey's moon]

There's a men's chain "beauty shop" that is rather cheap and you can pick from one of 10 haircuts (no joke -- they have pictures of all the haircuts they do there on the wall). Most Korean men get #3, and that's the one that you guys are complaining about. I wish I could remember the name of it, but "Blue" is somehow part of the title.... very inexpensive, and not too bad (but then again, my husband is also a #3, so I have no idea how well they do any of the other cuts ).

[Tiberious aka Sparkles]

[PolyChronic Time Girl]

Women have problems with this too. I used to love keeping my hair short and was very particular about how it's styled. Well, even after all the magazine photos and korean phrases, hairdressers to are even programmed to cut women's hair into the prototype korean cut. They alway layered the hell out of my hair and it stuck to the side of my face when all I wanted was a trim. I had the same exact hairstyle as those middle school girl students.
Finally, I just decided to just stop cutting my hair and now it's really long....my man is happy though.

[peemil]

It's best to just shave your head. That way that can't make any mistakes.

[Zenpickle]