Jjimjilbang: Ritual of cleansing body, mind

Often seen in Korean TV shows, jjimjilbang is a traditional Korean bathhouse that offers a variety of spa services and amenities.

A woman relaxing in a hot sauna [SHUTTERSTOCK]

"Would you be O.K. with stripping completely naked in front of strangers?" That question snapped me back to reality as I persistently urged my friends to accompany me to jjimjilbang, or Korean sauna.

Having grown used to communal showers from living in a dorm, I was a bit hesitant but thought it was not a big deal. That, however, wasn't enough to prepare me for showering with women of various ages and shapes.

Although I tried to cover myself up as much as I could with the two little towels they provided, I soon realized it made me stand out even more. I just embraced the moment and acted as if the situation didn't faze me.

Often seen in Korean TV shows, jjimjilbang is a traditional Korean bathhouse that offers a variety of spa services and amenities. Although jjimjilbang is a de-facto playground where people come to enjoy a refreshing respite, it has its own routines and rules to abide by.

Sakina Guliyeva

Upon entering the sauna, you'll receive a key to your locker, one or two towels and a uniform. My typical visit to a jjimjilbang begins in the mokyongtang area, or public bathing area, which often has both hot and cold pools. This is also where people take a shower with no clothes on.

After changing into the uniform provided by the facility, I spend time relaxing in the communal space with friends — chatting, resting and enjoying a nap or a snack. Boiled eggs and sikhye (Korean sweet rice beverage), a combination never heard of before, taste exceptional when you are at a jjimjilbang.

Then, I go to the jjimjilbang area, which offers saunas in varying temperatures and humidity, from hot and wet to cold and dry. You are advised to start from rooms with moderate temperatures, gradually move to the hottest and conclude the journey in a cold and dry sauna.

After going through the ritual, I go back to the bathing area, savoring the pools a bit more before I wrap up my visit with a shower.

Jjimjilbang offers more than just relaxation. It's a space for both physical and mental cleaning. Particularly popular among middle-aged women, the popular Korean spa and sauna complexes provide klin saunas, massage and other forms of entertainment, which together create an apt environment for everyone to get laid back and socialize.

Coming from a culture without a sauna tradition, I was surprised to see people visit saunas with their families.

"Why would you shower in a communal bathhouse with strangers when you can shower at home?" I used to wonder.

With their various facilities, such as hot tubs, steam rooms and dry saunas, Korean bathhouses are believed to offer health benefits, such as improving circulation and detoxing. Additionally, communal bathing practices have been part of Korean society for centuries, so they hold a special place in the hearts of many Koreans.

Returning to my question, families view visiting the bathhouses as an opportunity to spend quality time together, relax and enjoy the amenities the bathhouse offers.

"I [learned what] jjimjilbang [is] for the first time while watching Korean dramas, and I was so excited to visit once I arrived in Korea," Gunay Karimova, an international student at Korea University from Azerbaijan, said. "However, when I heard that I had to be completely naked in front of strangers, I had to delay this experience for over two years as seeing random strangers naked made me feel uneasy, and it was a huge culture shock for me."

Karimova added, "The shock turned out to be a pleasant surprise, and I was able to fully enjoy myself."

"Another thing that I really loved was the existence of pools with various temperatures, which helps with de-stressing the body."

Nudity is relatively culturally acceptable in Korea, I figured out.

"My parents often took me to bathhouses when I was young, so I think it is natural to take a naked shower in [at bathhouses]," one of my Korean friends said of his thoughts on communal baths.

Jjimjilbang also pleasantly surprises its visitors with its diverse offerings beyond spa facilities, such as a gym, computer gaming rooms and even movie screening rooms, creating an unexpected mixture of leisure and wellness.

For foreigners, this multifaceted environment offers a delightful culture shock, blending traditional relaxation with modern entertainment under one roof. It is an example of Korea's unique approach to self-care, catering to diverse interests and needs while fostering a communal space for relaxation and socialization.

"Bathing has been an everyday activity in [Korea] since the Goreyo Dynasty (918–1392)," An Ok-hee, professor of family and housing studies at Yeungnam University, said in a paper about Korea's bathing culture.

"When Buddhism was [made] the state religion during the Three Kingdoms period [57 B.C. to A.D. 668], bathing was recognized as washing away dirt from the mind by taking a bath," An wrote. "In the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910), as Confucianism was revered, the custom of bathing as a Buddhist ritual decreased significantly, but bathing was still practiced during ancestral rites, and with the development of hot springs, hot spring bathing became even more popular."

BY STUDENT REPORTER SAKINA GULIYEVA [kjd.kcampus@joongang.co.kr]