A Korean Cultural Tradition: The Jimjilbang

If there was one thing I said I would never do in Korea, it was go to a Jimjilbang.  The whole concept was alien to me and, honestly, I found the idea of it kinda freaky.  The word jimjilbang translates loosely as "heat room," and that's exactly what it is: an extremely hot and claustrophobia-inducing structure that has the feel and appearance of a giant oven.  Actually, it is an oven.  An oven for slow-cooking a human being...that is, if you don't have the sense to follow the suggested time limit of 15 minutes.  Attached to every proper jimjilbang is a sauna and bathhouse, and though they are gender-segregated, my Western-raised self was still kinda distressed at the idea.  Yup, you were never going to find me in one of those.

However, one must never underestimate the power of peer pressure. As you may have already figured, something must have given out because I have written this blog post.  It would be foolish for me to commentate on something with which I have absolutely no experience, so I am writing in all transparency to state simply that I not only went to a jimjilbang, but I have become an all-out fan.  Allow me to explain why:

Going to a jimjilbang is like entering another world, completely separated from the stressful hustle and bustle of everyday life.  When first you enter, you take off your shoes and put them in their own little locker for safekeeping.  You won't need them again until you leave.  You are given a set of small towels, a locker key you can wear around your wrist or ankle, and a comfy uniform to wear.  This is when you tell the members of your group that are of the opposite gender what time you will meet again, and you enter the locker room.

You will find no photos of this part of the experience, for obvious reasons.  After you find your locker and unload all your belongings, you make your way over to the sauna and baths.  Depending on the individual jimjilbang, you may find multiple hot tubs at various temperatures, a cold pool, massaging jacuzzi jets, dry and wet saunas, and various "event baths" containing water treated with such things as green tea, herbs, charcoal, or flower extracts.  Sometimes the baths contain saltwater, sometimes they have purified or spring water.  I remember being so excited when a friend of mine invited me to use their hot tub in the past, imagine my excitement when I have as many as ten different variations to choose from!

Anyway, after getting yourself thoroughly washed and soaked, you go put on your fancy jimil garb and rejoin your friends in the common area.  Now there can be photos.

The jimjilbangs themselves

Another lovely jimjilbang; temperature reads 79 degrees Celsius!

A row of delightful massage chairs

Although it may seem strange, spending some time relaxing in a jimjilbang and sweating can be an extremely refreshing experience!  Gets your blood circulating, and, especially in winter, it's just really cozy.  Whole families can be seen lounging around on bamboo or plastic mats in the common area, snacking, talking, reading, or just spending time together.  Often, people are just zonked out on the floor all over the place, getting their beauty sleep.  It doesn't matter what time you go, most jimjilbangs are open 24 hours a day, which means it's perfect for when you need a place to stay the night!  The best part about that is that the cost ranges from 6,000 won to 15,000 won, so it never costs you more that $14 to secure accommodations wherever you are in Korea.

My friends were kind enough to model the provided outfits

Stylin'

Inside a heated salt room

The obligatory snack bar, well-stocked with ramyeon, baked eggs, and sikhye (sweet rice punch)

It is helpful to know a little about a jimjilbang before you decide to patronize it, because the quality and cleanliness of the places sometimes vary.  What I find most important are the sleeping arrangements.  Some places offer bunk beds in quiet sleeping rooms, while others have you sleeping on the hard floor with only a small cushion for your head.

This one offers your own personal cave!

This was home, sweet home for a day :)

This one had a comfortable mat on the floor, and provided two blankets!

If you need to use a computer or play an arcade game, they've got that covered, too!

Other services provided by many jimjilbangs include massages, hair treatments, pedicures, and manicures.  These usually cost extra, but are reasonably priced.  It's the ultimate spa experience on a budget!  If you're a courageous soul with a penchant for new cultural experiences, be sure to add visiting a jimjilbang to your bucket list!

Lunar New Year in Dynamic Busan

새 해 복 많이 받으세요! (sae hae bok manhi badusaeyo)  This phrase translates as "Have a Happy New Year" in Korean.  This past Monday was Lunar New Year, the biggest holiday in South Korea.  Traditionally, it is a day when South Korean families get together to eat, exchange gifts, and honor their ancestors.  More recently, some families have started using the long weekend as an opportunity to do some traveling in and around the country.  I followed the latter trend this particular weekend, and hopped a bus for an anticipated three-and-a-half-hour ride to the coastal city of Busan.


Some Korean natives with whom I spoke advised against attempting to travel during the Lunar New Year, as the traffic would be so horrendously bad it would take me at least twice as long as it usually would to get anywhere. The older and wiser ajummas and ajusis that populate my religion class, however, told me not to worry.  According to them, I should have little to no trouble going wherever I felt like going.  As I would soon discover, they were right!

Our little traveling group made it to Busan in a record time of only three hours.  One member of the group used to teach in Busan, and so he had some Korean friends happy to meet us and help us navigate around the city.  Our first stop was dinner at the Loving Hut, a world-wide vegan food restaurant chain.  This is actually my third time eating at one of the branches.  My first experience with the Loving Hut was in Chicago, and then I tried it in Sinchon, South Korea.  One of the things I like about the restaurant is that no two menus are ever the same, and the Busan location was no exception.  I ordered the vegan cutlet along with some passion fruit soda and boiled vegetable dumplings.  Delicious! 


After dinner we made our way to Gwangalli beach, which has a beautiful nighttime view of the Gwangan Bridge, the second-longest bridge in the country.  We wondered along the cool and breezy beach front, just admiring the sights.  

Out of the darkness an old woman walked up to us and offered to sell us some small fireworks for 2000 won.  I decided to take her up on the offer, and she even took it upon herself to light it for us.  I held it away from my body as little mortars puffed their way out of the tube and into the night sky with sparkling flowery bursts.  We oohed and awed as we pondered the legality of the activity.

Our fireworks fun ended, we continued on the shore.  In the distance I could recognize some amusement rides, and someone informed me there was indeed a small theme park nearby.  We decided to go check it out.  Hidden somewhere between a swinging viking ship and some bumper cars there was a fun-looking ride I had never encountered before.  It had a very simple name, disc-something-or-other, and when I figured out the concept, I knew I had to give it a try.  Basically, everyone sits in a circle in a padded ring sans seat belts or any other safety gear.  The disc spins around speedily until the operator develops a deranged sense of humor and begins teasing and roasting the passengers.  The disc begins to bounce erratically, and riders try desperately to keep their seats as onlookers laugh heartily at their plight.  I know, sounds like some sort of torture instrument, right?  

Pretty much.

By the time the ride was over, my arms were throbbing from holding on so tightly.  I was shaken up and physically spent, but I felt a great sense of accomplishment that I never tumbled to the floor even once during the entire ride. I will definitely be doing this again, but maybe after I recover a little from the soreness.


Since this was a very low-budget trip, hotels and motels were mostly out of the question as accommodation.  Korea is, however, the land of the low-budget traveler.  Therefore, we spent both nights of our trip in jimjilbangs (more details on what those are in a later post), for a grand total of 20,000 won (less than $20) each.  The first night's jimjilbang had a perfect view of the beach out of gigantic picture windows and boasted salt water bathing pools.  The second was not quite so charming, but it was also the less expensive of the two.


Our second day in Busan turned out to be an eight-hour long walking tour from Gwangalli to Haeundae beach.  Along the way we took in many of the sights, including...

How far from home?

The site of an historic meeting...Google it

Represent!

Overall, it was a marvelous trip.  I will definitely be returning to Busan during the summer season :)

A Korean Wedding Experience

A lot of things seem to happen to me randomly here.  I think it's because, when you're a foreigner, Koreans are either asking you questions, showing you spectacular hospitality, giving you something, or inviting you places.  When this is a constant goal of those who encounter you, random things are bound to happen.  The weekend before last was no exception.  A student at the institute came up to me and asked what I was doing that afternoon.  I told her I had no plans.  She then suggested that I go to a wedding with her and a couple others from the institute.  To me it was a strange, impromptu idea to go to the wedding of someone I didn't know at the last minute, so of course I said, "Why not?" and went along.  I had no idea what I was in for.

We took the bus across town to a tall building.  You see, in Korea, it is a rarity when couples get married at a church.  The majority of weddings take place at wedding halls.  Sometimes these halls are small, boasting only one chapel.  The one we arrived at had at least ten floors and six or so chapels.  The lobby of the building was ornate and decorated with large driftwood carvings.  Live music set the mood as we waited for an elevator to be free.

I didn't really know how the order of things went for a Korean wedding, so I just decided to go with the flow as much as possible.  As we traveled to the ninth floor, my friend told me we would meet the bride and groom in the pre-wedding greeting room.  So much for the custom of the groom not seeing the bride before the ceremony.  As it turned out, they were not in the waiting room.  Rather, they were having their photos done in the studio on the same floor.

I stealthily took a photo...

...then they noticed and posed

I had to take advantage of this opportunity (who put that fan there?)

Soon we headed down to the chapel, several floors below.  We shared the elevator ride with the groom, who looked a little nervous to be getting hitched.

Lemme just make a few adjustments

When we exited the elevator, we entered a room hustling and bustling with activity.  My friend said people were giving gift envelopes filled with money for the newlyweds.

We take this job very seriously

In exchange, they were given a ticket to the buffet downstairs.  She and another student went to turn in their gift envelopes.  That's when I noticed the room we were in was simply a wide entryway to the "Topaz Hall," and there was a wedding taking place at that very moment!

 Sure 'nuff

How anyone could possible hear the ceremony over the din the crowd in the back was making I can't imagine, but it seemed to be moving forward just the same.  I stared in awe at the proceedings and tried to take in the fanciful decor.  I was a tad mezmorized when my friends returned and so I hardly reacted when they informed me that their friend's wedding would not take place for another hour and a half, so we would be going down to eat first.

How strange it seemed to be heading to what we Americans would consider the wedding reception without having first seen the wedding!  It felt so terribly wrong to me...but it didn't take me long to get over it.  Especially after we walked into the dining room.

Oh, so yummy

Mmmmmmmmmmmm

This was the selection at every table...don't get the wrong idea

Finally, after much feasting, it was time for the main event.  Back up to the chapel we went.  Here's the play by play:

Groom patiently awaits the bride

The three-piece band keeps it real

Here comes the Bride!  (Serenaded as she marches by the on-staff crooner)

And here's the pass...

....COMPLETE!

Now it's time for the turn-around, with a nice assist from the lady in red

The lights change and she calls for backup

The crooner croons, "Heard enough from me yet?"

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present the newlyweds!

And a nice bow to the parents of the bride

Time for photos...family members sporting an assortment of outfits from traditional to formal to mufti-day

Finally a photo just for the friends

Throughout the ceremony the atmosphere was less than reverent by American wedding standards.  Those in attendance carried on conversations or remarked on the proceedings at random.  Also, just as I had suspected, the large group of people congregating in the back waiting for the wedding following this one was rather distracting with their carefree banter.

Have mercy, even this woman thinks it's a little much

All in all it was a fascinating experience.  I tried to orient my thoughts inside my head, and came to the conclusion that there was really nothing wrong with the wedding at all, it was just not what I am used to back home.  Nonetheless, I have no plans for a Korean-style wedding anytime in the future.