Why a Regular Office Worker Visited 200 Public Bathhouses Across Korea
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
A new book, Nationwide Bathhouse Explorations, chronicles one man’s eight-year journey visiting over 200 traditional Korean public bathhouses (jjimjilbang / or maindong public baths) and selects 58 with historical and cultural value. Author Kim Seong-jin, a self-described bathhouse explorer from Busan, documents sites from Seoul to Jeju with photos and stories that show how bathhouses served as community hubs where neighbors met, workers relaxed, and everyday life unfolded. The book highlights regionally distinct features—chimney shapes, tile murals, plastic washbaskets, vending-shop coffee milk, and unique basin-style baths (bagaji-tang)—and laments that many are closing due to aging facilities and declining use. Framing bathhouses as “places to meet Korea’s bare-faced truth,” the author argues they are living archives of local history and suggests slow, local travel centered on bathhouses to rediscover neighborhood markets, food, and culture.
