Experiencing jjimjilbang in South Korea after a long time!
ゆうたむ
2 years ago
Hello, I'm Yutamu!
During my January trip to Seoul, I visited Spa LEX at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park for the first time in a long time, so I will leave a review of my experience.
Traveling to Korea in January, we departed Japan on a late-night flight and arrived in Incheon at 21:30. Although we had also made a reservation for AREX, there was no train available at that time, so we reluctantly took a regular train instead. It took much longer than expected, as I had been taking AREX too often recently (AREX makes it so easy to get around so I always take AREX lol). By the time we arrived at Dongdaemun Station, it was already well past midnight.
And Seoul in January is cold... lol‼︎
On this day, we had dinner and after a visit to Dongdaemun at midnight, we decided not to stay at a hotel and instead chose to take a nap at a jjimjilbang.
Visited 'Spa LEX' in Dongdaemun for the first time in about 5 years. It's open 24 hours, has a large bath, you can take a nap, and all for under 20,000W..!! It might be hard to stay for more than 2 nights, but arriving late at night and staying for one night is totally doable.
By the way, those who do not have large checked baggage can also use it late at night for 15,000W! I found out at the reception, but it seems that you can also make a reservation at Create Trip, so it's a good idea to make a reservation in advance! By the way, I had a large piece of luggage, so I had it checked.
Baggage storage space looks like this.
Next to the reception counter, there is a luggage storage area, so here we line up the luggage tags we received. The floor has an ondol and is quite warm, so be careful with chocolates and perishables..!
When you pay the fee, you will receive this kind of indoor wear and a towel. Basically, everyone spends time in the facility wearing this outfit.
First, you will receive a locker key along with your indoor wear, and you will put valuables and a change of clothes in the locker with that number. It is tall, so I was wearing a down jacket at this time, but I was able to store it securely! My backpack, which I carried separately from my large luggage, is also inside this locker.
Inside the building, there are large baths and several stone sauna facilities that are also found in Japan. Also, there are super cold cool-down rooms available.
One thing to be careful of is the amenities in the bath. In the large public bath, there is only soap available, so you need to bring your own shampoo, conditioner, etc. If you forget, you can also buy them in the dressing room, so it's okay to purchase them here. However, during late-night hours, the shop attendant may be absent, so it's probably best to prepare on your own.
Another thing to note! Here, there is a hair dryer facility, but it costs money to use it haha! 60 seconds for 200 yen, which is not that expensive, but you need change, and if you don't have change, you need to exchange it. I only had 1,000 yen bills at that time, so I asked the lady at the store for change when she came back, and I was able to get a 100 yen coin haha! (If the lady didn't come back, it would have been over...haha) I recommend preparing change in advance if possible! I have quite long hair, but I managed to dry it completely in 120 seconds (400 yen), so I don't think it takes that long.
In the middle of the night, many people were taking a nap, and the hall was quiet. I also took a nap on the floor of the large room with a bath towel.
There are quite a few people, so you may hear snoring or cell phone alarms. If you are concerned, it is better to bring earplugs. (I'm the type who can sleep pretty much anywhere, so I'm ok w)
By the way, if you take a sleeping place along the wall, there is an outlet so you can sleep while charging, lol! However, please be aware that theft is your own responsibility, so be careful..!! I slept while holding my phone tightly while charging, lol
You can also use a massage chair for a fee
If it's too late, they may not be open, but there is also a food court. If you arrive early, you can have a meal here.
When I went before, I took a bath first, then decided on chicken and beer at the food court, and slept soundly haha! If you go during the hours when the food court is open, this is also a highly recommended plan!
If you arrive at a time when the food court is not open and you're feeling hungry, you can also buy snacks or ramen noodles at the store next to the entrance reception counter. They also sell drinks, snacks, and canned beer, with a wide variety of snacks available!
I was able to wake up feeling refreshed after taking a good soak in the hot tub and getting some rest.
For those who are active late at night and early in the morning, this facility is perfect for those who think 'I just need a nap for now!' Also recommended for those who want to experience Korean Jimjilbang culture. After all, it's right in front of Dongdaemun Historical and Cultural Park, and you can get there in less than a 3-minute walk from the station, so if you're interested, please go check it out...!!
