A haircut shouldn't be a gamble. 8 services with real price bands and the exact Korean phrase to say (2 are low-risk), how designer tiers set the price, the salon-visit flow, and the norms that surprise foreigners — bring a photo, no tipping, ask for the foreigner discount.
Curated 2026-01. Prices swing hard by area (Hongdae vs Cheongdam) + designer rank. English-friendly chains: JUNO Hair, Soonsiki, Hair & Joy. For other everyday phrases see /phrasebook.
8 results
₩12,000–40,000 · 30–60 min
A 미용실 (unisex salon) gives style cuts; a 이발소/바버샵 (barber) does classic + shaves. For fades, pick a barbershop and bring a photo — "투블럭" (two-block) is the common Korean cut.
₩15,000–60,000 · 1–1.5 h
Price swings by area + designer tier (no-designer ~₩15–33k; 원장 at a Gangnam salon ₩50k+). A reference photo beats words — bring 2–3 angles.
₩15,000–50,000 · 20–40 min
A wash + blow-dry style for an event — cheap + quick. Cheapest way to try a Korean salon. Also offered before photos / weddings.
₩30,000–150,000 · 30–90 min
Deep-conditioning to repair damage (esp. after bleach). Often upsold after color/perm — worth it once, but you can buy home masks cheaper. Scalp 두피 스케일링 is a separate add-on.
₩50,000–250,000 · ~3 h
Hugely popular (men + women). Types: 일반펌, 디지털펌 (heated, lasts longer), 볼륨매직. Price by length + tier. Always show a photo — "natural" vs "strong" curl is easy to miscommunicate.
₩50,000–200,000 · ~3 h
Bring a photo of the exact shade — Korean stylists are excellent but color words translate badly. Roots-only (뿌리염색) is cheaper than full. Ash/grey tones usually need bleach first.
₩60,000–250,000 · 2–4 h
볼륨매직 adds root volume; 그냥 매직 is dead-straight. For frizzy/wavy hair this is the fix. Long hair costs more + takes longer.
₩80,000–300,000 · 3–5 h
Needed for pastel/ash/blonde on dark Asian-base hair, often 2+ rounds = long + pricey + damaging. Pair a 클리닉 (treatment). Discuss how many rounds + the damage upfront.
The price rises with the stylist's rank. Pick the tier that fits the job.
A flat low rate (often ~₩33,000 or the salon's base) — whoever is free cuts. Cheapest; fine for a simple trim.
A regular stylist (P/S grades, ~1–3 yrs). The standard tier — good value for everyday cuts + color.
Senior stylist (D grade, ~3–5 yrs). Higher price; pick for trickier cuts/color where experience matters.
Near the top; premium pricing. For complex perms/color or a signature look.
The most senior + most expensive (M grade, 5–10+ yrs). The reason a "₩55,000 cut" can hit ₩100,000+ at a Gangnam salon.
Reserve via Naver 예약 (most salons), phone, or Kakao; popular foreigner salons (JUNO, Soonsiki, Hair & Joy) take English bookings. Weekends fill up — book a designer + time. Walk-ins OK at budget salons.
Choose the tier (no-designer / 디자이너 / 실장 / 원장) — price rises with rank. For a simple trim, no-designer is fine; for color/perm or a big change, a 디자이너 or 실장 is worth it.
Show 2–3 reference photos (front/side/back) — this beats describing in Korean. Confirm length to keep ("이 정도만 잘라주세요" = only cut this much) and ask the price for your chosen tier BEFORE starting.
Cut ~1h, perm/color ~3h, bleach 3–5h. A wash + light scalp massage is usually included. They may upsell a 클리닉 (treatment) — accept or decline ("괜찮아요").
Pay by card or cash at the counter. Tipping is NOT customary in Korea — don't tip. Ask about foreigner/cash discounts (often ~10% off cuts, up to ~30% off color/perm).
More survival phrases: /phrasebook. K-beauty + skin: /k-beauty. Photo booths + ID photos: /photo-id.