Hair salon
Living in Korea

Korean hair salon for foreigners

A haircut shouldn't be a gamble. 8 services with the exact Korean phrase to say (2 are low-risk), how designer tiers change the price, the salon-visit flow, and the norms that surprise foreigners — bring a photo, no tipping, ask about discounts.

8 services — what to say

8 results

Bleach / lightening

탈색 · talsaek
🎨 Color

3–5 h

🔴 Language-tricky
Say this
탈색 후 염색 (bleach then color)

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.

Blowout / styling

드라이 / 스타일링 · deurai
💇 Styling

20–40 min

🟢 Easy
Say this
드라이(스타일링)만 해주세요

A wash + blow-dry style for an event — cheap + quick. Cheapest way to try a Korean salon. Also offered before photos / weddings.

Color / dye

염색 · yeomsaek
🎨 Color

~3 h

🔴 Language-tricky
Say this
염색하고 싶어요, 이 색깔로 (this color) + photo

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.

Haircut

컷 · keot
✂️ Cut

1–1.5 h

🟡 Medium
Say this
커트 해주세요 (a cut, please) + show a photo

Price depends on the salon, area and designer tier — ask before you sit down. A reference photo beats words — bring 2–3 angles.

Men's cut

남성 컷 · namseong keot
✂️ Cut

30–60 min

🟡 Medium
Say this
옆머리 짧게, 윗머리 조금만 (sides short, top just a little)

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.

Perm

펌 · peom
🌀 Perm / straighten

~3 h

🔴 Language-tricky
Say this
자연스러운 펌 원해요 (I want a natural perm) + photo

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.

Straightening (magic)

매직 / 스트레이트 · maejik
🌀 Perm / straighten

2–4 h

🟡 Medium
Say this
매직 (straight perm) 해주세요

볼륨매직 adds root volume; 그냥 매직 is dead-straight. For frizzy/wavy hair this is the fix. Long hair costs more + takes longer.

Treatment / clinic

클리닉 / 트리트먼트 · keullinik
💆 Treatment

30–90 min

🟢 Easy
Say this
클리닉(트리트먼트) 받고 싶어요

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.

Designer tiers — why the same cut has 5 prices

The price rises with the stylist's rank. Pick the tier that fits the job.

No designer / 지정 안 함

디자이너 지정 안 함

Whoever is free does the service, usually at the salon's lowest rate. Fine for a simple trim.

Designer

디자이너

A regular stylist — the standard tier for everyday cuts and color.

Chief / Senior (실장)

실장

A senior stylist; higher price. Worth it for trickier cuts/color where experience matters.

Deputy Director (부원장)

부원장

Near the top; premium pricing. For complex perms/color or a signature look.

Director / Owner (원장)

원장

The most senior and usually the most expensive tier. Ask the price for this tier before booking.

Salon visit — 5 steps

  1. 1

    Book (or walk in) · 예약

    Reserve via Naver 예약, phone, or Kakao — many salons take online bookings. Weekends fill up, so book a designer + time. Some salons take walk-ins.

  2. 2

    Pick a designer tier · 디자이너 선택

    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.

  3. 3

    Consult with a photo · 상담

    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.

  4. 4

    Service + wash · 시술 + 샴푸

    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").

  5. 5

    Pay — no tip · 결제 (팁 없음)

    Pay by card or cash at the counter. Tipping is NOT customary in Korea — don't tip. Ask whether there's a foreigner, cash or app-booking discount.

Tips — photos, tiers, no tipping

  • Always bring a reference photoKorean stylists are skilled but hair vocab translates badly. 2–3 photos (front/side/back) of the exact cut + color you want is the single best way to avoid a surprise.
  • Price rises with designer rankThe same cut usually costs more from a 실장 or 원장 than from a 디자이너. Ask the price for your chosen tier before the service starts.
  • No tippingKorea has no salon-tipping culture. The listed price (after any discount) is all you pay — don't feel obliged to add anything.
  • Ask about discountsSome salons run discounts for foreigners, cash payment or app bookings. Ask "외국인 할인 있어요?" before paying.
  • Don't perm AND dye the same dayStylists often won't do both at once because it's hard on hair. Ask your stylist how long to wait between them.
  • Key detail words숱 쳐주세요 = thin it out; 앞머리 = bangs (say clearly — easy to over-cut); 기장 그대로 = keep the length; 다듬어 주세요 = just a trim/tidy-up. Learning these 4 prevents most bad cuts.
  • Men: 미용실 vs 바버샵For style cuts/perms go to a unisex 미용실; for fades + classic cuts + shaves go to a 바버샵/이발소. "투블럭" (two-block) is the default modern men's cut — name it + show a photo.
  • Bleach = time + damageLight/ash/pastel colors on dark hair need 탈색 (bleach), often 2+ rounds = 3–5 hours + real damage. Ask how many rounds, the total price, and budget a 클리닉 treatment.

Phrasebook for the salon

Just a trim, please (only cut this much).
다듬어 주세요. 이 정도만요.
Dadeumeo juseyo. I jeongdo-manyo.
Please thin it out.
숱 쳐주세요.
Sut chyeo-juseyo.
Don't cut the length, just the ends.
기장은 그대로, 끝만 잘라주세요.
Gijang-eun geudaero, kkeutman jalla-juseyo.
How much is it for a designer / director?
디자이너 / 원장님 얼마예요?
Dijaineo / wonjangnim eolmayeyo?
Is there a foreigner discount?
외국인 할인 있어요?
Oegugin harin isseoyo?
No treatment, thank you.
클리닉은 괜찮아요.
Keullinigeun gwaenchanayo.

See also

More survival phrases: /phrasebook. K-beauty + skin: /k-beauty. Photo booths + ID photos: /photo-id.