Hello! It’s Your K-Friend at K.RIDE! 👋
So, you read my previous post about the best Jjimjilbangs in Korea, and you are ready to go. But wait… are you feeling a little nervous?
“Do I really have to take all my clothes off?” “What is that towel thing on everyone’s head?” “How do I eat the eggs?”
I hear you! For many of my foreign friends, the “naked culture” is a big shock. But trust me, once you get past the first 5 minutes, it is the most relaxing experience ever. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process step-by-step so you can relax like a total pro.
Let’s do this! 💪
Step 1: The Shoes & The Key 🔑
When you first walk in, you don’t go to the locker room immediately.
- You will see small lockers near the entrance. These are only for your shoes. You swap your shoes for a key.
- Traveler Tips: This key is usually your “credit card” inside! You use it to tap and pay for snacks, massages, and drinks. Don’t lose it! (Wear it on your wrist or ankle).
Step 2: The Gender Split (The Naked Part) 🚿
Okay, this is the part everyone worries about. You will receive a set of “pyjamas” (shirt and shorts) and towels at the counter. Then, men go to one side, women to the other.
- Inside the locker room, you must undress completely to go into the bath area. No swimsuits allowed!
- Traveler Tips: Wash before you soak! This is the Golden Rule. You must sit at the washing stations and scrub your body thoroughly with soap before entering any communal tubs. If you jump in dry, everyone will stare! 👀
Step 3: The Jjimjilbang (Common Area) 🧘♀️
After your bath, dry off, put on the pyjamas they gave you, and head to the “Common Area” (Jjimjilbang). This area is mixed-gender.
- A huge heated floor where people are lying down, sleeping, watching TV, or chatting. There are various “kilns” (hot rooms) with different temperatures (salt room, ice room, charcoal room).
- Traveler Tips: Make a Yang-meori (Sheep Head) with your towel! It’s cute and keeps the sweat out of your eyes. (Search “How to fold Korean sheep towel” on YouTube—it’s easy!) 🐑
Step 4: The Snacks (Must-Eat!) 🥚🥤
A Jjimjilbang isn’t complete without the snacks.
- There is always a snack bar (Canteen). You simply tap your locker key to pay.
- Traveler Tips: You must order Sikhye (sweet rice drink) and Maekbanseok Gyeran (smoked sauna eggs). Crack the egg on your friend’s head (gently!)—it’s a funny Korean tradition!
😴 Too relaxed to navigate the subway map?
You’ve soaked in hot water, sweated in the clay room, and your tummy is full of sweet rice drink. You are probably feeling “noodle-legs” (so relaxed you can barely walk!).
The last thing you want to do now is figure out complex subway transfers or shiver at a bus stop in the cold winter air.
I highly recommend calling a K.RIDE for a door-to-door trip back to your bed.
Keep that relaxation going all the way to your hotel room.
- ✅ Multi-language app support: No need to ask staff to call a cab. Just use the app in English!
- ✅ Foreign card-friendly: All those snacks you bought with your key? Save your cash for that bill, and pay your taxi fare automatically with your card in the app.
- ✅ Automatic destination translation: Just type your hotel name in your language.
- ✅ Fair pricing: Late night? Long distance? No worries. You get transparent, meter-based pricing every time.
You are ready to sweat! 💦
Don’t let shyness stop you from experiencing one of the best parts of Korean culture. No one is looking at you—everyone is too busy relaxing!
Go ahead, make your sheep head towel, and enjoy the warmth.
Thanks for reading!
— Your K-Friend at K.RIDE✨
See you on the road!
Explore Korea Like a Local 
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