Mugwort, milk and moisturizer: How old Korean spa treatments are luring young tourists

KPop Demon Hunters Rumi sinks into the bathhouse’s steaming waters. [SCREEN CAPTURE] 

“I will fight for a spa day with you,” shouts Mira in Netflix’s hit animated film “KPop Demon Hunters.” For ages, girl group HUNTR/X members Mira and Zoey have had one mission: to get Rumi to the bathhouse.

When Rumi finally gives in, it’s love at first soak. “I want to come here every day of our three-month hiatus,” she says.

Beyond these relaxing, leisurely dips, however, lies a ritual as deeply ingrained — and as beloved — as the bathhouses themselves: seshin, a Korean spa treatment that purports to scrub away dead skin and reveal a fresh layer beneath. While not an everyday practice, many Koreans book a New Year’s cleanse as a symbolic effort to begin the year with renewed skin and a fresh start.

Records show that even before the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), people practiced “scrubbing off grime” after bathing. But the role of seshinsa (professional body scrubber) is believed to have emerged in the 1970s after public bathhouses began flourishing in the 1960s. Traditionally, a handful of seshinsa worked in the corner of the bathhouse with rubber mats, serving walk-in customers for about 20,000 won ($14.50) to 40,000 won. 

Seshinsa scrub customers at a bathhouse in 2015. [JOONGANGILBO] 

In time, though, a preference for contact-free services, the availability of home bathtubs and hygiene concerns — particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic — has accelerated the decline of both bathhouses and seshin culture. The number of bathhouses began to fall in the 2000s and took a sharp hit during Covid-19, with 730 closures between 2020 and 2022. Only 3,000 were operating in the latter year; 9,868 were open in 1999, when they were counted for the first time.

To adapt, bathhouses are getting creative. Seshinsa are shifting to more exclusive, personalized treatment to attract a wealthier clientele. An emerging network of one-on-one seshin shops — or scrub boutiques — is now tasked with reimagining the ritual as a luxury experience while still preserving decades of tradition.

Seshin shop Damda's lounge in western Seoul's Mapo District [DAMDA] 

A private room at Seshin shop Sulis in Eunpyeong Distrct, northern Seoul [WOO JI-WON] 

The appeal of these private, luxury skincare treatments extends beyond locals seeking a full scrub in a secluded setting, attracting travelers from around the world as well. Even tourists unfamiliar with seshin's history enjoy its modern benefits.

“It was amazing,” said Jennifer from the United States, who had just finished her 90-minute session at a private scrub shop in western Seoul’s Eunpyeong District on Monday. Asked if she would come back, she didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

The Korea JoongAng Daily visited two scrub boutiques across the capital to experience the latest wellness craze firsthand. 

The human touch

A 35-year-old Selena Lee opened her private seshin shop Damda with a question: What's Korea's unique tradition?

Thailand, for example, is internationally famous for its massage, and India for its yoga. What about Korea?

“Seshin could be that answer,” Lee said.

Public bathhouses and seshin culture have held a unique place in Korean daily life for centuries. The tradition of scrubbing away grime after soaking in warm water dates back to the late Goryeo and the early Joseon periods, although the practice was largely limited to the private tubs of royal courts or noble households.

By the 1970s, the custom had become widely popular due to the emergence of public bathhouses with most households lacking showers or bathtubs.

The seshin culture took on a more distinctive character with the introduction of the coarse-textured Italy towel — the green, sandpaper-like exfoliating cloth — in the 1960s which made exfoliation more effective and helping define Korea’s signature scrubbing method. Around the same time, the profession of seshinsa also emerged, transforming what was once a household chore into a specialized skill and further establishing seshin as part of Korea’s national tradition. 

Italy towers are placed on a person’s back. [JOONGANGILBO] 

Today, one-on-one boutique settings preserve the expertise of seasoned seshinsa while offering a more personalized and private experience.

Most seshinsa working at private shops have completed professional training and come from public bathhouses and hotel spas. At scrub boutique Sulis in northern Seoul's Eunpyeong District, many have 20 to 30 years of experience. These private shops, however, place the greatest emphasis on providing highly tailored service. “We go beyond, making sure water doesn’t get in the customer’s ears, adjusting pressure if they seem uncomfortable and checking in constantly to ensure they’re okay," said Kwak Hae-lynn, who heads the private seshin shop Heum in southern Seoul’s Gangnam District.

“There is nothing like Korea’s body-scrubbing culture in other countries,” said Kwak. “It’s a tradition that must not disappear and should be preserved.”

How it works

At Damda, a private seshin shop in western Seoul’s Mapo District, guests can book from four programs, starting at 83,000 won for the basic package of a bath, full-body scrub, milk body care, facial and hair treatment. Higher-priced options include massages and steam. 

A form to fill out before starting a session at seshin shop Damda in western Seoul's Mapo District [WOO JI-WON] 

Before starting, customers fill out a form selecting tea (served during or after the bath), their preferred bath product — Dead Sea salt, mugwort or carbonated bubbles — the desired scrub intensity and any special considerations the seshinsa should be aware of.

Once that’s done, customers are guided to one of three private rooms, each with its own changing room and bathroom. After storing clothes in a sterilizing styler, guests step into a steaming bathtub infused with their chosen bath product to soften the skin, preparing it for the full-body scrub.

“Most people choose medium scrubbing power,” said Kim Eun-ha, a seasoned seshinsa at Damda. “But it has to be strong enough to remove dead skin well and, most importantly, feel refreshing.”

Fifteen minutes later, the seshinsa — wearing a traditional bra-and-underwear set — enters and the scrubbing begins, from the very tips of the toes to the neck, even near private areas, on a rubber mat in the room. 

A bathtub is prepared with a mugwort bath bomb, accompanied by tea and a rubber mat for the scrub in one of the private rooms at seshin shop Damda. [WOO JI-WON] 

Some who are unfamiliar with being nude during spa treatment choose to wear disposable underwear or swimsuits, but seshinsa tend to recommend going without.

The 30-minute scrub is followed by a milk moisturizer, massage if included, facial, shampooing and scalp massage. The treatment ends with the application of seaweed gel.

After the program ends, guests use a body dryer to dry and freshen up in the powder room, which is stocked with skincare products and a Dyson hair dryer. A cup of tea, prepared in advance, offers a final moment of quiet healing before stepping back into the day.

Seshina pitch the experience as cleaner, more private and more personalized than one at a typical bathhouse, where one to three customers may receive service at the same time, at the same corner station, and where on-the-spot booking can leave customers waiting hours for their turn.

The powder room at seshin shop Damda [DAMDA] 

Revisit rates are high, even among foreign customers, some of whom visit the same shop every time they travel to Korea. “Once you try it, you become addicted,” Kim said.

“It’s best to come on a day off because you will want to rest afterward,” she added. “It really melts away fatigue.”

Drawing a global crowd

Despite being located far from tourist hubs like Gangnam District or western Seoul's Hongdae, scrub boutique Sulis in Eunpyeong District draws 70 to 80 percent of its customers from overseas. About half those customers hail from Japan, and the other half come from the West.

What began as a way to offer locals more privacy has also resonated strongly with international visitors, turning what was once a neighborhood routine into a growing global curiosity.

Amid the post-pandemic resurgence of in-person services in 2023, word-of-mouth and social media clips on TikTok and Instagram have brought in a steady stream of foreign visitors eager for both a deep cleanse and a taste of Korean culture.

“We never specifically targeted foreign customers when we opened in 2022, but those who come to our shops really like the service,” said Hwang Jo-eun, who runs the private seshin shop Sulis. Growing up, her family ran a bathhouse. 

The lounge of seshin shop Sulis in northern Seoul’s Eunpyeong District [WOO JI-WON] 

Jennifer, who had never heard of seshin until a few weeks ago, booked a session at Sulis on a friend's glowing recommendation.

“I’ve had bare body massages before in Thailand and Indonesia,” Jennifer said. “Seshin was more intimate.”

Many customers come in pairs — mothers and daughters, sisters, friends — but receive treatments in separate rooms. As Jennifer and her friend finished their session, a Japanese woman in her 20s arrived for a 5 p.m. session with her mother.

The lounge of seshin shop Heum in southern Seoul's Gangnam District [HEUM] 

Rubber mat in a private room at seshin shop Heum [HEUM] 

Other private seshin shops have seen similar trends. “When we first opened in the winter of 2022, we would get maybe 15 foreign customers a month,” said Heum CEO Kwak. “But since summer 2023, that number has surged, especially among Japanese visitors familiar with hot springs.”

Now, Kwak draws seven foreign clients a month, from countries including the United States, Singapore and France, for every three Koreans. Some months, it's nine to one.

Damda, despite opening just this April, says foreign guests now make up 20 to 30 percent of its clientele. Many arrive late at night, coming straight from a long flight or an exhausting day of sightseeing.

While some come simply for a novel skincare experience, others demand more, according to Damda CEO Lee.

“They come for the healing of both body and mind,” Lee said.

Reference
Written by WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]
Provided by Korea JoongAng Daily

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