Unique Beauty Shops in Seoul

At Drunken Salon, you have the opportunity to have your hair trimmed and your makeup beautifully applied, all while indulging in a refreshing cold beer.

Discovering affordable activities in Seoul is a breeze - among them, taking a taxi, dining out, and indulging in a beauty treatment, all without breaking the bank!

If you are planning an extended stay in Seoul, we highly recommend visiting one of the city's many beauty shops. They are plentiful and offer exceptional service, not to mention their prices, which are considerably lower compared to Western and Asian counterparts!

Well-known locales for excellent beauty treatments in Seoul include Ewha Womans University, Hongdae, and Cheongdam. The beauty shops in Cheongdam tend to be more upscale and thus more expensive than those in other neighborhoods. However, the service they provide is exquisite, posh, and often in line with the latest trends, complete with fancy interiors. Who knows, you might even encounter a celebrity while you're there!

Some beauty shops in Cheongdam provide an array of services such as hairstyling, nail art, makeup, and spa treatments. Renowned brand shops like 'Ra Beauty Core', 'Avenue', 'Juno', 'Soonsoo', and 'Jenny House' are worth mentioning. However, we've compiled a list of some particularly unique beauty shops in Seoul that even locals are not familiar with. So, be sure to inform your friends about these hidden gems!

Drunken Salon

'Drunken Salon' is owned and operated by the talented hair and makeup artists responsible for the popular K-pop group 'SHINee'.

Recently opened in Gyeongnidan, Itaewon, 'Drunken Salon' offers a new kind of beauty salon experience. Its founders aimed to create an environment centered around 'fun' and 'freedom'.

At 'Drunken Salon', you can savor the taste of a cold beer while receiving top-notch services such as haircuts, dyeing, perming, hairstyling, and makeup application. The establishment is particularly busy on weekends, with a line of eager individuals awaiting their turn for makeup and hairstyling.

Please note that reservations are necessary. Despite the artists not being fluent in English, you can still receive an excellent haircut by bringing a picture showing your desired style (as it is no secret that Koreans are masters of mimicry)!

If you are simply interested in seeing the salon, feel free to drop by for a beer. During the evenings, the atmosphere is vibrant with people socializing. There's no requirement to receive a treatment; you can come in, enjoy a cold beer, and engage in a highly local experience. It is an entirely different encounter from your usual hairdressing or beauty appointment.

Address: 258-340 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Phone: +82-70-7788-3400.

Operating hours: Monday - Saturday: 2pm - 10pm (make-up services not available on Mondays).

Prices: Make-up: 55,000 won / Styling dry: 15,000 ~ 35,000 won

Haircut: 22,000 won for men, 33,000 won for women / Perm and Dyeing: 110,000 won  

Bottled Beer: 3,000 ~ 10,000 won

Nothing n Nothing

Middle-aged men in Seoul traditionally frequent classic barber shops, while younger men gravitate towards beauty shops instead. However, let us introduce you to the best of both worlds - 'Nothing n Nothing'. This place is far from your typical, mundane barber shop filled with elderly men complaining about the weather. Instead, it stands out as a unique barber shop located in the vibrant and youthful area of Hongdae. 'Nothing n Nothing' exudes the atmosphere of a 1940-1950's barber shop straight from the United States and the United Kingdom. Barbering talents Donald K and Daniel C are the trusted barbers at 'Nothing n Nothing'.

Donald and Daniel's love for everything retro is evident in the shop's atmosphere, which contributes to the overall experience. While the establishment offers various hair styling options, they excel in providing the Regent hair cut and styling.

In addition to haircuts, shaving services are also available. An interesting aspect is that they solely use pomade for styling and offer a diverse range of pomade products for sale. Furthermore, you can even enjoy the artistic paintings created by Daniel C displayed in the shop.

Address: 335-20 Seokyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul Phone: +82-70-4067-2882

Operating hours: Monday to Sunday: 1pm- 10pm

Price: Haircuts with shaving range from 30,000 to 40,000 won

For more information, take a look at their Facebook page.

Tattooist Key

While Seoul may not be widely recognized as a hub for tattoo enthusiasts, 'Tattooist Key' holds a high profile among travelers. This prominent tattoo artist not only works with G Dragon, a member of the critically acclaimed K-pop group Bigbang, but also serves a vast clientele from both Korea and abroad. Key's artistic mastery frequently graces the pages of numerous magazines.

Renowned for his exceptional skills and popularity, reservations are a necessity for those seeking a tattoo at Key's studio, 302 Studio. Key takes great care in discussing and planning the design and details with his clients in advance, all while proficiently communicating in English.

Additionally, if you have an interest in learning the art of tattooing, Key offers courses for aspiring tattoo artists. Recently, he even launched his own line of snapback caps, which can be purchased at his studio on Garosu-gil Street.

Tattooist Key +82-10-9789-5539

Address: near Garosu-gil in Sinsa-dong (Please call Tattooist Key for directions to his studio).

Price: Starting at 100,000 won and varies depending on the design and size.