Barber Shops

25 June 2007

After more than a month in Seoul , I finally needed a haircut. Unfortunately, this was easier said than done.

One thing you will notice as you travel around the city is there is a barber pole sign at almost every street corner. However, this does not necessarily represent a barber shop. It could also mean a massage parlor, a Turkish bath, or an establishment which strictly services male clientele. In fact, much earlier, while I was looking for a place to have my hair cut, I happened to enter one of these facilities. It was located at the basement (one of the signs it more likely is not a barber shop) of one of these regular looking buildings But upon going down the stairs and opening the door, I noticed only cots and not a single barber chair whatsoever. A woman, who was lying on one of the cots, immediately approached me. But before she even said a word, I immediately retreated out of the door.

A local Korean told me that the government years ago warned these establishments to ensure that they had a barber on the staff. Hence, a majority can perform barber services, albeit not that good, but there will always be the offer of "extra" service. You see, prostitution is illegal in Korea. However, because of the large American military facility in the country and of the masculine tendencies inherent in the local culture, this profession is a very much alive and flourishing. In fact, there is a fear that whenever the Korean police authorities decide to crack down on the "red light districts", the women simply go underground by transferring to the "barber shops".

Fortunately, my colleagues in the office suggested that I try the BLUE CLUB. It so happened there was a branch across our office, and so they directed me towards it. This had the usual barber pole but instead of the red, white, and blue colors, it was only white and blue. Upon entering, I was relieved to see a number of barber's chairs and a couple of guys actually having their hair cut. Although my barber could not talk in English, she was able to show me pictures of different styles of haircuts. Upon finishing, she did not tidy me up, so initially, I wasn't that satisfied when I checked myself in the mirror. But upon arriving at the apartment, my wife commented that she liked my trim. I looked at the mirror in our bathroom and she was right! I paid KW 6000 for a regular haircut which also allows you to wash your hair after the haircut is done. This was a first for me because that kind of self service is not offered in Manila. When I informed two locals that I had used this particular barber, they immediatly commented that this was cheap; because other similar establishments would charge around two to three times. Regardless, I will be going back. Next time, however, I will ask them to include a shampoo.