It’s clear that Korean influence has permeated today’s latest beauty trends. Especially when it comes to makeup and hair, Koreans are known for being innovative and efficient with their services!
Before coming to Korea, I was debating on whether or not I should get my hair done. Some of my reservations of course included the cost, but also my fear that because I couldn’t speak or understand Korean, what I wanted might get lost in translation.
On my TikTok For You Page and Instagram feed, I would constantly come across videos of Korean stylists doing a happy customer’s hair beautifully. They felt like the universe was trying to subtly urge me to just book the appointment!
Finally, after careful consideration, and some moral support from my coworker and fellow intern who was also looking to get her hair done, I decided to go for it!
I spoke to some of my fellow interns who were living in the same building as me, and I kept hearing the same salon recommended to me— The Day’s Hair Salon in Hongdae. Not only was it conveniently located a few mins walk from where I lived, but when you look up “best English speaking salon in Hongdae,” this is one of the first places that come up.
To book an appointment with The Days, I first direct messaged their Instagram @thedayshair for inquiries. After sending me their price list, they recommended that I contact @thedays_merry who could accommodate me sooner. Since I was leaving Seoul so soon (my appointment was booked a week before my departure back to the US), I was glad that they were able to fit me in!
On the day of the appointment, it was safe to say that I was quite stressed because I still didn’t know what I wanted to do with my hair! While I had a lot of inspiration photos of what I generally wanted, I wasn’t completely set on anything specific. Granted, this was definitely my fault, and I would recommend that you do extensive research on what you want prior to making any change to your hair.
My appointment was at 11:30, and my coworker and I were greeted by Merry and some of the other stylists. We took a seat near the window and began our consultation process. Merry and I communicated mostly through English, but if she needed to tell us something more specific, she asked one of her fellow stylists to translate, or we both used PapaGo. Merry reassured the both of us that she would help us as best as she could with whatever we needed, and let us know that “It is my duty to be honest with you!” I really appreciated this, because it felt like she wanted to try her best to not only satisfy but take care of her clients!
During the entire consultation process, Merry took her time with me and wanted to make sure that I would get what I wanted. It was here that I knew I could trust her!
For my haircut, I told her that I wanted my hair to look less flat and was thinking about bangs but was scared it wouldn’t suit me. After consulting more photos, Merry understood the vision of what I wanted and told me what cut would be best for my hair type as well. As for the hair color, there were some concerns with my hair being black because of how hard it would be to get the desired color I was looking for, which was a cool brown. After discussing bleaching and the effect it would have on my hair, I decided to opt for it and get as cool as tone balayage as we could get on my natural black hair.
After my hair was cut, we did a test strip of bleach on my hair to see how the color would turn out. Following this, we began to bleach certain sections. This was the longest process because of how much hair I have and how thick it is! At one point, I think up to three people worked on doing this to my hair. Shoutout Daniel and Ah Eun for all your help with my hair! Prior to coloring my hair, I received two service (free) treatments that helped moisturize and minimize any damage to my hair.
I will say though, getting your hair done includes a lot of waiting around, and needless to say, I did get bored. I spent a lot of time looking out the window or just reflecting. Make sure you bring a portable charger or the book you’ve been waiting to read! I in fact brought neither, and had to ask the salon to charge my phone which they did so kindly!
At last, once my hair was washed a final time, the towel was removed and the color was revealed! Since my haircut was lightly layered and I got some new bangs, my concern was the styling! As Merry did it herself, she taught me how to do it on my own!
The entire process took about 6 hours!After everything and a discounted price, I paid ₩281,000 for my hair, which is about $216 USD! This excludes tips given that tipping culture is not present here in Korea. Compared to the prices I’ve paid to get my hair done before, and especially for going to a Korean salon, I was more than satisfied.
If you are coming to Seoul and looking to get your hair done in the Hongdae area, I would highly recommend that you come to The Day’s Hair Salon! Merry, Daniel, and Ah Eun were wonderful.
