Jjimjilbang Etiquette: What Not to Do and What Confuses Everyone

Do you wear underwear?

This is the first place people freeze. In the gender-separated baths and changing rooms you wear no underwear and no swimsuit. Guides from different sources all say the same thing.

In the shared sauna area, where you wear the uniform from the front desk, it's a different story. Whether you wear underwear under the uniform is up to you. You sweat a lot, so bring a spare pair for when you leave.

Can you go in with a tattoo?

Turning people away for tattoos is a facility policy, not a law, so it differs from place to place. A 2022 Korea Herald article reported a Seoul spa posting a notice of no admission for guests with tattoos that displease others, and said public bathhouses are no different.

One guide says old neighborhood baths tend to be conservative while newer large spas are looser. You can't tell which one you're at until you arrive, so if you have a visible tattoo, call ahead or ask at the front desk before you pay.

Where can you use your phone?

Keep it away in the changing room and the baths, and never take photos there. Someone undressed can end up in your frame, which is why places are strictest about it.

In the shared sauna and lounge areas, phones are fine. Keep your voice low and use earphones for video.

What to do before you get in the bath

Showering matters most. You wash and rinse at the washing stations before you enter a shared bath, and places expect this from the door.

• Wash and rinse your body before you get in
• Tie up long hair so it stays out of the water
• Keep your towel out of the bath water
• Don't get into the bath wearing the uniform
• Don't eat in the baths
• Keep your voice down. No loud calls or chatting in the baths

What confuses people in the kiln and sauna rooms

A kiln sauna (bulgama) is a room you go in and out of for a few minutes at a time. If you feel dizzy, step out and cool down in the ice room or the lounge. Travel guides also say to avoid the sauna after drinking alcohol.

In the shared area you keep the uniform on at all times. Even when it's hot, you take clothes off only when you go to the baths.

Sleeping room and lounge manners

The sleeping room is dimly lit, so keeping your voice low is the baseline. Guides keep coming back to the request for quiet.

Put big bags in a locker. Many places let you charge snack bar and restaurant purchases to your locker key and pay at checkout, so losing the key causes trouble.

One more thing

If it's your first visit, our beginner guide covers the entry order, prices and how to make the sheep-head towel. This post only covers the "am I allowed to do this?" questions that come up after that. Whatever the rule, the signs posted at the facility win, so skim the notice at the entrance before you go in.

See the layout in a game first

In our game Korean Spa Tycoon you place the baths, kilns, massage chairs and table area yourself and watch where guests walk. If you'd like to see how a jjimjilbang is divided up before you go, give it a try.