Jeju Sauna and Spa was one of the first things I heard about after I moved to Atlanta. With my fascination for pop culture, I’d seen a segment about Korean spas on the Conan O’Brien show. He and the very adorable Steven Yeun go to a Korean Spa, hang out naked, and get scrubbed down.
It’s equal parts amusing and endearing.
Tabitha Brown and her daughter decided to go to a Korean spa and had nothing but good things to say about their experience. Especially the body shampoo. I heard people say it was life-changing. I wondered what all the fuss was about.
So, finally, after living in Atlanta for nearly two years, one of my friends wanted to go to Jeju Sauna for her birthday. She invited whoever wanted to go, so how could I pass it up?
It was a chance to see what all the fuss was about. And to get really, REALLY comfortable with friends.
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What to Expect at Jeju Sauna
Price
This is dependent on what you want to do while you’re at the spa. The entry fee is $35. And since the spa is 24 hours, that’s the price of the full 24 hours from when you arrive until you physically leave the building.
Then, there are add-ons. This can be anything from a massage to a mani/pedi, the body shampoo, and even food. Yes, Jeju has a cafeteria! More on that in a second.
When I went, I wanted the body shampoo with a mask. And of course, this bougie Taurus bought food. After all that and gratuity, I spent less than $150 for about 5 hours. But you could spend more depending on the services.
Do You Really Get Naked?
This is the question that seems to put off a lot of people. And look, maybe I’m a little more comfortable about this than most. I was excited about nudity in a spa because for some reason in my mind, that translated to the legitimacy of the experience.
I mean, it IS a Korean bathhouse, after all.
And you think it would be weird, but once you’re inside and naked around a bunch of other people, it’s not as weird as you’d think. If anything, it was kind of refreshing.
I read an article a long time ago about countries that have a bath culture have a better perception of aging. And I agree with that.
Our culture is tucked, botoxed, and photoshopped to our detriment. Being around all kinds of bodies in Jeju Sauna made me feel better about my own. It was nice to just exist in an environment with no expectations. And I imagine had I grown up in a place that offered that regularly, maybe I wouldn’t have as many lingering insecurities.
After you pay, they give you some orange spa PJs. Then you walk into the gendered area of Jeju Sauna which feels like a gym locker room.
When you first walk in, you have an assigned locker for your shoes. The entire place is barefoot as is the Korean way.
Then you have another assigned locker where you put belongings and strip down. There’s an attendant there for any questions you have and towels at the ready.
After you take a quick shower, there’s a room with a couple of jacuzzis, a cold tub, an infrared space, a sauna, and of course, the scrub-down service.
Also, something I wish I knew before I went to Jeju for the first time? You can bring your own bath products. Obviously, they have soap, shampoo and conditioner provided if you don’t, so no big deal. And if you want an even more authentic, decadent experience, they have exfoliating towels and sheet masks for purchase. I believe they run for $10 and $5 respectively.
But honestly? Since you can bring your own products (BYOP?), you can find them at a much more affordable price on Amazon. I use these scrub towels and love them! Also, you can get more affordable, better quality sheet masks to take with you by clicking this link. If you’re curious about more sheet mask options, I talk about it here.
The Body Shampoo (The Scrub Down Service)
After hearing so much about the scrub-down service, I had to try it for myself. I thought I would be better equipped for it because I use a Japanese scrub cloth regularly.
Nope. Nothing could have prepared me for a Korean grandmother maneuvering me around a bench as she sloughed off my top layer of skin.
And she really gets in there.
Is it painful? No, of course not. But if you’re not used to exfoliation, it can be intense.
My biggest worry was being ticklish. But that didn’t kick in until she got to my armpit. I tried to hold back because I’m not trying to make anyone’s job more difficult than it has to be.
But I giggled. She giggled. It was a humanizing moment and a good time all around.
I almost fell asleep twice.
What Amenities Does Jeju Sauna Have?
Jeju Sauna has enough that kept me there for well over five hours. Really, I could have stayed a little longer than that. The environment is so relaxing.
When it comes to the gendered areas, that’s where you get the body scrub services. There are different tiers of that. There’s a basic body service and one that offers different masks.
When it comes to the co-ed area, there are more services as well.
There’s a nail spa where you can also get waxing services.
There’s a co-ed pool. (You have to bring a suit for that.)
And there’s also a bunch of hot rooms which claim to have a variety of benefits. I can’t speak to the benefits, but it’s a relaxing environment. And as a whole, we definitely need more of that.
Also, they have a cafeteria with a wide variety of Korean food and beverages which were very delicious. It’s not expensive, and you get a decent portion of food for the cost.
The Takeaway
If you’re looking for a unique experience in Atlanta, GA, go to Jeju Sauna! It’s the perfect place to unwind and get comfortable with yourself.
You’ll leave the experience a changed person. Or in the very least, you’ll leave a relaxed person.