How do Koreans take baths?

Tomorrow is Friday. Tomorrow is the start of the 3 day weekend. Tomorrow is the beginning of your freedom from tiresome work. My first two weeks of school was just really horrible. When you think of American colleges you think of students studying on the grass relaxing, riding skateboards to class, and they have "fun" time studying, interacting with their professors. PSH. All of those BS is not true! You all have been lied by the media. I had like 5 quiz already. So out of two weeks, I had one week of quiz everyday. The skateboarding to class thing? its really not possible, unless you put a lot of effort riding your skateboard up hill. And down hill? its so steep that you would be thrown off. Well, its not that bad, it just that there is too many people that you can't really kick the board for speed. Interacting with professors are encouraged. Yes, I tried it last semester and it went really well with my psychology professor. But, that was probably the last time I went for office hours... The distance between my dorm and their office is just too far... Anyways, if your a student, bread winner, or a house wife, you life can really suck sometimes. Life is not fair and the world is a jungle. Only the strongest can survive. This is where the Korean public bath comes in! Korean public baths are so relaxing that they would blow all your worries away.

Where do Koreans take bathes?

Koreans go to places called "Sauna" or "JimJilBang". Translation of JimJil Bang is close to spa room. They have Sauna or JimJil Bang every few blocks or so. Most of them are within walking distance. They would usually cause $5 or $10 as an enterance fee. If you want to stay over night, it is possible. I too have done it with my friends! Messages would cost more. Around $30 would be enough to get one of those "sports" massages.

How are Korean bath towels different?

Korean bath towels are really different from towels of many countries. They call it "DeeMilYi". It means it removes stains or dirt. Like its name, it removes dead cells in your body, well thats my belief. Another belief is that it would make you have fair skin =D.

I'm quite unsure since I can't say I have awesome skin! Anyways we use these "different" bath towels. They are rough and make our skin red. But, we know they are removing dead cells in our skin. Something interesting about this towel is that it is part of our cultural instinct to help each other clean themselves. Like places which are hard to reach, usually the back, is done by another person. Many people would call helping each other wash their back GAY, but its better than not being able to clean yourself. I heard Park Chan Ho also had cultural problem when he asked another fellow baseball player to scrub his back. =) OK PPL WE'RE NOT GAY, we're just different.

*PS. Never use them on your face. You would end up with a scar!

What do we eat in public bathes?

Well, for Koreans, a public bath is a place to enjoy ourselves! Of course we get hungry after taking a bath and fooling around! I mean all that scrubbing is a lot of work! We get food from the store inside of the public bath. They have many drinks and snacks. But, the most prominent snack and drink is the baked eggs and sweet rice wine. Yum. If you never tried this, your missing a stuff that is enjoyable in life!

What Korean public bathes have cyber cafes?

Yes, Korean public bathes have cyber cafes. Not a lot of them does, but some do! The rates are a bit overpriced but people would still use them anyways. I never used the computers there before so I can't really say anything about them! Well, I saw a lot of kids playing there though...

Difference between JimJil Bang and Sauna?

This is very important because it would help you distinguish where to be naked and where you shouldn't. Just today, I read few MBA foreign students tried to go in naked where they aren't really suppose to be. JimJil Bang is a spa room, they give out clothes that you would wear to the spa. Jim Jil Bang has more stuff than the sauna. Sauna, is the place where you go naked. Like its name, its a place where you take bathes!

Are we embarrassed when we're naked?

Its more of a personal question. Do I feel embarrassed when I'm naked? NO. lol Everybody does it! So, its not something to be embarrassed of. Its like going to the nude beach, nobody is embarrassed since everyone does it! A lot of younger generations are a bit embarrassed though! Still they would go since its so relaxing.

Sadly, I'm not in Korea. But, at least I brought my own "DeeMilYi"!