Seshin and bathhouse culture
Jessie experiences for the first time seshin, or the scrubbing off of dead skin cells at a bathhouse. Read on about her first experience with Korean bathhouse culture. |
(30 minutes later)
Seshin worker: Client Nos. 17, 20 and 35, can you please come here?
Su-hyeon: Those are our locker numbers, right? She's calling us. Let's go.
Seshin worker: Client No. 17, please lie down on this bed.
Jessie: This is my first time getting seshin, so I'm a bit nervous.
Seshin worker: It'll be very refreshing. Please tell me if it hurts. Please turn your body in the direction I ask you to and relax.
(The seshin worker scrubs dexterously)
Seshin worker: It's probably because this is your first time – you have a lot of dead skin cells. Doesn't it feel refreshing to have them scrubbed off?
Jessie: Yes, I expected this to be painful but it's not, and yes, it's quite refreshing.
Seshin worker: Since this is your first time, I'll wash your hair and give you a facial mask treatment on the house.
Jessie: Wow, thank you. This is so much more refreshing than washing my hair on my own.
Seshin worker: Of course, I'm an expert in this field. Why don't you come again once in a while? Getting yourself cleansed here requires less energy and time than doing it on your own.
Written by Min Yea-Ji
Translated by Lee Jihae
Illustrated by Yuhaill
jesimin@korea.kr