I’ve traveled to Seoul twice so far, and both times I had my hair cut at the same salon.
I’ve always enjoyed getting my hair cut whenever I visit a new place.
So while planning my trip to Korea, I thought,
“Since I’m already here, why not try a Korean hair salon?”
The problem was…
I had absolutely no idea which salon I should choose.
That’s when I came up with a simple idea.
“If I ask a young Korean woman who actually lives here, I probably can’t go wrong.”
That one decision ended up leading me to my favorite hair salon in Korea.
The person I asked was a Korean woman in her twenties whom I happened to meet during my trip.
Not only did she recommend a salon nearby…
I even asked the hairstylist to cut my hair into the style she personally liked on men.
Looking back now, that’s still one of my favorite travel memories.
I keep calling it “my regular salon,” but honestly…
I’ve only been there twice.
Still, even after just two visits, I’ve stayed in touch with my hairstylist.
We’ve continued messaging each other ever since, so it somehow feels like I’ve been a regular customer for years.
That’s exactly why I wanted to write this article.
The hairstylists there are incredibly skilled, and the customer service is just as impressive.
Every time I recommend this salon to my friends, I get asked,
“If I want to get my hair cut in Korea, where should I go?”
Apparently, quite a few Japanese travelers are interested in trying a Korean hair salon while they’re visiting Seoul.
So if you’ve ever thought,
- “I want to get my hair cut in Korea.”
- “I want a hairstyle like a K-pop idol or a Korean actor.”
I hope this article helps you find the perfect salon during your trip.
The Salon I Always Visit in Seoul
Now, let’s get to the main topic.
The salon I always visit is called JUNO HAIR.
If you’re not familiar with it, JUNO HAIR is one of South Korea’s largest and most well-known hair salon chains.
It operates more than 150 locations across the country and has built an excellent reputation over many years.
It has also been ranked No. 1 in the Hair & Beauty category of the Korea Brand Power Index for multiple consecutive years (nine years in a row as of 2024).
Even if you don’t know me or trust my personal recommendation…
Seeing awards like that should give you some confidence in the quality of the salon. 😏
Why I Always Go to the Myeongdong Branch
As I mentioned earlier, JUNO HAIR is a nationwide chain.
There are salons located all over South Korea, so you can simply choose whichever branch is most convenient for your trip.
Personally, though, I always visit the same one.
Because of the connections I made during my very first trip to Korea, I keep returning to:
JUNO HAIR Myeongdong 2nd Branch
Myeongdong is one of Seoul’s most famous tourist districts.
In fact, I’d even say it’s unusual for Japanese tourists to visit Seoul without spending some time in Myeongdong.
Because of its central location, it’s an incredibly convenient place to get your hair cut while sightseeing.
「JUNO Hair Myeongdong 2 place」
How I Found This Salon
As I mentioned earlier, the reason I discovered JUNO HAIR Myeongdong 2nd Branch was thanks to a Korean woman I met during my very first trip to Korea.
At the time, I was traveling with two friends.
The three of us shared one portable Wi-Fi device throughout the trip.
Because we only had one Wi-Fi, we’d agreed on one simple rule:
Whenever we wanted to go to different places, we’d decide by majority vote.
One day, my two friends wanted to go shopping.
I, on the other hand, had absolutely no interest in spending money on shopping.
Instead, I thought,
“Rather than doing what every tourist does, I want to try something different.”
That’s when I decided…
“I’m going to get my hair cut at a Korean salon.”
Of course, my friends weren’t about to let me take the portable Wi-Fi with me.
They simply said,
“Go wherever you want—but we’re keeping the Wi-Fi.”
Because of our majority-vote rule, I suddenly found myself heading to a Korean hair salon…
without my phone.
Which also meant…
No internet.
No translation app.
Since I couldn’t communicate using my phone, I came up with another idea.
I walked into a nearby café, spoke to a local Korean woman sitting there, asked her to recommend a salon…
and then asked the hairstylist to give me the hairstyle she personally thought looked best on a man.
Looking back, it was probably one of the most spontaneous—and memorable—decisions I’ve ever made while traveling.
Meanwhile, my two friends were completely relaxed. They were about to go shopping together, and since they had the portable Wi-Fi with them, they had nothing to worry about.
As for me…
I was desperately taking screenshots of everything she showed me—directions to the salon, Korean phrases to show the hairstylist, and anything else that might help me survive without the internet. 😆
I simply took the picture to the salon and said,
“I’d like my hair to look like this.” 😂
We’ve stayed close friends ever since.
She has even traveled to Japan to visit me, which still makes me really happy. ✨
The Hairstylist I Still Keep in Touch With
That was how I ended up visiting this salon.
Maybe I left a strong impression because I was such a random Japanese tourist who walked in asking for a haircut based on the opinion of a stranger I had just met.
Whatever the reason, I became good friends with the hairstylist who cut my hair that day.
Even now, we still keep in touch.
Can You Just Walk In?
After reading this far, you might be wondering,
“Can I just walk in without making an appointment?”
The answer is:
Absolutely.
You can simply walk into the salon, use a translation app on your phone, and they’ll be happy to help you.
If you’d rather be safe, I recommend sending a message to the hairstylist on Instagram before your trip to make a reservation.
(Don’t worry—I’ll introduce her Instagram later in this article.)
That’s exactly what I did during my second trip to Korea.
I sent her a message the day before I wanted my haircut, and she replied almost immediately.
She even managed to book an appointment for my travel companion as well.
Most of the staff mainly speak Korean, but many of them can communicate in basic English.
Occasionally, you’ll even find staff members who speak Japanese fluently, so don’t worry too much about the language barrier.
How Much Does It Cost?
A haircut costs around ¥4,000–¥5,000.
(Coloring, perms, and other treatments cost more.)
Keep in mind that these were the prices when I visited about two years ago, so they may be a little higher now because of inflation.
Interestingly, while I felt the price was about the same as a good salon in Japan, several Korean friends told me,
“Wow… you went to an expensive salon!” 😂
Apparently, JUNO HAIR is considered one of the higher-end salon chains in Korea.
If your main goal is to save money, you can probably find smaller local salons that offer haircuts for much less.
Unfortunately, I don’t have any personal experience with those, so you’ll have to do a little research yourself.
Recommended Hairstylists at JUNO HAIR Myeongdong 2nd Branch
Now I’d like to introduce one of the hairstylists who works at JUNO HAIR Myeongdong 2nd Branch.
If you decide to visit the same salon after reading this article, I hope this recommendation helps.
My Personal Recommendation
First up is the hairstylist who has cut my hair every time I’ve visited Korea.
She’s the person I always contact through Instagram whenever I want to make an appointment.
If I had to describe her personality, I’d say she’s:
- Quiet
- Doesn’t speak Japanese
- Speaks only a little English
But above all…
She’s incredibly kind.
And yes…
She’s also really cute! 😂
Even though she isn’t very talkative, she’s always happy to help if you start the conversation.
Most importantly, her haircutting skills are excellent.
If you’re looking for a talented hairstylist at JUNO HAIR, I can confidently recommend booking an appointment with her. ✨
Isn’t she cute?
More importantly…
She’s an amazing hairstylist too! 👍✨
A Staff Member Who Speaks Fluent Japanese
The next person I’d like to introduce is a hairstylist who speaks fluent Japanese.
I met him while he was helping with my haircut and blow-drying my hair.
To be honest, I was amazed by how natural his Japanese was.
There was almost no accent at all—it sounded just like a native speaker.
When I asked him how he had learned Japanese, he smiled and said,
“Back when I was a student, I used social networking apps to chat with Japanese girls all the time.”
What a clever guy. 😏😂
He’s also a fully qualified hairstylist, so if you’d feel more comfortable communicating in Japanese, I highly recommend making an appointment with him.
Not only is he incredibly friendly, but he’ll also make sure you have a fantastic experience at the salon.
The Fun English-Speaking Stylist
The last staff member I’d like to introduce is the energetic hairstylist who speaks English.
Like the Japanese-speaking stylist, I met him while he was helping with my haircut and styling.
He’s the type of person who brings lots of energy wherever he goes.
Very outgoing, very friendly, and always ready to start a conversation.
One of my funniest memories was when I was leaving the salon.
The elevator doors were already closing…
…and he actually stopped the doors with his hand just so he could ask to exchange contact information with me.
I still laugh whenever I think about that moment. 😂
Although he doesn’t speak Japanese, his English is excellent.
Talking with him felt less like chatting with a hairstylist and more like hanging out with a friend.
He also cuts hair himself, so if you’re comfortable communicating in English, I’d definitely recommend making an appointment with him.
I’m sure you’ll have a great time.
Final Thoughts
That wraps up my introduction to my favorite hair salon in South Korea.
I hope this article was helpful!
(At least… I hope it was! 😂)
To finish things off, I’ll leave you with a few photos I took during my second visit to the salon in Korea.
Hopefully, this article helps someone who’s thinking about getting a haircut while traveling in Seoul.
Have an amazing trip to Korea…
…and enjoy every minute of it! 🇰🇷✂️✨
As for me, I already had a strong perm before coming to Korea, so it wasn’t really possible to transform my hair into a typical Korean style with just a haircut.
Instead, I asked for a style that suited my existing hair, resulting in a more Japanese-looking hairstyle.
One thing I noticed is that Korean hair salons seem to use clippers much more frequently than salons in Japan.
It gives the hairstyle a much cleaner and sharper finish, which I really liked. ✂️🇰🇷
