Winter Heat

If you are not from Korea (or Finland) it may be unusual for you to consider spending a cold Sunday languishing with strangers in a hot room. Even if you are familiar with the Korean bath house (jjimjilbang), remember there are always new and interesting ways to heat up this winter. This month, I was lucky enough to be introduced to a brand new bathing experience on a trip with nine others to a traditional Korean saltwater steam room called a haesujjim.

The history of haesujjim is long and colorful, much of it centered around the South Jeolla coastline. The steam room that we headed to is located in Hampyeong district, just under an hour’s drive from downtown Gwangju. This small area has become popular with visitors from all over Korea who come to enjoy the supposed healing properties of the salt water steam. Thankfully, the location has yet to be overcome by tourists and has maintained much of its rural charm in the face of increased commercialization. Set in a tiny village on the windswept coast of the Yellow Sea, the steam room looks more like a ramshackle collection of buildings than a popular tourist destination. Only the hundreds of towels drying on long lines outside give an indication of its true identity.

After several minutes of being chilled by the sea air, we were ushered into the complex of buildings and handed heavy cotton uniforms to wear inside. Looking much like wide-eyed visitors on a temple stay, we dressed in orange and blue trousers and wrap-around tops and stowed our belongings in lockers just outside the room where we would be spending the next two hours.

The rooms at the haesujjim are warm, damp, and lined with wood, with two pools filled with sea water set into the floor. After we seated ourselves awkwardly against the walls next to a small plastic bowl and towel, men clad in protective gloves strolled in and dumped shovels full of red hot coals into the already steaming water. I jumped to my feet, afraid of being caught by the spitting drops that leapt out of the pool, and was soon told in universal sign language by the friendly lady proprietor to sit down and stop being such a fusspot.

The hot coals are in fact a mixture of pine wood, sulphur and various herbs thought to have healing properties. The burning mixture heats the salt water to a blistering 80 degrees and fills the room with steam, obscuring the faces of those around you. It is claimed that the salts and minerals in the steam can cure or aid in the treatment of, among other things, skin disorders, nerve pain, arthritis and diabetes. Whatever your beliefs concerning the healing properties of the haesujjim, the experience itself is extremely enjoyable. The heat is not only bearable but rather welcome after the chill of the wind outside. The wooden slats on the floor let in some cool air and the steam shrouds bathers in a crystallising layer of salt which can be crunched between your teeth.

After the water has cooled from scalding to merely simmering, bathers can dip their towels into the pools, making sure to hold onto a dry corner, as the water is still far too hot to touch directly. The plastic bowls that have been provided are then used to crush out the excess water and the steaming towels can be draped around the body. The thick uniforms provide a buffer against the heat of the water, and it’s possible, with good company, to lose hours in the steam.

Sometime later, feeling clean, salty and rather smug, our group left the room in ones and twos to change back into our clothes. There are no showers on the site, as it is believed that washing too soon will remove the beneficial layer of minerals that the steam has left on your skin. The prospect of riding home on public transport while smelling distinctly of feet may be less than thrilling, but you will likely feel so relaxed that you won’t even notice.

Practicalities

The sauna pictured and described here is Jupo Seawater Sauna, to the west of Hampyeong. The area is renowned for its saunas and there are several scattered around the countryside.

To get to Jupo haesujjim by public transport, take the bus to Hampyeong bus terminal and then the local bus to Jupo Sonbul. If you are in a group, a taxi from Hampyeong should cost no more than 20,000 won and is more convenient than the bus, which only runs once an hour.

The steam room costs 30,000 won for every three people and up to ten can fit into a room. This price includes towels, uniforms and lockers, and you are welcome to stay in the room for several hours.

For trips like this and a whole lot more, join Lonely Korea on Facebook, a group based in Gwangju and run by the wonderful Pedro Kim.

Article by Anna Corbett
Photos by Julie Maycock