Hot and Spicy: jjimjilbangs and jjukkumi

After an Indian summer that seemed to stretch on forever, winter has come to settle in South Korea. There is no disputing this as I gaze from the window of our house, high up on a hill overlooking the northern edge of Dongducheon. Trees, naked and skeletal against the stark blue sky decorate the tops of nearby hills and columns of smoke rise from the valley below. There is wind. There is ice. There is winter.

I have to admit that the cold has increased my desire to hibernate. But as the new year has begun, and we have finally emerged from our holiday cookie comas, it was decided that it was time to venture out. Today’s winter remedy would be a trip to the jjimjilbang topped off with some jjukkumi!

Abundant across the country, a jjimjilbang (찜질방)- literally ‘heating room’ – is a Korean sauna…but we would soon learn that it is so much more. Many are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and for a couple of extra bucks can serve as a crash pad for workaholics, or for those nights when one has had a bit too much fun and can’t make it home. Definitely a good bit of information to keep in your back pocket in case of an ’emergency’.

We were headed to the Dragon Hill Spa in central Seoul. I was slightly concerned that our choice would be too touristy (something we usually go out of the way to avoid) and that perhaps we should look for a different spot to get our heat on…but the list of amenities this place had to offer was just too alluring. So we bundled up, hopped the subway, and before we knew it we were barreling down the stairs of Yongsan Station, hustling across the plaza.

Suddenly before us was a gateway flanked by sword wielding statues. The entrance to Dragon Hill! I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to arrive. Literally a hop, skip, and a jump.

An odd assortment of figures led to a bamboo lined path, and from there we stepped into the main foyer of the spa. Passing quickly through the line in spite of its length, we paid the admission fee, and were issued our special jjimjilbang outfits along with locker keys. On the other side of the turn styles we were greeted by an employee who offered to show us around. We took him up on the offer- quite helpful! There were 7 floors to this place and I was already feeling disoriented.

Shoes off and into their little lockers- the smell of woodsmoke wafting through the air. An arcade was the next thing to greet us, with its cacophony of jangling bells and lights creating an almost carnivalesque atmosphere that didn’t stop there. Teens and children in their spa uniforms hustled from one place to the next on some kind of mission. Snack bars served up patbingsu and hardboiled eggs; elevators waited to whisk you up to floors filled with baths of every imaginable variety- to the movie theater room- to the rooftop restaurant…the list went on. We made it to the main hall- the epicenter of the spa, where the scene before us was almost surreal.

A couple hundred people of all ages, dressed identically, lounged about on the heated (ondol) floors. Sleeping, snacking, playing board games, most with smartphones in hand. This certainly was the place to be on a Saturday afternoon in Seoul- and everyone seemed to be making themselves completely at home. It was becoming clear that the jjimjilbang wasn’t just a popular place for families, groups of giggling teens and those seeking relaxation, but also a place for young couples to have a date. I am not a prude, but there was some seriously heavy petting going on, and it was a bit surprising to see just how entangled a few of these couples had become…in such a public spot! (The jjimjilbang as a cruising spot- who knew?) Our guide pointed out that all of the co-ed sauna rooms could be accessed from here- and with that, we were left on our own.

On the women’s floor bras, underwear, shampoo and body wash could all be purchased with a simple wave of your locker key- the bill paid later. From here you could also venture into the no-clothing-allowed-make-sure-you-scrub-yourself-from-top-to-bottom-first baths of varying degrees and therapeutic remedy.

I found my assigned locker, and feeling much like a sardine in a tiny can, maneuvered between naked bodies to a space barely large enough to change. All dolled up in my spa uniform (it is an interesting feeling to match everyone around you…my husband said he felt like some sort of inmate…) I headed for the sauna.

Inside the hardwood charcoal kiln

Finally it was time to get hot! Stepping over sleeping bodies, we beelined over to the hardwood charcoal kilns and straight into the hottest of the three ovens. The room was dome shaped, made from red clay sourced from the forest of Muan in the Jeolla Province. We lingered in the arid heat until even the inside of my lungs felt slightly singed.

Next was the jade pyramid to enrich the mind, soften the hair and beautify the voice.

Jade Pramid

Ochre Pyramid

Then to the ochre pyramid room – the “razor blade sharpener,” thought to help one perform creative works.

From there, a quick cool off and a tightening of the pores in the Seokbinggo (ionic ice room).

Seokbinggo (ionic ice room)

Crystal Sun Salt Room

Finally, topping it all off in the crystal sun salt room (my favorite) to lie in beds of rock salt- the walls and ceilings covered with pink salt tiles, glowing gently from the inside.

From room to bath to room we moved.

Hinoki Woodland Room

Time melted away and before I knew it, half the day had passed- the chill of Korean winter had been successfully pushed from our minds, and my body radiated heat from the very core. It felt amazing.
Of course this feeling only lasted the duration of the few subway stops it took to reach our next destination. All too soon we were spit back out onto the grey city streets in search of Jjukkumi (쭈꾸미) Alley- a whole street dedicated to this special dish of spicy stir fried baby octopus. Lucky for us it was only a few minutes before we saw the bronze octopus sculpture that marked the entrance.

Oh jjukkumi! I could hardly wait to indulge in this fiery treat- one of the spiciest on the peninsula . We stood in the middle of the street and attempted to weigh our options. How to choose a restaurant? In front of us a smiling young couple was making their way into a place called Yongdudong Jjukkumi, they motioned to us. We followed, and upon entering, were immediately greeted by a friendly faced woman who presented us with bright orange aprons.

Sitting down and slipping into my special jjukkumi outift (the second specialized uniform of the day!) I thought about how genius this was, and entertained thoughts of packing my own for future epicurean excursions, as more and more it seemed like Korean food and I have a rather messy relationship.
I guess it was obvious what we had come for. Our waiter wasted no time in bringing out banchan, a carafe of water, and a large bowl of glistening tentacles and little octopus bodies- so fresh that they seemed to be swimming in the very red, very spicy looking sauce. Just as the bowl was set down in front of us, a knob was turned and it wasn’t long before the little guys were sizzling. We took turns swirling the octopus through the hot sauce all the while stirring small bunches of bean sprouts to the mix until everything was cooked to our liking.

This restaurant’s version of jjukkumi included a small dish of creamy yellow curry flecked with soft diced tofu and carrots meant for dipping. With my chopsticks, I chose the tentacle that I thought would make the perfect first bite, and swirled it gleefully into the curry (I. Love. Curry.) I decided to forgo the extraneous veggie accoutrements (the standard perilla leaves, lettuce, garlic, ssamjang) so I could thoroughly enjoy the octopus in all of its glory. It was absolutely delicious. The curry cooled the bite, and created a more complex flavour when it mixed with the chili based sauce. I was hooked. We couldn’t stop eating the tender morsels. We started to sweat- our lips burned- we chugged water in attempts to put out the fire that was suddenly erupting in our mouths. But like moths drawn to a flame, we were happy to burn. Jjimjilbangs and jjukkumi…sweet heat, indeed.

This whole adventure takes place along subway line 1…making it super easy…

To get to Dragon Hill Spa, take line 1 to Yongsan Station (135)- extit 1 – down the huge flight of stairs and hang a right. As you pass though the plaza it will be hard to miss the entrance directly across the small street. Admission fees are 13,000 won on weekends/ 11,000 weekdays with special spa and massage packages available for around 100,000 won extra.

Click here for a map to Dragon Hill Spa

Jjukkumi Alley is a short walk from Jegi-dong Station (125) – exit 6- go straight out of the exit for a few short blocks until you see the bronze octopus. Take a left. Yongdudong Jjukkumi (where we ate) will be straight ahead. I (obviously) highly reccomend it!

Click here for a map to Yongdudong Jjukkumi

To your left is Na Jeong-Sun Halme Jjukkumi (Grandma Na Jeong-Sun’s jjukumi) (there is a smiling woman’s face on all the signage)….A little bit of post adventure research revealed that Grandma’s place has been around the longest, and from the pictures it looks like she serves her jjukkumi with a side of samgyeopsal. We plan on visiting very soon!

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