Jjimjilbang - A Refuge For Evacuees

Somebody, please confirm this for me - is it standard practice for Koreans who have been evacuated from their homes for whatever reason to be sheltered for the time being in jjimjilbangs? Or is this an exceptional instance in which a patriotic and sympathetic public sauna owner voluntarily offers his place of business to provide a temporary refuge for his fellow citizens?

I had assumed that the inhabitants of Yeonpyeong would have been put up in some civic building like a covered stadium or a school if it was closed for the term break if they couldn't stay with relatives on the mainland. So it was a little surprising to see this photo in the JoongAng Daily.

But at the same time, it isn't so surprising -as the jjimjilbang is an ideal place to house a large number of people with its ample facilities for bathing, sleeping, eating and keeping in touch with the latest news on TV in the communal spaces. Still, one wonders how long this situation can last especially as there have been news of jittery islanders being evacuated from other islands near Yeonpyeong like Baengnyeong, Daecheong and Socheong.

Caption from Joong Ang Daily: Evacuated Yeonpyeong Island residents take up temporary shelter at a jjimjilbang (a Korean public bathhouse) in Incheon yesterday. [NEWSIS]

source:
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2928930

Jjimjilbang In Jinhae

Figured with the hordes of tourists descending on Jinhae for the cherry blossom festival, that the usual local BnBs would be full up and the prices jacked up. On that assumption, I decided I wouldn’t even bother to check out the yeogwans or minbaks and made straight for a 24 hour jjim - jil-bang ( 24 hour public bath cum sauna cum relaxation area where I could also sleep for a fee). This option had a few drawbacks though:

1. Location – it wasn’t central; in fact it was on the eastern side of the town. Had to take a twenty-minute bus ride from the town centre and get off near a shopping mall which housed the jjimjilbang. I’m sorry I didn’t note down the bus number or the name and exact location of the jjimjilbang. However it was within walking distance of the eastern end of the famous Anmin Road ( give or take 30 minutes)

2. The jjimjilbang was also quite crowded but I was mentally prepared to share sleeping floor space with seventy or so Koreans. What I didn’t expect was that we’d be woken up in the middle of the night ( or was it early morning?) by a pair of women arguing fiercely. It was a bit difficult going back to sleep after that.

3. Once I paid the entrance fee of 7000 won and entered the place, I had to be sure that my sightseeing activities were done for the day. Unless I was prepared to fork out another 7000 won, I couldn’t go out again. So it required a bit of planning and a lot of lugging of my backpack the first day I arrived in Jinhae because I was busy catching the sights before I took the bus to the jjimjilbang. Fortunately for me, some kind ajummas in the small restaurant inside the place kindly agreed to look after my bag on the second day so I was spared the trouble of hauling my load all over the town again.

The benefits?

First it only cost me 7000 won per night ( cheaper than a yeogwan or minbak which would have set me back anything between 30,000 and 150,000won a night and the entrance fee wasn’t not jacked up for the 2007 festival). For that modest sum, I had the opportunity to soak my weary carcass in tubs of hot water and to sweat some toxins in various sauna rooms with various temperatures and theme. I could also do my laundry and hang my washing on a line in the ladies’ bathing area, check and send emails in the ubiquitous mini-PC bang facilities, watch the latest TV drama sprawled out on the floor beside similarly-dressed Koreans and enjoy a bowl of bibimbap or naengmyeon in the in-house café.

Biggest plus? The nice lady who ran the eating joint even offered to give me a ride to the western end of Anmin Road the following day!

I wouldn’t recommend doing this if you’re not prepared for some inconvenience and some roughing it out ( no comfy mattresses!) but it is certainly something to consider for a more authentic local experience.
Sources:
http://www.jaunted.com/country/kp/2
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=626600
http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jjimjilbang

Jjimjilbang - A Glossary

Stumbled upon this useful website  from Korea Times which provides some vocabulary related to the jjimjilbang, a wonderful Korean institution.

Travellers on shoestring budgets should  love 24-hour jjimjilbangs cum saunas that allow people to sleep and enjoy its facilities overnight. My first experience was in a place near Seoul Station. The next one was in Jinhae when I fretted over the difficulty of finding a place to sleep during the peak festival season. After I overcame my inhibitions about disrobing in the women's bathing section, I could've kicked myself for not overcoming my shyness  much earlier. Now  I look forward to spending some time in a jjimjilbang each time I visit Korea.

Here's the first set of words - and yes, that's a pillow on the right though it may look like a brick.

I feel like Alice in Wonderland each time I visit a jjimjilbang - so many different sauna rooms to experience!

Next posting: Jjimjilbang in Jinhae

source: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2010/03/273_51525.html

How I Ended Up In A Police Car in Damyang

Dear police officers in Damyang,

There I was, back in 2005, a bewildered tourist just looking for a yeogwan in Damyang. I'd just come from Hwaeomsa by bus and I looked in vain for the non-existent tourist information centre. Didn't realise that your town wasn't quite ready for tourists from abroad -  there was only a small information booth at the bus ticketing counter and there weren't any brochures in English ( unlike most other places I had visited in South Korea).

So after a quick mid-morning snack of kimchi burger ( couldn't taste any kimchi at all!), I popped into a few motels but they were too expensive. Next, I stopped by a motel which had a distinctively seedy air within and the bug-eyed appearance of the guy at the reception counter made me even more uneasy. I guess it was THAT which made me give in to the impulse to pop into the police post just round the corner to ask you guys if you could recommend a place to stay.

To my surprise, you weren't able to suggest confidently any particular minbak or yeogwan but one of you did hit upon the idea of a 24-hour jjimjilbang. I gathered from my very limited Korean that it wasn't so easy to get there on local buses ( or maybe you thought I wouldn't be able to find my way around). Whatever it was, I found myself escorted into the back of a patrol car and whisked away by two of your colleagues. You drove me to the jjimjilbang, Bamboo Health Land, and after some rapid exchanges with the girls at the reception counter there, it was settled that I would stay there the night.

But it was still early in the day and so you kindly decided to take me on a tour of your hometown. Obviously the crime rate in Damyang is/ was non-existent if you could spare the time to play tour guide. So I ended up for a good part of the day riding around Damyang at the back of a police car. I was so embarrassed that you even had to keep opening the door for me as it had no handles at the back! At one point, the two of you had to go off duty or attend to some task yet you still arranged for another patrol car to continue the impromptu tour.

I could kick myself now for not taking a photo with you in front of the police car as proof but at that point I was so bowled over by your kindness that I didn't dare impose on you any further.Not sure now how many people will believe this story but I think many who've travelled in Korea and encountered the spontaneous goodwill of your compatriots will understand.

So gentlemen, Gamsa-hamnida for your patience and hospitality! Thank you so much for a wonderful tour of your town. In the end, I will always remember Damyang, not for the lush bamboo groves but for all you officers who went beyond the call of duty in helping me out.

Warmest wishes,
Ajumma

More on my Damyang day-trip in future postings!