Do you have an old picture that is hidden in your drawer due to a bad hair day? Are you expecting a good hairday but worried about how to ask your hairdresser to style your hair in Korean? I hope this post will be helpful for you to have a better hairday when you are getting ready for a trip to a Korean hair salon or barber shop.

Hair Style

About every three years, I cut my 긴머리 (long hair) and donate my hair. Since I have tried to let my hair grow to a  긴머리  from a 단발머리 (bob cut), my visit to a 미용실 (hair salon) has been regular for the last nine months. I enjoy going to a hair salon because it is not only exciting to change my hairstyle but also fun to chitchat with my 미용사 (hairdresser) and her 단골 손님 (regular customers) with a cup of coffee.

Image by Pixabay

While my hairstylist was trimming my hair, she mentioned about how many different hairstyles I have had in the last several years. I couldn’t hide my grin because her comment remained me of how much fun my friends and I had when we had to practice a conversation at a hair salon in 한국어 (the Korean language): We all had fun taking a role of 손님 (a customer),미용사, and a 이발사 (barber) to change our hairstyles in 한국어.

1. 긴머리  [kin-meo-ri]  −  a long hair
2. 단발머리  [dan-bal-meo-ri] −  a bob cut
3. 미용실  [mi-yong-shil]  −  a hair salon
4. 미용사  [mi-yong-sa]   −  a  hairdresser
5. 단골손님  [dan-gol-son-nim]  −  regular customers
6. 한국어  [han-gook-uh]  −  the Korean language
7. 손님  [son-nim]  −  a customer
8. 이발사  [ee-bal-sa]   −  a barber

Related Expressions

Are you getting ready for your adventure to a Korean 이발소 (barber shop) or a 미용실? Are you expecting a good hairday but worried about how to ask such as, 다듬다 (to trim), 자르다 (to cut), 파마하다 (to get a perm), or 머리스타일을  바꾸다 (to change hairstyle) in 한국어?

I hope you will find someone to practice the following phrases and vocabulary before your next trip to 이발소 or 미용실:

9. 이발소  [ee-bal-so] −   a barber shop
10. 다듬다  [da-deum-da] −  to trim
11. 자르다  [ja-reu-da]  − to cut
12. 파마하다  [pa-ma-ha-da]− to get a perm
13. 머리스타일을 바꾸다   [meo-ri-seu-ta-ee-reul ba-kku-da] −  to change hairstyle

When a hair stylist asks you this question, “머리 어떻게 해 드릴까요?  (How would you like your hair?),” you can use the following expressions:

14. 머리 어떻게 해 드릴까요? [meo-ri uh-teok-ke hae deu-ril-kka-yo]  − How would you like your hair?
15. 머리 잘라 주세요. [meo-ri jal-la joo-se-yo] − Cut my hair, please.
16. 앞머리  [ap-meo-ri]  −  bangs
17. 옆머리  [yeop-meo-ri]  −   hair on the side
18. 뒷머리  [dwit-meo-ri]  −  hair in the back
19. 조금만 다듬어 주세요. [jo-geum-man da-deum-uh joo-se-yo] − Trim a little bit please.
20. 이정도 길이  [ee-jeong-do gil-ee] − this long/this short
21. 파마해 주세요.  [pa-ma-hae joo-se-yo] −  Perm, please.
22. (파마) 자연스럽게 해 주세요.[ja-yeon-seu-reup-ge hae joo-se-yo]  – A natural looking perm, please. (a perm with a large rollers)

There are still many  미용실  and 이발소 that you can just walk-in to get your hair done in Korea, however, it is safe to check whether you need to make a reservation or walk-in is welcome since more places require their customers to make a reservation.

I hope this post will be helpful for you to have a good hairday in the future!

감사합니다! (Thank you!)