Hongdae hair salon: crown gray coverage that isn't jet black, Obeumua
In short
Obeumua Hongdae Branch is a hair salon in Mapo, Seoul, on the 2nd floor of a building a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Hongik Univ. Station. At Obeumua Hongdae Branch, the writer got a tone-down gray coverage dye to fix faded, light-brown hair and grays at the crown. The color wasn't jet black, showed a soft brown glow in sunlight and felt undamaged after several washes at home. Obeumua's tone-down gray coverage suits anyone who dislikes flat, jet-black gray dye.
Good to know
- Getting there
- Hongik Univ. Station Exit 1 · 2-min walk (store listing, Oct 7, 2026)
- Location
- 2F, 32-22 Donggyo-ro 23-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul; 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Hongik Univ. Station
- Getting up
- Elevator or stairs
- Hours
- Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 10:30–19:00; Sat–Sun 10:00–19:00
- Closed
- Every Tuesday
- Parking
- Dedicated lot behind JC Donggyo Building; nearby paid parking when full
- Services received
- Tone-down gray coverage dye, blow-dry, bangs trim
as written by the visitor on Oct 17, 2026
For a proper autumn mood, I went to Obeumua in Hongdae to tone down my hair color 💇♀️
How did the tone-down gray coverage at Obeumua turn out?
The tone-down gray coverage I got at Obeumua Hongdae Branch tidied up my faded hair color without damage. It came out not jet black, with a soft brown glow in sunlight. I was really happy with the result 🫶🏻
Getting to Obeumua Hongdae Branch, hours and parking
Obeumua Hongdae Branch is a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Hongik Univ. Station. I was cutting it close to my appointment time, but with slightly brisk walking I got there quickly. It's on the 2nd floor of the building, and you can take the elevator or the stairs.
- Hours: Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri 10:30 - 19:00; Sat, Sun 10:00 - 19:00
- Regular closing day: every Tuesday
- Parking: 32-22 Donggyo-ro 23-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, private lot behind JC Donggyo Building
- If the private lot is full, use a nearby paid parking lot
What is the atmosphere at Obeumua Hongdae Branch like?
The moment you walk in, it's a clean white-toned, stylish space. Just looking at the place, you get a feeling your hair is going to turn out well, you know?! 🙂↕️🙂↕️
The salon is spacious and the seats are well spaced out, so I could focus on my designer and my style without worrying about the person next to me.
The light is really good, so the natural light looks beautiful ✨ If you come with a friend, the waiting area is roomy and comfortable, so whoever is waiting can relax too.
Is the shampoo chair at Obeumua really that comfortable?
The shampoo area at Obeumua Hongdae Branch is wider than any salon I've been to, and I've never seen such a comfortable chair. It was so soft and cozy that I took a quick trip to paradise (I actually fell asleep). I also saw someone getting a head spa, and I was honestly so jealous 🥹
How was the consultation for faded brown hair and crown grays?
This time my tone-down gray coverage was done by a female designer at Obeumua Hongdae Branch. She was calm and kind, so I felt at ease from the very start 🫶🏻
My previous dye had almost completely faded, so my hair had gone back to light brown 🤦🏻♀️ My black roots had grown out about 2 cm, and grays kept coming in at the crown, so this time I decided to go all in on proper gray coverage.
During the consultation, I made it very clear that I absolutely did not want squid-ink jet-black hair 💬 So I chose the level 3 color my designer recommended. She told me it definitely wouldn't come out jet black, so I trusted her a hundred percent and we got started 🔥
How the gray coverage was done at Obeumua
Before the dye, Obeumua Hongdae Branch applied scalp protector carefully. It makes a big difference whether it's applied or not, and this time it was applied so thoroughly that nothing felt uncomfortable while the dye was processing.
While applying the dye, she checked in from time to time to see if anything was uncomfortable, and neatly wiped off any dye that got on my skin 👍
While the dye set, I asked for a light iced americano and relaxed with it, and before I knew it the shampoo was done and so was the dye!
Gray coverage but not jet black? The result
Yay, I'm a black-haired girl now~
The crown grays that bugged me most were dyed thoroughly too, so that's satisfaction number one 👍 And comparing before and after, the tone was clearly brought down and my hair looked so much tidier. That's satisfaction number two, yay 😚
My dear teacher 💛 blow-dried my hair with great skill too. I learned how to build root volume, and she also fixed my bangs, which were uneven on both sides.
When I looked properly in the mirror after the treatment, it really wasn't too black, even though it was gray coverage, just as my designer said. Indoors it's a calm tone, but in sunlight a soft brown glow shows up, so I'm completely satisfied.
How was the damage after tone-down dye at Obeumua?
The best thing about the tone-down gray coverage at Obeumua Hongdae Branch was how little damage there was. I washed my hair many times after getting home and felt no damage at all. It felt like a treatment that didn't just give a pretty color but looked after hair health too 💗
Obeumua in Hongdae designs hair by considering your face shape, hair type, usual styling routine and lifestyle, and it also suggests colors that suit your skin tone, as well as calm colors like mine. If you're choosing a hair salon in Hongdae, definitely try Obeumua Hongdae Branch 🤍
Where it is
2F, 32-22 Donggyo-ro 23-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea서울특별시 마포구 동교로23길 32-22 2층 오브무아
Aube Moire Hongdae: hours, menu and prices →
