Hapjeong hair salon: C-curl perm to fix a faded, damaged perm at Arish

A few days ago I finally went to a hair salon near Hapjeong Station to change up my style. My long hair had been permed before, but over time the curls had loosened a lot and my hair had gotten dry and frizzy. The ends were especially wild and never looked neat no matter what I did, so this time I wanted to trim the length and go for a calmer style.

The place I went to is Arish Hapjeong Muse Hair Salon, a Hongdae-area salon. This time designer Chaeri gave me a C-curl perm, where the ends curl naturally inward. From cleaning up the old waves to the rod work, heat treatment and final blow-dry, it took about 2 hours, and the finished style was much more natural than I expected and I loved it. I'll record everything in detail, before and after.

Where is Arish Hapjeong Muse Hair Salon and how do you get there?

Arish Hapjeong Muse Hair Salon is within easy walking distance of Exit 4 of Hapjeong Station. Being so close to the station made it convenient to reach by public transport.

The salon is on the 3rd floor of a building. On your first visit, check the building entrance carefully before going in. Inside, there are both stairs and an elevator.

Just take the elevator up to the 3rd floor. If you're looking for a salon around Hapjeong Station and Hongdae, the location is good in terms of access.

Inside Arish Hapjeong Muse Hair Salon

The interior of Arish Hapjeong Muse Hair Salon is a spacious room done in gray concrete and silver tones. I was surprised by how large it was when I walked in on the 3rd floor. The vibe is a little different from an ordinary salon, stylish and sensory overall. Long lights run along the ceiling, and each seat has a big mirror.

The lighting around the mirrors and the yellow accents really stood out. The chairs are big and there's relatively generous space between seats, so it never felt stuffy. One side had cabinets for personal belongings, and there was also a corner with figures and books. Even though it's a hair salon, quirky props are placed here and there, which made it fun to look around.

One side of the shop also displayed hairpieces in many colors. If you're researching Hongdae hair extensions, this corner is worth a look. When you search for Hongdae dye, Hongdae bleach, extensions and other styles, just choosing a salon becomes a dilemma. This time, considering my damaged hair and the waves still left in it, I chose a C-curl perm.

What was my hair like before the C-curl perm?

Before the treatment, my hair was long, down below my chest, with the previous perm half undone. The main reason I wanted a change was that old perm and my dry, frizzy hair. At first I liked the wavy style, but the curls gradually loosened and the ends got really frizzy.

From the middle of my hair to the ends, the waves were left irregularly, so the whole thing felt unkempt. Because my hair was long, the dry parts stood out even more, and it was a hassle to style every day. So this time I decided to cut off some of the length and switch to a C-curl style where the ends curl naturally inward. My designer was Chaeri at Arish Hapjeong Muse Hair Salon.

How is a C-curl perm done over an old, faded perm?

Since my hair still had the old perm in it, Arish Hapjeong Muse Hair Salon didn't jump straight into the C-curl. They started by cleaning up the leftover waves. First they used a solution to loosen the existing curls. After that, they trimmed the length and moved on to creating the new C-curl style.

Once the long hair was cut, it felt so much lighter. With the irregular old waves cleaned up, the shape of my hair looked much calmer too. Personally, I didn't want the curls too strong this time, just the ends curling naturally inward.

Careful rod work all the way to the ends

Then the real C-curl perm work began. Designer Chaeri sectioned my hair bit by bit and carefully wrapped the ends around rods. The direction of the curl at the ends is key to a C-curl perm, so this step really caught my eye.

After the rods were wrapped and fixed on both sides and at the back, the heat treatment followed. It looked like they were working so the ends would curl naturally inward.

Partway through, several designers worked on my hair together, and the process of sectioning it and wrapping the rods was done quite carefully.

How long does a C-curl perm take?

The whole thing, from cleaning up the old perm through the cut, C-curl perm and blow-dry, took about 2 hours. After the rod work was done, they also did a heat treatment.

After that came the remaining steps needed to finish the style. Since my hair was long and still had waves in it, it was a treatment with a lot of stages.

Tea and snacks while you wait

Arish Hapjeong Muse Hair Salon also prepared drinks and snacks while I was being treated. Tea in a clear bottle came out with several kinds of cookies and snacks, and I liked the little extra touch.

A perm takes time, so there are waiting gaps here and there, and sipping tea and nibbling snacks made it easy to pass the time comfortably.

The finished C-curl perm: ends curling naturally inward

The C-curl perm is finally done! My length went from below the chest to just below the shoulders, and the mood is totally different from my old long wavy hair. Above all, I loved how the ends curl naturally inward.

From the side, the C-curl shows even more naturally. It isn't a tightly rolled curl; the ends tuck softly inward, so it feels neat without being over the top.

Before, irregular waves were left from the middle of my hair to the ends, but now everything looks far calmer. The dry-looking ends in particular are smoothly tidied, so my hair looks healthier, at least visually. If you want to go from long hair to a mid-length feel, or prefer a natural, neat perm, a C-curl perm seems like a good choice.

How should you dry a C-curl perm at home?

According to designer Chaeri, the key to caring for a C-curl perm is to turn the ends inward as you dry. So the curl stays pretty at home after the treatment, she showed me how to dry my hair. Rather than just drying it straight down, you turn the ends with your hand as you dry so they tuck naturally toward your face.

With a C-curl perm, the finished style matters, but the feel can change depending on how you style it at home, so I appreciated that she taught me this herself.

A parting gift: AYUNCHE shampoo and silky mask

As I was leaving, Arish Hapjeong Muse Hair Salon handed me AYUNCHE hair care products as a gift. They were the Enrich Bonding Care Shampoo and the Enhancing Silky Mask.

The Enrich Bonding Care Shampoo is labeled as an intensive damage-care shampoo using hair bonding technology. It's a 5g sample, a size that's easy to try once without commitment. The Enhancing Silky Mask I got with it was also a 5ml pouch. After a perm you need to take care of your hair, so getting hair care products too let me finish the visit on a good note.

Is the C-curl perm at Arish Hapjeong Muse Hair Salon worth it?

What satisfied me most about the C-curl perm at Arish Hapjeong Muse Hair Salon was that the frizzy old waves were cleaned up and the ends finished curling naturally inward. Before, my long hair had irregular waves and felt very dry overall, but afterward it turned much calmer and neater.

Designer Chaeri worked carefully all the way to the ends and kindly showed me how to style at home at the end. Between the spacious, stylish shop, the drinks and snacks, and the hair care gifts at the end, it was a pleasant visit in many ways.

If you're considering a natural C-curl perm at a Hongdae or Hapjeong hair salon, designer Chaeri's style at Arish Hapjeong Muse Hair Salon is worth a look. I hope it helps especially those who want to tidy up dry long hair or hair with a leftover perm and change to a neat style.