Eungam-dong gym with a stretching room and 30-min sauna: Need Gym

Why I chose Need Gym Eunpyeong-gu Office Station

Need Gym Health & PT Eunpyeong-gu Office Station (니드짐 헬스&PT 응암역점) is a 300-pyeong gym right outside Eungam Station Exit 2, and it's where the writer signed up to work out more. The weather's getting nicer, so I wanted to step up my workouts a bit and registered at a new gym. I already work out along Subway Line 6, so I searched along Line 6 again and found a place near Eungam Station that I really liked. That's Need Gym's Eungam branch!

The moment I walked in, the place was clean and had tons of equipment, but there were 3 things I liked especially... (gasp). A private shower stall + a stretching room + a sauna! I'm still happily going there, so I'll go through it zone by zone.

Need Gym Eungam: location, hours and sign-up perks

• Address: Basement level 1, Readers Park, 1 Yeonseo-ro, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, South Korea (about 5 seconds on foot from Eungam Station Exit 2)
• Hours: weekdays 06:00–24:00 / weekends 09:00–21:00
• Parking: available on basement level 2
• Restroom: outside the gym, and clean
• 300-pyeong range / open 365 days a year / Wi-Fi
• Private shower stalls, shampoo and body wash provided, private stretching zone, sauna
• Lots of equipment: Cybex, Booty Builder, Hammer Strength, Gym80 and more
• 12-month sign-up gets 2 extra months / 6-month gets 1 extra month / 3-month gets 1 extra month
• Day pass ₩22,000
• A trainer is assigned when you sign up for a membership

How long does it take to get from Eungam Station to Need Gym?

Come out of Eungam Station Exit 2 and the Readers Park building is right in front of you. The gym is on basement level 1, so it takes about 3 seconds. Go in the building entrance, head down to B1, done. Honestly like 5 seconds on foot, haha.

When the weather's good it's nice to head out for a workout, and with almost no travel time I end up going more often, haha. A long trip to the gym gets annoying, right? Need Gym has no such worry, so it was perfect. If you're looking for a gym in Eungam, the location alone gets a pass!!!!

How big is the inside of Need Gym Eungam?

At 300 pyeong, a wide workout space opens up as soon as you walk in. I was surprised by how big it was inside. They said 300 pyeong, and the workout area really is spacious.

It feels fresh and comfortable overall, and gym wear and towels are ready in different sizes. Lots of gyms give out gym wear these days, but Need Gym doesn't stop there, you know? My favorite private spaces show up one by one!

Locker room: password lockers, no key needed

Lockers here use a password you set for the day instead of a key. Head toward the showers and the space is divided by gender, with lockers outside and a separate locker room inside that you can use too.

Instead of opening with a key like at most gyms, you set a password and use the locker for the day, and this turns out to be surprisingly convenient. Perfect if you hate carrying a key around while working out.

Showers: private stalls for real privacy

The showers are individual stalls, each one separated, with shampoo and body wash provided. Private shower stalls! So private!!! This is one of the spaces I'm happiest with.

Each shower area is separate, so you can wash up comfortably without worrying about anyone else.

Shampoo and body wash are provided, and maybe because the gym hasn't been open long, everything is kept fresh and clean. I find a crowded gym shower a little much, so, seriously, being able to wash privately at Need Gym is the best. Little things like this quietly boost how often you show up ^^

InBody zone: check your body before you work out

There's an InBody (body composition analyzer) that members can use freely. Come back out of the shower area and it's right there. Lots of gyms have one these days, so it's easy to check your body while you train.

I remember that you used to be able to measure only when you had PT, so being able to check freely like this is nice. I tried it when I started: I went 3 days out of a week, and fat went down and muscle went up, magic, haha. The facilities just make you want to go to the gym, that's all ^^^

Does Need Gym Eungam have lots of weight machines?

The weight zone has several of the same machine, so waiting time is short. Now the real weight zone, let's go~ Another surprise here. Even among the gyms I've seen so far, this one had a really large amount of equipment.

Pretty much every machine comes in multiples, so if someone is using one you can just move on to another. The quietly stressful part of any gym is waiting in front of the machine you want, right? Waiting time here is definitely short!!

There are dumbbells in a wide range of weights and mirrors all around, so it's perfect for checking your form as you train.

With so many kinds of machines, it's fun to try them one by one, haha. So for anyone who wants to train on a variety of machines, this is one of the points I'd recommend as an Eunpyeong-gu gym! Hup-cha >_<

Cardio zone: a cardio space separate from the weights

There's a roomy cardio area separate from the weight zone. It's not only the weight zone that's big.

There are many kinds of equipment, and it's good for a light warm-up before or after training. I usually do a bit of cardio after weights, so it was perfect for finishing up. And since the space is separate, you don't get mixed in with the people lifting, which is nice.

What is the stretching room at Need Gym like?

The stretching zone is a separate private space, so you can loosen up without feeling watched. Private stretching too!!!! This is one of my favorite spaces. I actually hate stretching T_T but I think you have to warm up and cool down, so I force myself, and having a separate private stretching space means I can use it without any pressure.

At a gym lots of people work out together, so even stretching can feel self-conscious sometimes. Need Gym definitely has less of that, haha.

There are mirrors so you can check your form, plus a foam roller and basic stretching tools. So after a workout I don't just leave, I end up stretching in the room before I go.

Need Gym Eungam sauna: my 30-minute post-workout routine

The sauna is set up to warm up your lower body, and I use it for about 30 minutes after working out. And finally, my favorite of all: the sauna! It's the last of my three favorite things!

It's set up so you can warm up your lower body. I use it for about 30 minutes after a workout, and it's secretly the best T_T Working out and then finishing with the sauna gives me that proud "I'm done for today" feeling.

Having a routine like this for my body makes going to the gym more fun, haha.

Can you do PT at Need Gym Eungam?

A trainer is assigned when you sign up for a membership, and at the time of writing there was an event giving 2 PT sessions with a 1-month sign-up. I'm starting next week myself >_<

When you start working out alone, machine use and form can get confusing, so I think doing PT while setting up your first routine is a good idea! If you're also looking into PT, check the membership event too! Even for someone like me who works out alone and starts wondering about form or routine, PT turns out to be quietly helpful!

Need Gym Eungam: overall verdict

A private, comfortable gym right in front of Eungam Station! With lots of equipment, private showers, a stretching room and even a sauna, Need Gym Eungam was perfect for anyone who wants to take care of the time before and after a workout. If you're setting new workout goals for next year, it's worth a look. As for me, I'm still happily going >_<

What I liked

• Spacious 300-pyeong workout area
• Really wide variety of machines
• Several of each machine, so little waiting
• Dumbbells in a range of weights
• Gym wear and towels provided
• Password lockers
• Private shower stalls
• Shampoo and body wash provided
• InBody available
• Private stretching room
• A sauna that's great after a workout
• 5 seconds on foot from Eungam Station Exit 2
• Regular parking available
• PT event running

Who I recommend it to

• Anyone looking for a gym in Eungam
• Anyone looking for a private gym in Eunpyeong-gu
• Anyone who feels awkward stretching in a crowded space
• Anyone who prefers private shower stalls
• Anyone who wants a sauna after their workout
• Anyone looking for a gym with a variety of machines
• Anyone also looking into PT
• Anyone looking for a gym near Eungam Station
• Anyone who wants to work out in a pleasant facility