Root touch-up and cut over a layered perm at CHOP Hair, a Jamsil salon

Why I got a root touch-up and cut at CHOP Hair Jamsil Branch instead of a perm

I originally booked a layered perm at CHOP Hair Jamsil Branch, but after the consultation I ended up with a root dye and a cut. What bothered me most every time I looked in the mirror was my grown-out roots. The line between them and my old dye color was getting obvious, the whole look felt messy, and my ends had gotten so heavy that my style just wouldn't hold.

After the consultation, I was told that doing the root dye before a perm would give a much more natural, prettier result right now, so I decided to go with the root dye and cut.

I'm not someone who gets perms or dye very often. I actually care a lot about the cut. A place that cuts well keeps a pretty line even as your hair grows out, and it's much easier to style. So when I choose a salon, cutting skill is what I look at first.

Getting to CHOP Hair Jamsil Branch, and parking

CHOP Hair Jamsil Branch is a 2–3 minute walk from Exit 4 of Jamsil Saenae Station. Come out of Exit 4 and walk about 100 m straight until you see Olive Young and McDonald's. Turn into the alley between the two buildings and it's on the 3rd floor of the building right on your right, so it was easy to find. It's the building behind McDonald's with Gyodong Jjamppong (a Korean spicy noodle soup restaurant) on the 1st floor, so even first-timers shouldn't have trouble.

There is free parking on the 1st floor of the building, but the space is small and it can be full. If there's no spot, they said they'll cover the base fee at a nearby paid parking lot, which is good to know if you're coming by car.

The atmosphere at CHOP Hair Jamsil Branch

CHOP Hair Jamsil Branch, in Jamsil-dong, Songpa-gu, is a spacious, pleasant space of about 50 pyeong. The clean interior and roomy seating kept me comfortable the whole time I was being treated.

As you'd expect from a salon popular with customers in their 20s and 30s, I was impressed by how they suggest styles that reflect the latest trends.

Above all, I liked that they carefully analyze your face shape, head shape and hair condition, then recommend the style that suits you best through a one-on-one consultation.

It's also known for high satisfaction with perms and dye among women customers, and with designers of various experience levels suggesting a style for each customer, I felt I could trust them with my hair.

How was the consultation with director Ally?

I got this root dye and cut from director Ally (앨리 실장) at CHOP Hair Jamsil Branch. Ally is a designer specializing in build perms, jelly perms and dyed hair, and also does men's short-hair perms professionally. At the start of the consultation, she checked my current hair condition, damage level, root length and even my usual styling habits very carefully.

I'd come in thinking of a layered perm, but she explained that because the root color gap is big right now, doing the root dye first and then tidying the overall line with a cut would give a prettier style.

Rather than just pushing the treatment I wanted, she recommended what my hair needed most right now, and that felt really trustworthy.

My hair before the treatment

Before the treatment, my roots were what bugged me most whenever I looked in the mirror. The big color difference from my old dye made everything look messy, and the ends were so heavy that my hair was hard to style.

I wanted to keep my length, so we decided to trim only the damaged parts and cut in a way that brings out the overall line.

What are the steps for the root dye and cut?

At CHOP Hair Jamsil Branch, it went in this order: root dye, shampoo and hair care, cut, then blow-dry. We started with the root dye.

She divided my hair into sections and applied the dye carefully, and put a protective product along my face line so the dye wouldn't stain my skin. She kept checking during the treatment whether my scalp stung or felt uncomfortable anywhere, so I was able to relax. After the dye, I had a shampoo and hair care, and then the cut began.

She didn't cut off much length, but trimming the damaged ends and shaping the overall line made my hair feel much lighter and neater. Once the final blow-dry was done, she also explained in detail how to style it easily at home and how to keep the color lasting longer, which was a big help.

The result after the root dye and cut

What I was happiest with after the treatment was the color. My grown-out roots and the old dye color connected naturally, so the boundary was barely visible, and with the cut too, the overall silhouette felt far more put together.

My hair, which had looked heavy and droopy, became much lighter, and the shine came back, so the whole look feels a lot cleaner.

We decided to do the layered perm on my next visit, and I like the base we built today so much that I'm even more excited for the next treatment.

Verdict: CHOP Hair Jamsil Branch, a salon I recommend near Jamsil Saenae

If you're looking for a hair salon in Jamsil or near Jamsil Saenae Station, I'd recommend CHOP Hair Jamsil Branch. The spacious, pleasant salon and friendly service were great, but what I liked most was that they think about your hair condition first when they consult with you.

If you care about your cut, I think you'll be even happier, and if you want natural-looking root dye and a clean style, I'd recommend booking a consultation with director Ally.

Would I visit again? ★★★★★