Down perm at an Apgujeong barber shop: Coup Barber & Coffee

I feel like men's hairstyles can completely change your overall image with just a little bit of trimming. Especially for guys — once your hair starts growing out messy, no matter how neatly you dress, everything looks unkempt. So this time, while looking for a barber shop in Seoul, I visited Coup Barber & Coffee in Apgujeong.

Where is Coup Barber & Coffee? In an alley by Apgujeong Station Exit 3

Coup Barber & Coffee is in an easy-to-find spot near Apgujeong Station Exit 3. At first I was picturing a typical street-level hair salon, but once I walked into the alley, this atmospheric exterior caught my eye.

It has that classic barber shop feel but also a café-like sensibility, so if you passed by you'd probably do a double take wondering whether it's a barber shop or a café. Apparently it normally runs as a barber shop, but when there are no customers, the space doubles as somewhere to enjoy coffee!

Free coffee for hair clients and the one-man shop feel at Coup Barber & Coffee

Hair clients get a free cup of coffee, and honestly it was tastier than I expected, which surprised me a bit.

Quiet music kept playing throughout, so just being in the space felt relaxing and healing. Best of all, Coup Barber & Coffee is a one-man shop that only takes one client per time slot, so I liked that there wasn't much chance of running into other customers.

Before the cut: flared-out sides, shaggy in the back, and the consultation

After the coffee, we got into the actual cut and down perm. As you can see in the before photos, the hair had grown out a lot overall, the side hair was flaring up, and the back was shaggy too — it clearly needed a clean-up.

So first we checked the current state of the hair and had a brief consultation about the desired style. While explaining what style would suit best, I could feel confidence coming from the owner.

Instead of just cutting it short no matter what, he checked the current hair condition and the vibe I wanted, then talked through the direction that would suit me, so I felt comfortable leaving it to him. This time we decided to go with a clean, short cut combined with a down perm.

The men's haircut, step by step: checking the sides and back

Once the cut got underway, it really felt like a place that specializes in men's hairstyles. He carefully checked and trimmed everything from the overall length to the sides and back.

With men's hair, even a little flare on the sides can make the whole thing look bulky, so I appreciated how carefully he checked for that. The hair that started out shaggy and messy looked so much cleaner once the cut was done.

Down perm and shampoo: taming side hair that sticks out

After the cut, we moved on to the down perm. Guys often have side hair that flares up easily, so a down perm is commonly paired with a cut to keep things tidy. It was done to press the side hair down calmly so the whole style would settle naturally. Even during the perm, he kept checking whether anything felt uncomfortable, so it was an easy process.

After the down perm, he did a thorough shampoo too. I liked how much care went into every step, from the first consultation through the cut, down perm, and shampoo.

Since it's a one-man shop taking only one client at a time, everything felt unhurried, without any sense of being rushed. Watching from the side, I could tell how meticulous the care was, and my friend said they liked that attention to detail too.

The finished pomade style: understated enough for daily wear

After the down perm, he rechecked the overall shape and touched up anything that needed it. Once the final styling was done, the hairstyle came together really cleanly.

The hair that had looked messy from growing out too long was now tidy, and with the side hair sitting calmly, the whole look felt much more put-together. The men's pomade style wasn't overdone at all — it came out clean and natural, which made it feel like something you could wear as a daily style.

What I liked most about Coup Barber & Coffee is that they focus on one person at a time, handling everything from consultation to cut, down perm, shampoo, and styling. So if you're looking for somewhere in Apgujeong that specializes in men's hairstyles, Coup Barber & Coffee is worth checking out among Seoul barber shops. It's a place where you can experience both the classic barber shop atmosphere and a comfortable, café-like feel — my friend already said they want to come back next time just for the coffee!