Hongdae nail salon broken-nail repair, rose magnetic gel: Byuazeu

Quick summary ✔️ Total beauty shop about 5 min walk from Hongik University Station — nails, lashes, skincare all in one ✔️ Magnetic gel nails ₩65,000 ✔️ ₩5,000 off or free gel removal with a Naver/Google review

I don't actually go to Hongdae that often, but a friend suddenly recommended this nail salon there for its great lasting power. Since we were already planning to do an escape room together in Hongdae, I figured I might as well get my nails done and make a day of it, haha.

But spoiler: I was so satisfied that I'm now planning to head to Hongdae for nails once every month or two. This time I visited Byuazeu Hongdae Nail, Lashes & Skincare near Hongik University Station.

Where Byuazeu Hongdae is and how to book

📍 19 Hongik-ro 2-gil, 1st floor, Mapo-gu, Seoul ⏰ Daily 11:00–21:00 🚇 About 5 min walk from Hongik University Station 📅 Bookable via Naver Reservations

Byuazeu is a total beauty shop where you can get nails, lashes, brows and skincare all in one place. It opened in March 2018 and has been running for 9 years now, offering everything from nail art and nail extensions to pedicure planning, lash extensions/lifts and LED lashes under one roof.

You can book through Naver Reservations, and what I personally liked was being able to see remaining time slots right away — just pick a date, check what's open, and book. Also, up to two people can be serviced at the same time, so going with a friend works too!

I visited in the evening after hanging out with my friend, and the storefront was on what almost looked like a second floor even though it's on the first, haha. It was already getting dark, but the sign made it easy to find. With hours from 11am to 9pm, it also looks like a solid option for people with day jobs or daytime schedules — a great way to end a day out in Hongdae with a nail appointment before heading home!

Inside Byuazeu and choosing a nail shape and design

The interior overall felt clean and tidy. The main area has the nail and pedicure stations, and there's a separate room on the right for skincare treatments.

One wall had a full lineup of nail shape samples, so if you're unsure what shape to pick you can look and decide on the spot. I've been into pointed nails lately, so I picked the almond shape this time!

There were also all kinds of nail designs on display. I briefly considered this month's art design, but ended up going with a glass-bead-like sparkly magnetic gel instead.

Byuazeu Hongdae nail prices and review discount

Byuazeu's nail prices: nail care ₩20,000, basic hand gel from ₩45,000. And since they also do lashes, brows and skincare, it really does feel like a genuine total beauty shop. What I got this time was magnetic gel nails for ₩65,000!!

Also, a good tip to know before you go — write a Naver or Google review and get ₩5,000 off or free gel removal. Worth keeping in mind if you plan to visit!

Before the treatment, you grab a drink from a mini fridge and sit down — and that's you all set for your nails. Having a little drink like that somehow makes the whole thing feel nicer, haha.

Why the left and right hands got different lengths

1. Shaping the broken nails first

First they cleaned off the old nail strengthener I'd been wearing and started shaping my nails. I'd picked almond shape, but then a problem came up — while waiting, I noticed two nails on my left hand were broken. Haha, how did I not even notice?! So we had to figure out how to match the lengths, and decided to keep my left hand short to match the broken nails while keeping my right hand at its original length!

They then trimmed with nail clippers and filed carefully — really thorough work. Nail shape actually matters a lot more than you'd think once it's all done. And sometimes bits of dust or clipped nail linger under the nail after filing, but they double-checked every detail. What I liked most was that they kept asking, 'Does this shape look okay?' to confirm the balance between both hands matched what I wanted. Shape really is just as important as color when it comes to nails.

Nail care at Byuazeu with no stinging

2. Nail care that didn't hurt at all

Once the shape was set, it was time for the actual care! They pushed back the cuticles with a pusher and trimmed hangnails with nippers, and it genuinely didn't hurt at all.

Nail care sometimes stings a bit for me, but this time there was none of that. The hangnails were cleaned up thoroughly, and even after washing my hands at home there wasn't a single sore spot. That kind of detail quietly boosts satisfaction a lot.

Picking the color: pale rose with glass-bead sparkle

3. The happiest and hardest part of the appointment

Care done, and now the best part of getting your nails done — and also the hardest part, haha. Picking the color! This time I wanted a pale pink-rose tone with a glass-bead-like sparkle.

I described what I wanted to the owner, and she showed me about three similar rose shades in person. Honestly... all three were pretty. Haha. So I said, 'I'd like the sparkle level of the second one, but the color of the first,' and she immediately found a similar match.

When she showed me the actual color, it was exactly my style. It's hard to describe the exact vibe you want in words, but she got it right away and matched it perfectly. And since it's a magnetic gel, she even tested the magnet at different angles beforehand to show me how the sparkle would come through. That process made me feel a lot more confident about my color choice.

How Byuazeu applies gel, curing one nail at a time

4. The gel nail application begins

Now the actual gel nail treatment starts. First she laid down a base for good lasting power and cured each nail individually. This careful step apparently matters a lot for durability — and that's when I sort of understood what my friend meant by 'the Hongdae nail salon with great lasting power.'

What I especially liked was that instead of curing the whole hand at once, she cured each nail individually first and then the whole hand — made the whole process feel much more comfortable.

And then, the moment I'd been waiting for — applying the magnetic gel color! She painted the color carefully, then used the magnet to pull the sparkly particles into the direction I wanted, and it genuinely sparkled so much. Haha. Magnetic nails look completely different depending on the light, and as the sparkle lined up exactly where I wanted, it gradually started to look like glass beads.

She worked carefully but was also fast, which I appreciated. I personally think hand temperature matters a fair bit during a treatment, and my hands stayed pleasantly cool, so it was comfortable the whole time.

Finally, a top coat to seal in that glass-bead finish I wanted — and that's it, done!

The finished glass-bead magnetic nails, one week on

Take a look at the finished result!!! I immediately showed off to my friend, who said, 'That looks exactly like glass beads, nicely done!' right away, haha. It came out exactly the way I'd hoped, and I was so happy with it.

Especially since this color is pale rose and close to a natural nail tone, it gives off that trendy natural-nail look, but it also catches the light and sparkles depending on the angle, so there's a nice touch of glam too. Natural but not boring — exactly the vibe I wanted.

And honestly... even after getting home, I kept wiggling my fingers and taking photos, haha. Whenever it catches the light, the magnetic part flashes and it's just so pretty — I ended up staring at my hands for a while. I think I'll be obsessed with this manicure for a while.

And the most important part — durability! It's been about a week since I got it done and I'm still so, so happy. No lifting anywhere, still clean, and I still love that glass-bead sparkle from day one. Of course, how long it lasts will vary depending on your nail condition and habits, but even a week in, I found myself thinking, 'I need to come back here for my next set.' I came to Hongdae following my friend, but it looks like I'm the one who's going to end up a regular here, haha.

Looking for good-value nails in Hongdae?

If you're looking for good-value nails in Hongdae, I recommend Byuazeu! It's a total beauty shop where you can also get lashes and skincare done, so you can handle multiple things in one visit — and above all, the magnetic gel nails I got this time matched exactly the color and sparkle I wanted in detail, which left me personally very satisfied.

From shaping the nails, to care, to color selection, to setting the magnet direction, to the final finish — everything was done thoroughly from start to finish, so the whole experience felt comfortable. If you're searching for a Hongdae nail salon recommendation, this is one worth considering. And if you like Hongdae gel nails or naturally sparkly magnetic nails, I'd recommend trying the glass-bead look like I did. I was so happy with this one that I'm already planning to book here again, haha.

Fitting a nail appointment into a day out in Hongdae

If you're looking for a good route to hang out with a friend and get your nails done in Hongdae, escape room → good food → nails could work well together!

I actually visited in the evening after hanging out with a friend, and since they're open until 9pm, it was easy to fit into the schedule. Being able to check remaining Naver Reservation slots instantly was also a nice bonus. I'm already thinking about what color to try next, haha. These glass-bead magnetic nails... I don't think I can let go of them for a while.