Crown root perm and design perm at Hapjeong hair salon Recteur Seoul

Why I booked Recteur Seoul, a Hapjeong hair salon, for my flat crown

Anyone else stressed out every single morning looking in the mirror at a crown that's completely flat? No matter how much I blow-dry it up, the second I step outside it collapses like a mirage. I needed drastic measures.

Instead of a salon that just curls the surface, I went looking for a place that actually knows how to lift the roots from the hair flow itself, and ended up booking Recteur (REC·TOR), a Hapjeong hair salon known as the mecca of root perms, in advance.

What is Recteur Seoul like inside?

Recteur Seoul sits in an alley near Hapjeong Station, and the sleek floor-to-ceiling windows and marble exterior grab your attention immediately. It feels less like a hair salon and more like a trendy gallery or showroom.

Even the stylish black-and-white posters on the entrance glass gave off that hip Hongdae hair salon mood.

Walking in, the tall open ceilings and industrial silver-toned interior make for a really pleasant atmosphere. Everything from the floors to the mirrors to the chairs was clean and uncluttered, so I felt comfortable the whole time.

The metal shelves on the wall were lined with premium hair care products including Ayunche, which built my trust before the treatment even started.

My hair condition before the perm and the consultation with designer Idam

Sitting down and looking in the mirror, I honestly let out a sigh. The back was overgrown and shaggy, covering my neckline in a stuffy way. From the front, there was zero volume, making my face look longer and giving off a generally droopy impression. The person set to save my hair that day was designer Idam, known for a delicate touch!

Before the actual cut, Idam and I went through an in-depth consultation chart together, point by point. She carefully asked about my everyday styling struggles, my hair and scalp condition, and the mood I wanted. I decided to get a root perm to lift the top of my hair close to my head, combined with a design perm to give a natural backward flow.

A refreshing welcome drink and snack were neatly served in Recteur's own cups, so I got to relax comfortably during the treatment.

How is a root perm without pink rods different?

And finally, the real highlight of this treatment — Idam's signature root perm technique. When most people hear 'root perm' at a salon, they picture the usual method: small, thin pink plastic rods just loosely pinched onto the roots.

But Idam never uses that generic approach! She precisely calculated the head's curves and hair flow direction section by section, and used her own distinctive technique to set the root angle stitch by stitch. Every touch was so careful that it felt completely different, and honestly moving, compared to any root perm I'd had before.

After firmly setting the root base, she moved into the design winding work to bring out overall texture. Her hands moved so fast and precisely that I lost track of time just watching.

After heat processing, the neutralizing step to stabilize the curls was finished with just as much care.

Under cozy lighting at the shampoo bar, a satisfying scalp acupressure massage left my whole head feeling clear.

Crown volume after the root perm — and the one thing I'd change

Right after the shampoo, this is how it looked once the stylist finished the first blow-dry! Thanks to Idam's signature root perm skill, the roots stood up sky-high and full.

The back of my head also filled out nicely and rounded, and the head-shape-correcting effect was honestly amazing.

That said, since the stylist blow-dried it with maximum volume for the finished-look photos, it ended up a little too puffed up for the natural, effortless look I usually like!

So before heading out, I looked in the mirror and lightly reworked it myself the way I usually style my hair, shaking it out with my fingers. Pressing down the overdone outer volume and combing it along the natural direction of the strands — wow, the stylish back view I actually wanted came right through!

Does the style hold up with a quick shake-dry at home?

Look at how the side line falls! Because Idam set the root angle so perfectly from the base, even just shaking it dry with no special skill gives off a natural, polished texture.

Not a style that only shines under salon lighting, but one that really comes alive when I blow-dry it myself at home! That's exactly why you need to find a Hapjeong hair salon with a genuinely skilled designer.

Walking out happy with my hair done, I even grabbed one of Recteur's charming stickers and took a satisfied proof shot. If you've been let down by the usual pink-rod root perm, or you're searching for the hairstyle of your life — one that's easy to style and perfectly flatters your head shape — I highly recommend designer Idam at Recteur, a Hapjeong hair salon, without any hesitation!