Men's Ivy League cut at a Seodaemun hair salon: Salon de Supullim

Why I went back to Salon de Supullim after only two weeks

This year seems to be flying by especially fast. Already at the tail end of September, and Chuseok is already coming up.. Every day feels long while it's happening, but once it's over it really feels like it just whooshed by. My hair is the same way. Just two weeks in, the magic of the down perm wears off and my side hair starts going into hedgehog mode.

With the holidays coming up and a gathering with relatives ahead, I stopped by Salon de Supullim, a hair salon near Seodaemun Station, today.

Before: side hair sticking out after two weeks

Since it had only been about two weeks since my last cut, it hadn't grown out too dramatically, but with a short style like an Ivy League cut, even a little extra length throws off the direction I'd worked to set and it just starts looking messy. So I came in today to get it cleaned up properly.

There are plenty of options if you search hair salons in Seodaemun or Chungjeongno, but I went to designer Hayeon, who I heard is great with men's hair. Trusting a new designer with your hair is always a bit exciting but also comes with a certain tension and pressure since it's a first for both of you. Still, Hayeon had that aura from the first impression that told me she'd be good haha. Straight into the consultation!

The consultation with designer Hayeon: what we agreed on

Through a thorough consultation covering my usual style, hair length and direction, and whether I needed gray coverage today, I conveyed my own preferences and style to Hayeon.

I used to feel a bit awkward at hair salons and find it hard to explain the look I wanted, but these days, with a good designer, comfortable and friendly consultations let me convey exactly the hairstyle I'm going for.

Of course it's not just about my own intentions — it also comes down to the designer's understanding, judgment, and experience shaping it to fit my head shape. In the end, I'm fully satisfied with the result Hayeon at Salon de Supullim, the Seodaemun hair salon, gave me.

After: how the Ivy League cut and down perm turned out

I've been going all-in on the Ivy League cut lately, but honestly, short men's hairstyles are trickier and more demanding than long hair. That's because a down perm reveals more of your head shape, so the direction has to be set just right for each individual.

Watching Hayeon's hands during the cut and perm, it felt like she'd have me looking sharp before I even knew it, like waking up from a good nap already stylish. And sure enough, I was completely satisfied with the result!! Heading into gatherings with family with a clean, refreshed-feeling Ivy League cut, I checked every angle in the mirror and loved the front, sides, and back all the same.

No wonder this place seems to have such a high happiness rating haha. Add me to the list too!! Salons that are good with men's hair aren't that common, so this felt like finding a hidden gem near Seodaemun Station.

Parking and how to get to Salon de Supullim from Seodaemun Station

Highly recommend this to anyone in Ewha, Ahyeon, or Gongdeok wandering around looking for a good place to get men's hair done. Just note that Salon de Supullim has no parking of its own, so I'd suggest the affordable public parking lot a 5-minute walk away.

• Chunghyeon-dong Public Parking Lot No. 1 — 72 Gyeonggi-daero, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea
• Prices are reasonable even for being within Seoul city limits, so parking and getting my hair done was really convenient
• If you're worried about parking, it's only a 5-minute walk from Seodaemun Station, so public transit works well too

The gift Salon de Supullim sent me home with

At the end, they sent me off with a little gift for my hair, which had been through a lot with the down perm. I brought it home and showed my wife, and she said it was actually a pretty good brand haha. I'll put it to good use~!

Needed a haircut out of the blue and ended up at Salon de Supullim, met Hayeon, and left with a great cut and feeling completely refreshed haha.