Dongtan hair salon magic setting perm on a curly bob: Juno Hair

Why a curly bob after 20 years of magic straightening got a setting perm

20 years of magic straightening life. I've always had pretty severe curls, so basically every time I go to the salon I get a magic straightening treatment. I tried a hippie perm once to break the habit, but ended up back at magic straightening anyway... then another hippie perm, then a bob. After that I just kept doing bob magic straightening over and over.

This time I'd been putting off my straightening because I was too lazy, but the curls started coming back and my hair was puffing out on the sides with the ends sticking out every which way, making mornings such a hassle to style... I genuinely looked like a mess haha ㅠㅠ I still needed to tame the curl, but instead of going stick-straight like a regular magic straightening, I wanted a bit of natural volume in my bob — so I tried a magic setting perm!

When I looked up bob magic setting perms, most of the results were like an IU bob from n years ago, so I was a little worried, but it turned out way better than expected! I went to Juno Hair Dongtan Solbitnaru Branch. It took about 3 hours, and after styling it myself for a few days it was definitely much easier — so here's my review for anyone with a curly bob.

Juno Hair Dongtan Solbitnaru Branch: location and how to book

Juno Hair Dongtan Solbitnaru Branch is a Hwaseong hair salon located near Dongtan Solbit Village, on the 2nd floor of Jeongrim Plaza. For long treatments like a magic setting perm, it can be hard to get a slot right when you want, so I'd recommend booking ahead before visiting!

Juno Hair Dongtan Solbitnaru Branch runs on a reservation-only system, so I booked in advance too.

Inside Juno Hair Dongtan Solbitnaru Branch and its kids room

Walking in, the whole place feels clean and comfortable. When you're getting a straightening treatment or perm, you often have to sit there for hours, so personally I think how comfortable the facilities are actually matters a lot.

Juno Hair Dongtan Solbitnaru Branch also has a kids room so families can visit comfortably. Since Dongtan has a lot of families living in the area, this seems like a great point for anyone who needs to bring their kid along.

How much does a bob magic setting perm cost at Juno Hair?

The treatment I got was a bob magic setting perm. Per my usage history, the regular price is ₩300,000. A magic setting perm involves both straightening and perming, taking close to 3 hours, so I think it's probably one of the treatments that requires the most work.

If you buy a membership, you can get it cheaper, which is nice. There's also a first-visit discount, so it's worth checking for coupons when booking through Naver Reservations.

Curly bob before and after the magic setting perm

I've had really severe curls, so I've basically always gotten magic straightening. It definitely tames the frizz and makes things look neat, but when you go stick-straight on a bob, your hair flattens right down and loses all its volume... I honestly get now why moms are so obsessed with volume, haha. When it's too flat, you can end up looking kind of washed out ㅠ So this time I decided on a magic setting perm instead.

[Before the bob magic setting perm]

The curl was no joke haha. This is what I was walking around looking like.

[After the bob magic setting perm]

What I liked most once it was finished was that it looked calm overall like a regular magic straightening, but the ends didn't fall stick-straight! With just magic straightening alone, my curl would get flattened but my hair also ended up so flat it felt a bit boring — this time the volume at the ends of the bob made it feel so much more natural. Extremely, extremely satisfied!!

It's not an overly curled style — just the ends curving naturally inward — so it's easy to wear to work or in everyday life without feeling too done-up. Personally I prefer this kind of natural bob C-curl look over a strong perm, so I'm happy with it.

Is a perm on a curly bob a good idea? Styling it a few days later

This is what it looks like from the front. I was genuinely so worried and stressed about my curls, but the ends came out with nice curl while the top calmed right down — my hair looks so much neater now.

I went straight on a trip with this new hair and came back super satisfied. If I'd just gotten regular magic straightening, styling it every single day would've taken forever ㅠㅠ I've been washing and drying it myself for a few days now, and what satisfied me most about this setting perm was how easy it is to style. Before, my curls would frizz right up after I slept, so I'd have to touch it up with a flat iron each time — now I just pull the ends inward while drying and the shape falls into place naturally.

So I think a bob magic setting perm is worth consulting about, especially if you're:

• Someone with a severely curly bob
• Someone who wants to straighten but keep some volume
• Someone tired of using a flat iron every day
• Someone who wants a natural bob C-curl

I got mine done by Designer Bom! Super friendly and really thorough with the styling — totally satisfied.