Gangnam hair salon men's side down perm, sensitive scalp care: Koara

I'd been fretting over my hairstyle lately, so I finally took a day off, left Gunpo and headed to the heart of Seoul, Gangnam. After a hearty lunch, I arrived a little early for my appointment at Koara Haircare Gangnam (고아라헤어케어 강남점), right in front of Exit 12 of Gangnam Station.

How do you get to Koara Haircare Gangnam?

Koara Haircare Gangnam is on the B1 floor of A Tower, right in front of Exit 12 of Gangnam Station, so access is really excellent. Go down through the entrance next to the pharmacy in the A Tower building beside McDonald's and you reach a stylish entrance that felt very clean from the first impression. I'd set out from Gunpo with high hopes, and the moment I walked in I had a feeling I'd come to the right place.

Inside Koara Haircare Gangnam and the consultation

The inside of Koara Haircare Gangnam is quite spacious and airy, which really opened up my chest. After confirming my booking, a staff member kindly stored my incredibly heavy bag and belongings safely in a locker. It must have been a hassle with that heavy bag, so thank you so much.

Koara Haircare Gangnam does custom designs with a stylish touch, from layered cuts, volume magic and recovery care to design down perms and textured styling. I wanted to completely change my style today, so I asked for a cut and a side down perm (to press the sides flat) to give a neat fit.

The artist in charge first checked my scalp condition carefully. This is a before photo. Lots to work on, right? haha

How did the men's cut and side down perm turn out?

At Koara Haircare Gangnam, the cut came first, followed by the side down perm. You could feel tremendous care in every snip of the scissors.

Amazingly, even with only the cut done and before any perm, I liked my hair so much that I thought, "Maybe I don't even need the down perm at this point?!" The designer laughed and said, "Then shall we skip the down perm~?" But I told her, "I'm happy already, but I think with the down perm the photos will look 200% better," and asked her to go ahead as planned.

Can a sensitive scalp get a down perm?

When I said my scalp is quite sensitive and weak, she sprayed a scalp protector before the down perm, and I was deeply touched by how delicately she looked after me. The sides were pressed down neatly with the down perm, the front was lifted up for a fresh look, and the top was pressed just slightly to keep everything balanced.

Drinks and snacks during the treatment

Midway through, Koara Haircare Gangnam thoughtfully set out an Americano, Lotus biscuits, yakgwa (traditional honey cookies) and more. I happened to be thirsty, but I'd eaten too big a lunch, so I sadly passed on the snacks. I asked if they could fill my own tumbler I'd brought with cold buckwheat tea, and they happily filled it to the brim.

The highlight: the shampoo room with a massage function

The highlight of Koara Haircare Gangnam was definitely the shampoo room. Classical music played softly and my body and mind just melted into relaxation, and the reclining shampoo chair even has a massage function! My whole body felt healed while my hair was being washed, such a nice experience.

Sideburn line and the finishing cut

After washing and drying, I checked the sideburn length and line, and it was perfect, as if measured with a ruler, exactly what I wanted! Even after the treatment, she took one more look at the overall balance with a finishing cut. The front length was just right now but would grow out fast and poke my eyes, so with my schedule in mind she even trimmed a tiny bit more, such a nice detail.

Koara Haircare Gangnam: location, parking and booking info

Here's some useful info worth knowing before you visit!

• Location: 105 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, A Tower B1F (right in front of Exit 12 of Gangnam Station, Line 2)
• Parking: Paid Monday to Saturday, free on Sundays. (The car park is closed on national holidays.)
• When parking, say you're visiting the salon. You get 30 free minutes (supported by the salon), then ₩1,000 per 10 minutes.
• Another tip: the Yeoksam Cultural Park Public Car Park No. 1, a 4-minute walk away (₩300 per 5 minutes), is also a good option.
• Booking: Designers can have different days off, so I strongly recommend checking and booking by Naver Booking or phone beforehand.
• Restrooms: The salon has neatly separated men's and women's restrooms inside, so it's very comfortable during your stay.

Verdict: the best hair of my life before an important event

Now that everything is done at Koara Haircare Gangnam, my hair has become my all-time favorite! I had lots of worries about my hairstyle because there are very important events back to back in mid and late June, but it looks so perfect now that I have no worries at all. At the end, she even kindly explained how to use a scalp pack as home care so my scalp doesn't get damaged.

Above all, chatting about this and that with my artist during the long treatment was really fun. She laughed at my stories and sympathized, so I felt like I was soaking up positive, good energy the whole time. From the elegant owner I caught a glimpse of to every stylist in the shop, everyone was so kind that the atmosphere of the place itself is truly warm and lovely.

When my hair grows out, I'll definitely come back to Koara Haircare Gangnam. It gave me a fresh, refreshing sense of satisfaction as I walked out after the wash. If you want a hair transformation that feels as satisfying as a bone-deep hearty meat meal, do give it a visit. The trip from Gunpo to Gangnam was totally worth it, a day that more than paid off!