Sinbu-dong, Cheonan hair salon: kid's gold secret two-tone, CHOP Hair

My 3rd-grade daughter has suddenly gotten really into her looks lately, so I took her for a special makeover. She'd been singing "Mom, I want to dye my hair something pretty too!" for ages, so to grant her wish we visited CHOP Hair (찹헤어) Cheonan Branch, a hair salon in Sinbu-dong, Cheonan.

We gave her very long hair a fresh cut and did the "secret two-tone" she'd wanted so badly, where the color hides on the inside and surprises you. Here's the full, detailed review!

Why my 3rd-grader wanted a secret two-tone

My daughter wanted a "secret two-tone" where the color only shows on the inside of her hair, and originally she was hoping for a vivid blue when we headed to CHOP Hair Cheonan Branch. Now that she's in 3rd grade, she has strong opinions and she's into trendy styles. She'd been begging me for a secret two-tone for a while.

Since it's a child's hair, I searched carefully for a place that wouldn't stress her scalp but could still make the style look great. I booked CHOP Hair, a Cheonan salon known for layered cuts and trendy color.

I booked with a designer who is known for doing a great job on kids' hair.

What is the atmosphere at CHOP Hair Cheonan Branch like?

CHOP Hair Cheonan Branch is in the center of Sinbu-dong, near E-Mart Cheonan Terminal branch. With its black-toned interior and roomy space, it didn't feel stuffy even with a child along. The entrance already felt stylish and modern, and the posters of hair models on the storefront plus the clean black interior gave off a premium salon vibe.

Inside, an open, spacious room was brightly lit with stylish lighting.

The waiting area is cozy like a café, and the seats are spaced far apart, so even with a child we could stay comfortably without feeling cramped.

All the staff greeted us kindly, so my daughter sat down excited rather than nervous.

What are the membership benefits at CHOP Hair Cheonan Branch?

On one side of the salon, a fixed-price list and a 4-tier membership program caught my eye. The benefits by tier are below.

• Diamond (₩2,000,000): ₩800,000 bonus credit + 40% off on the day + scalp shampoo and LPP treatment gift
• Platinum (₩1,000,000): ₩300,000 bonus credit + 30% off on the day + scalp shampoo gift
• Gold (₩600,000): ₩150,000 bonus credit + 20% off on the day + LPP treatment gift
• Silver (₩300,000): ₩45,000 bonus credit + 10% off on the day + one scalp cut voucher

If you come as a family or change your style regularly, the membership looks like a much better deal. The big same-day discounts and generous gifts were especially appealing.

How was the elementary schooler's long hair cut?

After a one-on-one consultation with the designer at CHOP Hair Cheonan Branch, we decided to cut my daughter's very long hair into a light, stylish look for summer. Summer is coming and the hair was hard to manage, so that settled it.

With the designer's careful scissor work, the heavy, stuffy long hair got snipped off onto the floor, and even I felt refreshed watching! Actually, I'd been growing my own hair to donate it... but I just... couldn't... grow it any longer... I truly admire people who donate.

The designer took the weight out to suit my daughter's head and face shape while keeping the silky texture.

With just the cut done, her hair already looked so light, and it became a neat yet playful elementary-schooler style.

As you'd expect from a Cheonan layered-cut salon, the cutting skill was a cut above.

How did the two rounds of bleach for the secret two-tone go?

For the secret two-tone, the black outer hair stayed as is, and only the hair behind the ear line and the inner hair was sectioned off and bleached twice with AYUNCHE bleach. They told me that without bleaching you can't put in the color you want. Apparently one round gets you to about level 14, and two rounds to about level 16–17.

The outer hair kept my daughter's natural calm black, and only the hair behind the ear line and inside was sectioned and carefully pinned in place.

Since this was a child's hair, hair damage and scalp irritation worried me most, but they used bleach from the premium hair brand AYUNCHE and care products from AVEDA! Watching them carefully apply the smooth bleach from the AYUNCHE bowl onto the inner hair with no clumps put me at ease.

The chemical smell wasn't harsh and it looked gentle on the scalp.

To get the bright color we wanted, the bleach was done twice in total. I was impressed by the designer's professionalism, checking the condition of the hair again and again along the way.

Gold instead of blue! How did the secret two-tone turn out?

The clear, radiant golden blonde that came out after two rounds of bleach was prettier than expected, so we finished the secret two-tone as bleached, without the planned blue dye. The moment we saw the finished hair, it was a surprising twist!

My daughter looked in the mirror and said with sparkling eyes, "Mom! I love this color so much! I don't want to cover it with blue, I'll keep it like this!"

Mom saved some money. Thank goodness.

The designer also recommended it, saying the base had lifted so well that the charm of a secret two-tone really comes through, so we kept the pretty gold tone as bleached with no extra dye.

When she tucks her hair behind her ear or ties it up, the bright gold inner hair slips out between the calm black outer hair, and even this mom who was against dyeing... admits it. It adds a subtle accent without being too flashy, so it's not overwhelming for an elementary schooler and it looks trendy.

As we left, my daughter said her hair felt soft and got curious about the product they'd put on it.... I guess this is only the beginning, haha.

Seeing my daughter grinning nonstop thanks to her lighter style and the twist color she loved, I felt even prouder.

They kept her hair silky with almost no damage, and I was amazed by their skill once again. If you're looking for a stylish, polished hair salon in Sinbu-dong, Cheonan, I wholeheartedly recommend CHOP Hair Cheonan Branch, which handles everything from cuts to tricky bleaching. It was a happy early-summer refresh day, a big success for both child and mom.

A mom who has never bleached or boldly dyed her hair, and a daughter who has already bleached at ten.

How much do kids' bleach and cuts cost at CHOP Hair Cheonan Branch?

This secret two-tone cost ₩110,000 per round of bleach, so ₩220,000 for two rounds, plus ₩20,000 for the kids' cut, for a total of ₩240,000. If we'd also done the blue dye, it would have been ₩80,000 extra. For base prices, check the price list in the salon.

• Bleach ₩110,000 per round (₩220,000 for 2 rounds)
• Kids' cut ₩20,000
• Blue dye add-on ₩80,000 (skipped this time)
• Total ₩240,000 (bleach ₩220,000 + cut ₩20,000)

Parking tip for CHOP Hair Cheonan Branch

The entrance to the Terminal Plaza parking lot is fairly narrow, so large vehicles like SUVs are better off using a nearby public parking lot. I drove in at first without knowing, and my heart was pounding the whole time, afraid of scratching the car....