Turtle neck care at Mommaeum, a posture correction studio in Dongtan

Hi, this is Wnup :) Lately I've been so busy with work that I've been on the computer nonstop, and it's really messed up my neck and shoulders.

I run regularly and get sports massages every now and then, but this time I wanted to find the root cause instead of just loosening up my muscles. So I visited a specialty studio in Dongtan — Mommaeum Therapy Dongtan branch. Thanks to the director's spicy-strong hands, I got a bit of relief from the pain and actually found out what was causing it.

Where is Mommaeum Therapy, and what are the hours?

Mommaeum Therapy is located near Yeongcheon-dong in Dongtan. There was plenty of parking, and when I called the director ahead, he gave me friendly directions, so it wasn't hard to find at all.

My first impression walking in was that it felt more orderly than a flashy, decorated massage shop. The director is a man, but everything was neat and tidy, and since 1:1 care is the default here, I could get a much more detailed consultation.

• Business hours: 10:00–23:00
• Closed every Sunday (negotiable)

Posture check at Mommaeum: turtle neck and pelvic misalignment

Mommaeum Therapy doesn't start with a mechanical massage like most places. He checked my body condition starting from how I stand, and asked about the areas and severity of pain I usually feel.

The result: high tension in my neck and shoulders, plus a diagnosis of turtle neck and pelvic misalignment. Apparently most modern people have these symptoms to some degree — it's just a matter of how severe.

How much is Energy Therapy? 70 minutes for 70,000 won

After thoroughly checking my current condition, the director recommended Energy Therapy. The price was ₩70,000 for a 70-minute course. Considering most massages these days run in the low six-figure won range, this felt like really good value.

What I personally liked was that he focused on the treatment itself rather than just filling the allotted time. *He actually went 10–20 minutes over.

Warm-up: dry full-body work before the deep pressure

Before diving into the main treatment, he loosened up my whole body dry-style. He checked the condition of my legs, back, and shoulders, then slowly started the treatment.

The room temperature felt just right at first, but once his hands got to work, I was sweating like crazy. Just a heads-up — the director's hands are seriously skilled!!

How strong is the Energy Therapy pressure?

Then the real Energy Therapy began. I personally prefer strong-pressure massages, and his ability to control the intensity was insane.

Even at the same pressure level, because he hit the exact right points, certain spots felt both satisfying and pretty painful. Still, he kept checking in about whether the intensity was okay, so I could get through the whole session comfortably.

How Mommaeum Therapy differs from a regular massage shop

What did I like most about Mommaeum Therapy? I think it's the expertise. Since the director worked for a long time at nursing homes and physical therapy clinics, it felt very professional.

Rather than just loosening up knotted areas, he worked while emphasizing the connections between muscles, fascia, and the spine. It was clearly a different level from a regular massage shop.

Why I booked the next Mommaeum session before leaving

After this visit to Mommaeum Therapy Dongtan branch, I booked my next session before I even left. I like massages quite a bit, but this was the first time I met a director with this kind of professional knowledge.

I've been struggling a lot lately with shoulder and neck pain. Even getting treated at Korean medicine clinics or orthopedic clinics sometimes made the pain worse. Of course that was only temporary relief, but I'm planning to get regular care and really try to break free from the pain. I'd strongly recommend this to anyone dealing with body correction issues or shoulder and neck pain.