A jjimjilbang (Korean pronunciation: [t͈ɕimdÊ'ilbaÅ‹]; Hangul:Â
Most jjimjilbangs are open 24 hours and are a popular weekend getaway for Korean families. During the week, many hardworking Korean men, whose families live out of the city for cost savings, stay in jjimjilbangs overnight after working or drinking with co-workers late into the night. The cost is around 8,000-12,000 won to enter, and one can sleep overnight and enjoy the bathhouse and sauna.
Orientation
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Jjimjilbangs usually operate 24 hours a day. In the entrance, there are the doors labelled “men†or “women†and shoes are to be stored using a given key. Once inside, the shoe locker key is exchanged with another locker key to store clothes and belongings. Afterwards bathers walk into the gender-segregated bathhouse area (children of both genders below seven years of age are free to intermingle) and take a shower. Then, one should wear the jjimjilbang clothes (usually a T-shirt and shorts, color-coordinated according to gender), which are received with the locker key.
In the bathing areas, there are kiln saunas with themes including a jade, a salt, or mineral kiln: the dome-shaped insidethe kilns are plastered with jade powder, salt and mineral respectively.
Often there are several kilns with temperatures ranging from 60 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 50 degrees Celsius). The temperature of the kilns is displayed on a sign at the entrance.
Hygiene
Jjimjilbangs are kept in a very sanitary condition for the health of patrons, and most are cleaned continuously. No harsh chemicals are used in the waters or saunas.
But there were cases to be detected with molds or athletes foot germs during the hygiene checking, and also the cases of receiving administrative measure due to the foods over the expiry date. Currently, health control standards are forced to be followed according to Public Health Control Act. Yet, it is better to avoid the patients with cold or fever, or poor general condition.
All wet areas prohibit the use of clothing for safety reasons. With the extreme heat of the baths and steam rooms, it is believed that toxic chemicals can leach out of apparel and into the body. It is also believed that if you wear a swimsuit or cover up you may be trying to hide a disease.
Recently, the hygienic quality and healthiness of some jjimjilbangs were questioned, especially the proper washing of clothing provided by the jjimjilbangs. Concerns about the clothes increasing atopy symptoms in patients, or even of accidentally hosting parasites, were voiced, although the evidence was inconclusive.
Safety
Theft, usually of smartphones, is occasionally a problem at some jimjilbangs.
Effect on the human body
(Experimental group mainly was the old people)
- The temperature of the rectum which is closely related to the body temperature has raised slowly before the Jjimjil. (Good Effect)
- In case of the old man, the total amount of sweat become stabilized with a slight increase, and in case of the old woman, the total amount of sweat had decreased.
- Most of the people's blood pressure decreased. (Good Effect)
- The concentration of blood lactate which causes muscle tiredness decreased. (Good Effect)
- After long-term of Jjimjil, body fat percentage of old woman decreased, but in case of old man, there was no effective change.
- Every age of human, the heat-resisting ability has been increased. (Good Effect)
- But, the cold-resisting ability has been decreased. However, if we control the time, power, and the repetition well, especially when we rest in the ice room during Jjimjil. It can reduce the decrease of cold-resisting ability and even we can increase it.
Food
- Iced Sikhye (ì‹í˜œ) is a sweet rice beverage. It normally costs â‚©1,000â€"2,000.
- Baked eggs (ë§¥ë°˜ì„ ê³„ëž€) are eggs slow-cooked in the hottest sauna. They are eaten like a hard-boiled egg (ì‚¶ì€ ê³„ëž€).
- Miyeokguk (미ì—êµ) is a soup made from miyeok, a type of seaweed; and typically a mussel based broth.
- Patbingsu (팥빙수) is a shaved ice dessert with sweet toppings such as chopped fruit, condensed milk, fruit syrup, and Azuki beans.
- Iced coffee
See also
- Hanjeungmak
- Sauna
- Spa
References
External links
- For All Kinds of Good, Clean Fun, Koreans Turn to Bathhouses (2008-10-04) New York Times article
- Database of Korean Saunas at Saunascape.com
- Seoul Zimzilbang Toronto at Seoul Zimzilbang Toronto
