Getting Naked in a Korean bathhouse
“It’s not the fact that I don’t like getting naked. I love spa and massage. It’s just that showering with my host family makes me a bit embarrassed.” I talked to Amy, my close friend, on the phone.
“Ya, I understand what you mean completely,” Amy said.
A month later, Mrs. Seo, my host mother rushed into my bedroom.
“We go to Jjimjilbang! Yoon A drives us there, will you come?” Mrs. Seo asked excitedly with her hands holding a packet of toiletries.
Panic rippled through me. I thought my host’s determination to take me to the public bathhouse was softened when I had suggested a more suitable activity – hiking a few weeks ago.
“Er… um… but…” I stammered.
Undeterred, Mrs. Seo didn’t relent.
Mrs. Seo …show more content…
I took off the towel. This time, I was naked completely.
----
The bathing room was hot and smoggy. Piercing through the steam, there were bodies of all ages, all shapes and all sizes: tender, wrinkled, slender, round, petite, bony, droopy and chubby. I felt a strange mixture of fascination and horror, as I had never seen so much flesh before. I looked around to see whether anyone was staring at me. No one was. But, I still could not stand as usual.
After recovering from the shock of nude bodies, Mrs. Seo and Yooh A was leading me to the washing station. There were piles of tiny shower stone stools, on which Mrs. Seo instantly plumped me down on one of it. I immediately picked up a faucet and started bathing since I just wanted to jump into the pools and hide myself as soon as possible. Suddenly, I felt someone was scrubbing my back fiercely.
I looked at the mirror which faced me, Mrs. Seo wore a pair of professional scrubbing mitt. She pulled her seat closer to me and continued to scour my skin fervidly. My face turned red as it was a bit weird that letting a host mother to wash my body.
“I can do it myself.” I said, grabbing a mitt and showing that I was capable of cleaning myself. I was pleased that Mrs. Seo gave up …show more content…
When I looked around, no one was glancing at me. They were all busy with bathing, scrubbing, laughing and gossiping. At that moment, I felt a sense of unity. Everyone is naked, but no one cares. They all regarded being naked a normal part in Jjimjiibang. Awkwardness and embarrassment were gradually eased. Instead of primly immersing in the same pool, I started joking, splashing with Yooh A and Mrs Seo and jumping in and out from pool to pool. I was surprised at what I did. As time passed, Yooh A and I felt a bit tired. We spent the rest of the time in a hot pool. I enjoyed soaking in the steamy water, it seemed that the physical aches and mental stresses were all
“It’s not the fact that I don’t like getting naked. I love spa and massage. It’s just that showering with my host family makes me a bit embarrassed.” I talked to Amy, my close friend, on the phone.
“Ya, I understand what you mean completely,” Amy said.
A month later, Mrs. Seo, my host mother rushed into my bedroom.
“We go to Jjimjilbang! Yoon A drives us there, will you come?” Mrs. Seo asked excitedly with her hands holding a packet of toiletries.
Panic rippled through me. I thought my host’s determination to take me to the public bathhouse was softened when I had suggested a more suitable activity – hiking a few weeks ago.
“Er… um… but…” I stammered.
Undeterred, Mrs. Seo didn’t relent.
Mrs. Seo …show more content…
I took off the towel. This time, I was naked completely.
----
The bathing room was hot and smoggy. Piercing through the steam, there were bodies of all ages, all shapes and all sizes: tender, wrinkled, slender, round, petite, bony, droopy and chubby. I felt a strange mixture of fascination and horror, as I had never seen so much flesh before. I looked around to see whether anyone was staring at me. No one was. But, I still could not stand as usual.
After recovering from the shock of nude bodies, Mrs. Seo and Yooh A was leading me to the washing station. There were piles of tiny shower stone stools, on which Mrs. Seo instantly plumped me down on one of it. I immediately picked up a faucet and started bathing since I just wanted to jump into the pools and hide myself as soon as possible. Suddenly, I felt someone was scrubbing my back fiercely.
I looked at the mirror which faced me, Mrs. Seo wore a pair of professional scrubbing mitt. She pulled her seat closer to me and continued to scour my skin fervidly. My face turned red as it was a bit weird that letting a host mother to wash my body.
“I can do it myself.” I said, grabbing a mitt and showing that I was capable of cleaning myself. I was pleased that Mrs. Seo gave up …show more content…
When I looked around, no one was glancing at me. They were all busy with bathing, scrubbing, laughing and gossiping. At that moment, I felt a sense of unity. Everyone is naked, but no one cares. They all regarded being naked a normal part in Jjimjiibang. Awkwardness and embarrassment were gradually eased. Instead of primly immersing in the same pool, I started joking, splashing with Yooh A and Mrs Seo and jumping in and out from pool to pool. I was surprised at what I did. As time passed, Yooh A and I felt a bit tired. We spent the rest of the time in a hot pool. I enjoyed soaking in the steamy water, it seemed that the physical aches and mental stresses were all