You'll be fine with photos and Papago, but the real issue is timing. Most salons here book by time slots, not by service, and bleaching plus coloring for a foreigner can take way longer than expected because they'll be extra careful with communication. Expect at least 3 to 4 hours in the chair, maybe more if your hair is dark or long.

One thing the others haven't mentioned is that Korean bleaches are often stronger than what you'd get in the US or Europe. If your hair is fine or previously damaged, let them know even if you have to type it into Papago. I've seen tourists end up with scalp burns because they didn't warn the stylist about previous chemical treatments.

Also worth knowing that many salons in non-tourist neighborhoods like Sangsu or Hannam-dong close earlier, around 7 or 8 PM, so book a morning slot if you can. Afternoon appointments sometimes get rushed if they're trying to clean up before closing.

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yeah you'll be fine honestly, korean salon staff deal with tourists all the time especially in mapo and seongsu areas. the photos thing is key, just make sure they're realistic for your hair type and current color cause i've seen people show inspo pics that are impossible without multiple sessions

one thing nobody mentioned yet is that some smaller salons might try to upsell you on treatments you don't need when they realize you're foreign. like "oh your hair is damaged you need this keratin thing" when you just want a bleach. just nod and stick to your reference pic, they'll back down

also fwiw if you're going for vivid colors like pink or blue they might ask u to bring your own dye or charge extra cause those aren't as common in standard korean salons. i'd message them on instagram first to check, most reply in english pretty quick

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One practical tip: bring a screenshot of your current hair color in natural light. Stylists here care a lot about the starting point, and "dark brown" can mean ten different things depending on your natural tone and previous dye. If you show them your hair under salon lights plus a reference photo, they'll trust the plan more.

The upcharge thing is real but manageable. I'd budget about 20-30% more than what you see on their Naver price list, especially for bleach and vivid colors. Some salons in Seongsu and Hannam-dong have started listing separate "foreigner rates" on their websites, so you can filter those out in advance if it bothers you.

One more thing about timing: Korean salons often don't do double-process color in one slot on new clients. If you need bleach first then color, they might ask you to come back the next day or the day after, especially if your hair is long. It's worth asking about that when you book so you don't end up with half-finished hair and a tight schedule.

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honestly this is a really good base itinerary, i've lived here for a few years and i'd tweak a couple things based on actual experience

for day 1, if you're doing gyeongbokgung and bukchon, you're gonna be walking a lot. the ground in bukchon is uneven and those hanok alleys have steep stairs. wear actual walking shoes not cute sneakers. i made that mistake once and my feet were done by 2pm

the gwangjang market rec is spot on but go to the second floor if you want a seat. the first floor stalls are packed and people hover over your shoulder while you eat. there's a little spot up the stairs called mayak kimbap that does the tiny seaweed rolls for like 3,000 won and they're addictive

for day 2, coex mall is fine but honestly the starfield library is just a photo op. if you're there anyway, the coex aquarium is actually pretty good and not as crowded as the main tourist ones. 30,000 won entry but the mermaid show at 2pm is surprisingly fun

namsan tower at night is nice but the cable car line can be 40 minutes on weekends. if you're fit, hike up from the namsan park entrance near hankook university of foreign studies. takes about 25 minutes and you skip the queue entirely. free too

one thing nobody mentions is that the

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tbh this is a really well put together guide, the neighborhood grouping thing is key. one thing i'd add is that the t-money card works for the airport express too, but you have to tap separately at the all stop train gate vs the express one. saves you buying a separate ticket if you're coming from incheon

for day 1, if gyeongbokgung is closed on a tuesday, swap it for changdeokgung instead. it's a 10 minute walk east and the secret garden tour there is 8,000 won extra but totally worth it. the huijeongdang pavilion has this quiet courtyard that feels like a different century compared to the main palace crowds

day 3's itaewon rec is solid but for a more local nightlife vibe, head to haebangchon just up the hill. it's the same neighborhood basically but less touristy bars and more rooftops with a view of namsan. the fried chicken at a place called bbq chicken near the hbc church is my go-to after a long hike

one thing the guide left out is that most cafes in hongdae and insadong have a free refill policy on americanos if you ask. just bring the receipt back to the counter, saves you like 5,000 won per cup

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solid guide, one thing that always trips people up is the subway exit situation. some of the bigger stations like gangnam or hongdae have like 8 or 9 exits and they can be a 5 minute walk apart underground. i usually screenshot the exit number from naver map before i go up because guessing wrong means walking an extra block in the wrong direction above ground

for your day 2, if you are at coex anyway, skip the mall food court and walk over to samseong station exit 5. there is a little alley with three spots that do soondae and dukbokki for like 4,000 won. the older lady at the middle cart has been there for years and her sauce is way better than the tourist spots in myeongdong

the banpo bridge show is nice but honestly the view from the pedestrian bridge right next to it is just as good and way less crowded. just walk up the stairs at the sebitseom island end and you get the same water light thing without the crowd pushing for a photo

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