Getting a haircut in Korea? Whether you go to a 이발소 (barbershop) or a 미용실 (beauty salon), knowing some essential Korean vocabulary and expressions will help you communicate clearly with your hairstylist and get the hairstyle you want!
This post will teach you important words related to haircuts, hairstyling, tools, and common customer phrases in Korean.
✂️ Korean Words for Barbershop, Salon & Hair
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 이발소 | i-bal-so | Barbershop |
| 미용실 | mi-yong-sil | Beauty salon |
| 헤어샵 | he-eo-syap | Hair shop (salon) |
| 이발소 | i-bal-so | Traditional barbershop |
| 미용사 | mi-yong-sa | Hairdresser, stylist |
| 이발사 | i-bal-sa | Barber |
| 고객 | go-gaek | Customer |
| 머리 | meo-ri | Hair |
| 머리카락 | meo-ri-ka-rak | Hair (strand) |
| 단골 | dan-gol | Regular customer |
💈 Haircut Styles & Hair Types in Korean
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 커트 | keo-teu | Haircut |
| 앞머리 | ap-meo-ri | Bangs |
| 옆머리 | yeop-meo-ri | Side hair |
| 뒷머리 | dwit-meo-ri | Back hair |
| 긴 머리 | gin meo-ri | Long hair |
| 짧은 머리 | jjal-beun meo-ri | Short hair |
| 스포츠 머리 | seu-po-cheu meo-ri | Crew cut, buzz cut |
| 파마 | pa-ma | Perm |
| 매직 스트레이트 | mae-jik seu-teu-re-i-teu | Hair straightening |
| 염색 | yeom-saek | Hair dyeing |
| 탈색 | tal-saek | Bleaching |
💇 Hair Tools & Services Vocabulary
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 가위 | ga-wi | Scissors |
| 이발기 | i-bal-gi | Hair clipper |
| 드라이기 | deu-ra-i-gi | Hair dryer |
| 빗 | bit | Comb |
| 브러시 | beu-reo-si | Brush |
| 샴푸 | syam-pu | Shampoo |
| 린스 | rin-seu | Conditioner |
| 왁스 | wak-seu | Hair wax |
| 젤 | jel | Hair gel |
| 미용 서비스 | mi-yong seo-bi-seu | Beauty service |
🗣️ Common Haircut Phrases in Korean
| Korean | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 머리 자르고 싶어요. | meo-ri ja-reu-go sip-eo-yo. | I’d like a haircut. |
| 조금만 다듬어 주세요. | jo-geum-man da-deum-eo ju-se-yo. | Just a little trim, please. |
| 짧게 잘라 주세요. | jjal-ge jal-la ju-se-yo. | Please cut it short. |
| 앞머리는 남겨 주세요. | ap-meo-ri-neun nam-gyeo ju-se-yo. | Please leave the bangs. |
| 뒷머리 좀 다듬어 주세요. | dwit-meo-ri jom da-deum-eo ju-se-yo. | Please trim the back. |
| 이 스타일로 해 주세요. | i seu-ta-il-lo hae ju-se-yo. | Please do it like this style. |
| 샴푸해 드릴까요? | syam-pu-hae deu-ril-kka-yo? | Would you like a shampoo? |
| 스타일링도 해 주세요. | seu-ta-il-ling-do hae ju-se-yo. | Please style my hair too. |
| 머리 감겨 주세요. | meo-ri gam-gyeo ju-se-yo. | Please wash my hair. |
| 자연스럽게 해 주세요. | ja-yeon-seu-reop-ge hae ju-se-yo. | Please make it look natural. |
💡 Pro Tips When Visiting a Hair Salon in Korea
- Bring a reference photo to show the stylist your desired haircut.
- Most salons offer shampooing and styling as part of the service.
- It’s common to be offered tea or coffee while waiting.
- Tipping is not expected in Korea.
🎯 Practice Time!
Try answering these in the comments:
1️⃣ What’s the Korean word for “perm”?
2️⃣ How do you say “Just a trim, please” in Korean?
3️⃣ What is “미용실” in English?
📚 Want to Learn More?
✔️ Sauna & Bathhouse Vocabulary
✔️ Korean Market Vocabulary
✔️ Church in Korean
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