2026-06-14

Essential Korean Phrases for the Hair Salon: A Practical Guide for Foreigners

Getting a haircut in a country where you do not speak the language can feel like a gamble. You sit down, the stylist asks something, and you nod even though you have no idea what was said. The good news is that you do not need to be fluent to walk out happy. A handful of well chosen Korean phrases, plus a photo on your phone, will get you most of the way there.

This guide gives you the phrases that actually matter in a salon chair, organized by the order you will use them. Each one has the English meaning, the Korean in Hangul, and a romanized pronunciation you can read out loud. Korean stylists are used to gestures and photos, so do not worry about perfect grammar. Saying even one clear phrase shows effort, and it usually relaxes everyone.

First, the magic shortcut: bring a photo

Before any phrase, save two or three reference photos on your phone. One of the look you want, and ideally one of a style you want to avoid. A clear photo overrides almost every language gap, because your stylist can see exactly what you mean. Phrases then become the fine tuning on top of that picture.

Saying what service you want

Start by naming the service. Haircut is 커트 (keo-teu) or 컷 (keot). A trim, meaning just a little off, is 다듬기 (da-deum-gi). To ask for one, you can say "다듬어 주세요" (da-deu-meo ju-se-yo), "Please trim it." A perm is 펌 (peom), and hair color or dye is 염색 (yeom-saek).

A few more common ones. A cut and a wash together: "커트하고 머리 감겨 주세요" (keo-teu-ha-go meo-ri gam-gyeo ju-se-yo). Just a blow dry and styling: 드라이 (deu-ra-i), from the English "dry." If you only want your bangs trimmed, that is a very common quick visit: "앞머리만 다듬어 주세요" (am-meo-ri-man da-deu-meo ju-se-yo), "Just trim my bangs, please."

Controlling the length

This is where most miscommunication happens, so be specific. The single most useful safety phrase is "너무 짧지 않게 해주세요" (neo-mu jjal-ji an-ke hae-ju-se-yo), "Please do not make it too short." If you have ever regretted a haircut, this is the phrase to memorize.

To ask for a small amount off, say "조금만 잘라 주세요" (jo-geum-man jal-la ju-se-yo), "Please cut just a little." The opposite, "많이 잘라 주세요" (ma-ni jal-la ju-se-yo), means "Cut a lot." Pointing at the length you want with your fingers while saying "이만큼" (i-man-keum), "this much," works beautifully alongside the words.

Protecting your bangs and specific areas

Bangs are 앞머리 (am-meo-ri), literally "front hair." If you love yours and want them untouched, say "앞머리는 그대로 두세요" (am-meo-ri-neun geu-dae-ro du-se-yo), "Please leave the bangs as they are." The word 그대로 (geu-dae-ro), "as it is," is handy for any part you want kept the same.

Other useful spots. The back is 뒷머리 (dwin-meo-ri), the sides are 옆머리 (yeop-meo-ri), and the ends are 끝 (kkeut). So "옆머리만 다듬어 주세요" (yeop-meo-ri-man da-deu-meo ju-se-yo) means "Just trim the sides." These short, targeted phrases prevent the common surprise of losing length somewhere you did not expect.

Texture, layers, and the natural look

If you want movement rather than a blunt cut, layers are 레이어 (re-i-eo), and the request "레이어 넣어 주세요" (re-i-eo neo-eo ju-se-yo) means "Please add layers." To thin out thick hair, 숱 쳐 주세요 (sut chyeo ju-se-yo) means "Please thin it out." Be a little careful here, as over thinning is hard to undo.

For a soft perm that does not look overdone, ask for a "natural perm": "자연스러운 펌 해주세요" (ja-yeon-seu-reo-un peom hae-ju-se-yo), "Please give me a natural looking perm." The word 자연스럽게 (ja-yeon-seu-reop-ge), "naturally," is one of the most useful in any salon. You can attach it to almost anything: "자연스럽게 해주세요" simply means "Make it look natural."

Talking about color

For color, the safest approach is again a photo, because color names translate poorly. Still, a few words help. Darker is 어둡게 (eo-dup-ge) and lighter or brighter is 밝게 (bal-ge). So "조금 더 어둡게 해주세요" (jo-geum deo eo-dup-ge hae-ju-se-yo) means "A little darker, please."

If you want a subtle change, "티 안 나게 해주세요" (ti an na-ge hae-ju-se-yo) means "Make it subtle," literally "so it does not show." If you want to cover gray, 새치 (sae-chi) means gray hairs, and "새치 염색해 주세요" (sae-chi yeom-saek-hae ju-se-yo) asks specifically for gray coverage.

During and after the cut

Midway through, your stylist may pause and ask if it looks okay. You can reply "네, 좋아요" (ne, jo-a-yo), "Yes, I like it," or ask for a small change with "조금 더 짧게요" (jo-geum deo jjal-ge-yo), "A bit shorter." If something feels off, a calm "잠깐만요" (jam-kkan-man-yo), "Just a moment," buys you time to point or show a photo.

At the end, two phrases close it out nicely. "감사합니다" (gam-sa-ham-ni-da) is "Thank you," and to ask where to pay, "계산 어디서 해요?" (gye-san eo-di-seo hae-yo?) means "Where do I pay?" Tipping is not expected in Korean salons, so a genuine thank you is all you owe.

A quick cheat sheet to screenshot

If you remember only five, make them these. "이렇게 해주세요" (i-reo-ke hae-ju-se-yo, "Like this," with a photo). "너무 짧지 않게 해주세요" (neo-mu jjal-ji an-ke hae-ju-se-yo, "Not too short"). "앞머리는 그대로 두세요" (am-meo-ri-neun geu-dae-ro du-se-yo, "Leave the bangs"). "자연스럽게 해주세요" (ja-yeon-seu-reop-ge hae-ju-se-yo, "Make it natural"). "감사합니다" (gam-sa-ham-ni-da, "Thank you").

With these in your pocket and a photo on your screen, a Korean salon visit stops being a gamble and becomes a normal, even fun, part of your trip. Most stylists genuinely appreciate the effort, and a little Korean often turns a transaction into a warm exchange.