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Lounging In The Jjimjilbang Is As Cool As It Sounds

The Korean Jjimjilbang is even more fun than trying to spell it. Think of it as a 24-hour Peewee’s Playhouse--but giant-size and minus the psychosexual disorder.

Thousands of Jjimjilbang’s fill Korea. They’re large, gender-segregated complexes complete with spas, pools, video arcades, massage parlors, snack bars and play centers for kids. The main draw of the centers are the heated hardwood floors, once a fixture in traditional Korean homes but forced out by the modern high rise and the arrival of the padded bed.

Since most Koreans live in tight quarters with their extended family members, the Jjimjilbang is a wholesome way for parents and kids both to retreat to their own favorite activities and get away from each other. It’s also a place for a foreigner to learn the surprising joys of laying on a hot, hard floor.

Related Stories:
· For All Kinds of Good, Clean Fun, Koreans Turn to Bath Houses [NYT]
· Learn The Monk’s Life In South Korea [Jaunted]

[Photo: IHT]