Lulu Korean Premium K-Pop Idol Hair Salon | Gangnam Seul

I had already chosen the time when I made the reservation, and I arrived about 15 minutes early on the day. I took an Uber directly from my hotel to the entrance of Lulu Salon. Upon entering, an employee greeted us. He spoke simple English, was polite, and asked if we wanted anything to drink. We had found the styles we wanted on their Instagram beforehand. They first helped us with our hair, which took about 45 minutes. Then we went to another room where another stylist helped with makeup. The whole process took about 2 hours. Communication throughout was either in English or using a translator, which went smoothly. The final makeup look perfectly matched the popular Y2K style of the moment and was very beautiful. Overall, I was very satisfied with the experience and will come again next time.

I took a taxi but got lost... Even though I was a little late, they still accommodated me, and with a translation app, everything worked out! The makeup artists were also separate for base and point makeup (this might have been a coincidence!), and the hair stylist was a different person! I'm glad they made me look cute before the photoshoot. The makeup was meticulous yet speedy, done in no time! They asked what kind of look I wanted, so I recommend preparing some reference photos!!

I had this experience while traveling alone, but I felt it would have been even more enjoyable if I had gone with friends. On the day, the process started with questions about my desired style, whether I was currently wearing makeup, and when I last washed my hair. Basically, it's recommended to go without makeup, and ideally, to wash your hair in the morning before heading there. I had overlooked the pre-visit instructions, so I was asked on-site, "Would you like to pay 20,000 won to shampoo here?" and I decided to go for it. First, I went for a shampoo with Staff A. It was my first time at a Korean hair salon, so I don't know if it's the same at other places, but it was very efficient and speedy. Unlike the gentle and meticulous hair washing at Japanese salons, I wondered if this was an efficient procedure cultivated from years of working as a hair and makeup artist for celebrities. Next, I was guided to a private makeup room, where Staff B applied skincare and base makeup, and then Staff C took care of the point makeup. Finally, hairstylist D appeared. Her technique was different from any Japanese or Taiwanese salons I had experienced; she finished the style using only a curling iron and then lightly fixed it with spray. I noticed after the treatment that my hair seemed to have a subtle color. I was surprised at how quickly it was done, making me wonder when it happened. Lastly, the reception staff and hairstylist could communicate in simple English, but in other situations, the staff used a translation app on their smartphones. Overall, it was smooth, and personally, I found it an interesting experience worth trying, and I highly recommend it. By the way, nearby there's a "Photoism Box (포토이즘 박스)" which is a 4-frame photo booth, and it seemed less crowded than the Myeongdong branch. After getting your hair and makeup done, it would be fun to enjoy taking selfies as if you're taking a photo with a star. After shooting, you can download not only the photos but also GIFs of you posing, which was quite entertaining. Also, it's possible to book Korean-style ID photos and image photos, and being directed by a professional photographer to pose like a model was a different experience. The finished photos looked like they had undergone plastic surgery-level retouching, making it a great memory.

Japanese is hardly spoken. Everyone used Papago and served me kindly!