Korean Massage: The Secret to Achieving Total Body Wellness!
Looking to get a special treatment to help you relax? South Korea is well known for it’s beauty and youthfulness. However, it’s not just came out of nowhere. Korea have a secret beauty treatment in which they use some beauty product such as korean toner and other skincare to take care of their skin. In addition, Koreans also make korean massage and korean spa as their special routine to achieve total body wellness.
If you are someone who love to take care or even improve your appearance, whether through korean diet, beauty products, or massage therapy, then make sure to read until the end because I will share all about Korean Massage and it’s benefit! Let’s dive right into this special massage!
Table of Contents
Korean massage
Credit to Purespa
If you are a true korean lovers who love korean dramas as well as variety show, you must’ve seen korean massage.
While most of you might think that korean massage is a little bit different than traditional massage, in terms of more painful and looks like a punishment, it is actually have a lot of health benefits.
Western massage mainly focus on relieving muscle and give quick relaxations to the body, Korean massage focus on both your body as well as your soul / mind.
Korean massage is a traditional form of massage that integrate holistic approach to healing that focuses on balancing the body’s energy and promoting overall wellness.
It involves a combination of techniques, including acupressure, stretching, and deep tissue massage, to help release tension and promote relaxation. The therapist uses their hands, fingers, elbows, and even feet to apply pressure to specific points on the body.
This massage is often used not just to maintain your overall health, but also to treat various conditions, including stress, anxiety, muscle tension, and chronic pain.
History of Korean massage
Credit to Baveuk
Korean massage is closely tied to traditional Korean medicine, which emphasizes the importance of balancing the body’s energy. The massage therapist may use techniques such as cupping, moxibustion, and herbal remedies to complement the massage and promote healing.
This special massage actually not origin from South Korea, but adopted from other asian country like China, India and Japan. It is believed that korean massage became popular as a buddhist monk help King Sejong cure his illness by giving him a massage during Joseon eras.
Koreans believe that we have a special path where energy flows all through out our body, just like blood circulate all around our body. When the energy congested or had a disorder, whether through stress or something else, then we will be sick. That’s why korean massage promotes wellness for mnind and body.
Types of Korean massage
Credit to Sunnydahye
The Spas you see in this videos are:
- Spa 1899 Donginbi
- Yeo Yeong Guk Spa
- Sulwhasoo Spa
These are the best and well known spa in South Korea you can try as you travel Korea. However, there are some type of massage you can choose including.
1. Facial Massage
Korean facial massage has become a popular beauty treatment among Koreans, known for its face-sculpting and skin-glowing techniques. This massage is considered an ultimate anti-aging trick, as it can correct facial asymmetry, release jaw tension, lift appearance, and brighten skin.
The process may involve the use of beauty products for cleansing and moisturizing, as well as a scalp massage for ultimate relaxation. With its numerous benefits, it’s no wonder why Korean facial massage has become a staple in many skincare routines.
2. Full-Body Massage
Korean full body massage aims to relieve tension and stress throughout the entire body. Similar to Swedish massage, it covers the head, neck, shoulders, arms, back, buttocks, legs, and feet, using a variety of techniques and movements.
This massage is great for those new to massage therapy, as it is a gentler version that still achieves relaxation and other health benefits. Some jjimjilbang / korean spas may offer additional services such as hot stone massage or traditional glass cupping to further improve blood flow and relaxation. Overall, full body massage is a great way to soothe the body and promote overall wellness.
3. Sports Massage
The term ‘sports massage’ actually refer to regular massage in Korea. It named ‘sport’ massage because most of koreans has negative connotation when they hear the word ‘massage’. It somehow connected to illegal prostitution or something sexuals.
Even after koreans realize the importance and health benefits of massage, they still resist to visit old-style massage parlor due to it’s negative connotation. Thus, local organizations help revive this industry by change it’s name into ‘sport massage’, because ‘sport’ have a good image in everybody’s mind.
Sport massage service including shiatsu or manipulation of pressure points and stretching of muscles to help relax the tense muscle.
4. Reflexology
Reflexology is a type of therapy that uses thumb, finger and hand massage to give a pressure on specific points along your feet, hands as well as ears to help you feel better. This techniques eases stress, helps your body flows better, more energized, promote positivity as well as better sleep.
What are the benefits of Korean massage?
There are a lot of benefits of traditional massage, more over korean massage. Here are some benefits of korean massage you can expect including.
1. Reduce Pain
If you got a problem, such as pain especially after doing some intense training, then massage will help ease the pain by help release the tension and relax your muscle and joints. Thus this help faster the healing process in your muscles.
2. Improve Circulation and Blood Flows
Massage in general help improve circulation and blood flows. Korean massage apply special techniques by put a gentle pressure in some areas to stimulate the circulation in the congested areas. This will then help the oxigent to flows freely all over our body.
3. Reduce Anxiety
As we know that massage will help us be more relax, thus also help reduce anxiety. During korean massage, usually the level of cortisol or stress hormone will decrease a lot, thus help us get into a peaceful state of mind. Other than that, massage also help us to be more positive.
4. Improve Quality of Sleep
As the blood flows freely and we feel more positive, our sleep quality will automatically improve. Make sure you don’t rush into a job or do a hard work after doing this treatment. Take some time to really take care of your mind and let it be in the peaceful state longer before you start to work again.
5. Improve Overall Health
Overall, this massage will help you improve your mental and physical health. Improve blood flows and better sleep itself will help your body and brain functions at it’s best. Thus, korean massage is good in improving and maintaining overall health.
Sum Up
While exercise and diet can help you get a better appearance, korean massage will help you get a healthier body. This treatment is essential in maintaining the balance between the beauty outside and beauty inside.
People often said that beauty comes from within, it is true and koreans really take care of their mental and body health as good as their outward appearance. I wish you will consider to add korean massage as one of your health routine and get all of it’s benefits.
Here are all I can share about korean massage, have you ever try korean massage? How do you think about it? Let me know in the comment sections below!
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