SPA LAND Centum City

Amazing sauna! i spent 4 hours here and time flew past so quickly. Entrance was 20,000won (for 4hrs. +2hr if you spend at least 10,000won inside) and they had a promotion where it came with a free chicken+cola (redeemable at the 2nd floor restaurant).

Long post detailing what you can expect and should do here.

This sauna/jimjilbang has two floors. 1st floor for the wet sauna (separate areas for women and men, no clothes here), some dry sauna rooms/outdoor foot bath (you should wear clothes here), and the snack bar 2nd floor for the restaurant and relaxation areas; there are some dry sauna rooms here too (please wear clothes here)

Getting in: when you enter from level 1 of centum city, reception is on the left. pay for your visit and you will be passed a receipt which states the number for your shoe+clothes locker. the ticket for the free chicken+cola will be given to you as well on the right of the reception go up the small escalator to the shoe locker. take off your shoes, then place them in the locker number indicated on your receipt now lock the shoe locker, take the key, and tap the metal part on the gate to enter the 1st floor. This key is very important and is used for all payment within the sauna (please keep it safe with you) when you enter, look for the signs that say women/men and enter where you should. you will be passed the sauna clothes to wear in the common areas as well as towels to use. the staff will take your receipt which contains your locker number. if the clothes don't fit you, you can always go back to the staff and ask for a different size. the clothes which don't fit you goes into the baskets within the changing area

In the clothes changing area: look for your locker number (same number as shoe locker) take off all your clothes if you're heading to wet sauna area OR change into the clothes given to you if you're headed to the common areas (dry sauna/ foot bath/ snack or restaurant area)

Heading to the wet sauna area: please shower (shampoo hair+body wash) before entering the saunas. these are available for free in the shower area. if you want to self-scrub, there are scrubbing towels available on the left of the door before you enter the wet area if you want to pay for a scrub by the sauna staff, turn left and there is a board which shows the scrubbing schedule. tell the staff what scrub option you'd like and the timing (if you don't speak korean, pointing to the board helps). I did the wellness option which had scrubbing + massage for i can't remember how long but maybe 40 or 45mins (cost 50,000won and the lady will take your key at the start of the session and use it to tap their machine after the session for payment)

Once done with wet sauna area: Wash up, head back to your locker area and get changed There is an area within the changing area to blow your hair dry and free serum for face/body lotion (free too)

At the common areas (dry sauna/ foot bath/ snack or restaurant area) This area is more free flow, there's english descriptions around so go ahead and explore (get some eggs and sikhye and relax). personally i think the sikhye here isn't as good as other places i've tried Just note not to bring your handphone into the dry sauna area as the heat can be dangerous for your phone (and you as well) On the second floor there are some massage chairs which you can use (tap your key twice and see "PASS" to indicate that payment completed and the massage chair is activated). 3,000won for 15mins

Once you're done with the whole sauna experience: please put on your outside clothes and leave all the towels/sauna clothes in the baskets within the changing area head out, take your shoes, lock the shoe locker then head to the payment area (it's beside the gates you came in from) pass the key to the staff. if you had made purchases for any additional items apart from entry fee, the staff will let you know how much to pay. complete payment and head out from the gates on the right of the payment area

Have a happy...

Spa Land Centum City Busan is the best high end modern traditional luxury Korean sauna spa in Korea. It is located in Shinsegae Centum City Busan which is the World's Largest Department Store and Korea's largest luxury high end department store ie you can buy Gucci, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Goyard etc at Shinsegae Centum City Busan. Spa Land opens at 9 am and closes at 10 pm. Entrance Fee is 20k won for 4 hours. If you spend an additional 10k won while at Spa Land, you can stay an additional 2 hours. It is very easy to spend an additional 10k won at Spa Land. My mother and I both did the 90k won body scrub, fresh cucumber mask, face and body massage and shampoo scalp massage... which you need to book in the woman's bathing and soaking area if you are a woman. Men's scrub services need to be booked in the Men's section. Facials and dry massages are available on the 2nd floor and you must make an appointment ASAP as these get booked up on the weekends and during busy periods. We were unable to book a facial when we went on a Saturday. We arrived around 9:15 am and went to the Facial Spa at around 12 pm to book a facial but everything was sold out. If you want a facial or dry massage, you should immediately change into your uniform and go to the 2nd floor Facial Spa to book your facial or dry massage appointments before you use the shower and soaking tubs, otherwise you will not get an appointment on busy days ie the weekends or holidays and during busy periods. The more expensive traditional Korean Food Restaurant looked good but unfortunately my mother is unable to sit on the floor for dining at the traditional Korean dining tables which have no chairs and require you to sit on the floor. When we went to Spa Land in 2017, the more expensive restaurant serving the nice Korean meals had Western tables with Western chairs...alas no more. The Cafe around the corner from the traditional Korean Restaurant does have tables and chairs but just sells coffees, smoothies, soft drinks and snack foods. My mother and I had the fried twisty potato on a stick, fried boneless chicken with choice of spicy or non spicy (we had non spicy because my mother is one of the few Koreans who does not like spicy or salty food) and fried battered sausage on a stick. All were good but the sausage was more like a Vienna sausage like the tiny ones you get in a can in the USA. We had the Mango Smoothie which was very good, the homemade Korean rice punch...

Spa Land looks like the spa equivalent of a luxury car showroom. Polished tiles, gleaming pools, and facilities so pristine you could eat your bingsu off the floor (don’t). There are a dozen pools at different temperatures, perfect for playing Goldilocks with your internal organs and a generous array of steam and sauna rooms to sweat out your regrets.

Now, let’s talk scrub. There’s an ahjussi running the show, and if you even blink like you’re interested, he’ll have you horizontal and exfoliated before you can say “saranghae.” Efficient? Yes. Consent? Implied

Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash? High quality. In the dry zone, you even get moisturizers, body creams, and a little facial essence that whispers, “you deserve hydration.” Five stars for amenities, no doubt.

BUT.

Oh, where do I begin.

First off, the hot spring water, let’s not kid ourselves , it’s just glorified brine. If you’re expecting some mystical mineral-rich elixir of rejuvenation, prepare to be underwhelmed. It’s more “boiled ramen water” than “ancient healing springs.”

Then comes the vibe killer, the noobs. Oh, the sweet summer children on their nudie initiation journey, wide-eyed and giggling, treating the jjimjilbang like a TikTok challenge. If you’re hoping for a zen, meditative soak, you’ll find yourself instead dodging awkward stares and clumsy towel fumbles like you’re in some awkward social experiment.

And don’t get me started on the selfie squad. The communal area looks less like a Korean wellness sanctuary and more like a K-Drama fan meet-and-greet. Ring lights would’ve been the only thing missing. Every corner of the lounge is a photo op, every sip of tea a chance to go viral. Wefies in front of the Himalayan salt wall? Groundbreaking.

The communal saunas? Packed. Sweaty. Chatty. It’s like being in a humid elevator filled with strangers who just discovered Instagram stories.

In conclusion: if you want 5-star facilities paired with the social chaos of a high school reunion, by all means, Spa Land is your place. But if, like me, you value peace, respect for unwritten bathhouse rules, and minimal exposure to someone trying to get the perfect “after-sauna glow” selfie. Do yourself a favour and seek out the other older, grander bathhouse where silence reigns, tattoos are still taboo, and people actually go to relax.

Spa Land: come for the saunas, stay for the...