DESTRESSER
Hot Tubs and
COOL VIEWS
Korean spas offer relaxing spaces to chill out
WRITTEN BY KATIE SOBKO
W
26
2018 EDITION | (201) HEALTH
that were prevalent in Korea prior to indoor
plumbing. In South Korea, he says, apartment
living in high-rise buildings became increasingly
common in the mid-1970s and into the ’80s;
by the ’90s, spas had become health fads.
“You go there to get your body reenergized,
revitalized and make yourself stronger,’’ he
says. “And I think the public bathhouse was
replaced by spas.”
“It became kind of a place where you
socialize as well as revitalize your body and
soul, and I think some people really believe
in that,’’ he adds.
These days, some spas in South Korea have
arcades, theaters and other attractions. While
not operating at that level, Sojo is still one of
the biggest spas in the United States at more
than 140,000 square feet, including both indoor
and winterized outdoor facilities. It bills itself as
a “reimagined” Korean bathhouse, with a blend
of cultures.
“I think what makes it cool is that it is what
you know and love as far as spa treatments,
and yet it still lets you take a trip around the
world to experience these other cultures and
treatments as well,” says spokeswoman Leah
Herman. ❖ Monsy Alvarado contributed to this article.
NO NEED TO
COVER YOUR EYES!
While Sojo has co-ed hot tubs
and pools where swimwear is
required, it’s typical for Korean
spas to have some gender-
segregated bathing areas
where nudity is
the norm.
SOJO SPA
CLUB
Visitors only
need to bring a
bathing suit. SoJo
Spa provides
everything else,
including towels and
lockers. The highlight for many is the infinity
pool overlooking the Manhattan skyline.
No one younger than 13 permitted to
most areas of the spa, although there is
babysitting and a family area. • Hours:
9 a.m. to midnight daily. Admission: $70
week day, $85 weekend. 660 River Road,
Edgewater, (201) 212-6704, sojospaclub.com
KING SPA & SAUNA
This bustling spa has shuttle service that
runs between the spa and both Manhattan
and Queens. It is known for its authentic
Korean experience. It has a full restaurant
and juice bar, and a water park is in the
works. • Hours: open 24 hours a day, though
entry is not allowed between 3 and
6 a.m. Admission: $55 if purchased online.
321 Commercial Ave., Palisades Park,
(201) 947-9955, kingsaunanj.com
SOL SAUNA MASSAGE & SPA
This small spa is located on the second floor
of a downtown building. Though fewer
treatments are offered than at the other
spas listed here, it is also less crowded,
which visitors appreciate. • Hours: 7 a.m.
to 2 a.m. daily. Admission: Call for pricing.
225 Broad Ave., Palisades Park, (201) 944-0377
hen you think of a
spa, you think facials,
massages, wraps — not
a big bowl of noodles.
But in South Korea, spas
are popular places for
young and old to bathe, to socialize, to nap,
to beautify, to relax and, yes, to eat. Visitors can
spend all day moving from saunas to hot tubs to
ice rooms, then eat a full Korean-style meal and
fall asleep in a recliner. It’s normal to find spas
open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“You don’t find that in any other place
where you take a bath, and go to a jacuzzi
or sauna and then come out and eat a nice
noodle,” says Kil J. Yi, a professor at Bergen
Community College.
Though new to the game, having opened in
early 2017, the eight-story Sojo Spa Club in
Edgewater already has quite the loyal following.
This spa has several traditional Korean spa
options, such as a charcoal sauna, Korean body
scrubs and red clay sauna treatments, and
incorporates treatments from other places as
well, like American massage and facials. One
popular feature is a hot salt room that is
purported to clear sinuses and improve the
respiratory system. But its big draw is a spectac-
ular outdoor infinity pool, perched on an upper
level that offers a panoramic view of the
Manhattan skyline. A water slide is open in
warmer weather. Visitors to Sojo must take off
their shoes at the entry area, and stay barefoot
throughout their time there. You’ll get a locker, a
towel, and a set of loose-fitting clothes to wear.
Because they are open continuously, many
spas also allow for overnight visits. While
talking is allowed in common areas, it is
frowned at in places like saunas, where visitors
want to fully relax. Admission to spas generally
covers everything except food and special
treatments such as massages and the intense
body scrubs for which they are known.
Yi, who was born in Korea, says modern spas
can trace their roots to the public bathhouses