YouJung Hair Salon, Hartamas: My Experience.

Today I went to have my hair done. Permed, and colour treated, that is.

I had been pondering on getting my hair done for a while ago.. and was planning on going to Park Chul's. Plans, like any other plans, sometimes go awry... and never executed due sometimes to certain unforseen circumstances.

By sheer coincidence, I managed to procure the car from my mother this afternoon...so, I stole some time off work.. *shhh*.. and drove to Hartamas. However, after parking my car (for about RM3, for three hours at a covered car park near Burger King), and walking out, I realised that my feet were hurting, and I could not be bothered to walk back to the car park to get the address for Park Chul's hair saloon..

So, like a lost and blind dog, there I was walking around with my hurting feet, and off randomly. Then I saw You-Jung, and decided to walk in!

 I didn't really negotiate much of the price, since I saw that was pretty much the standard price in the Malaysian Babes forum, and didn't bargain for a lower price, as I already had an idea of the standard pricing for the services to be rendered.

Initially, I was only thinking about getting a hair perm, but the lady (somehow was very persuasive) managed to get me to do a hair-colour treatment as well. I asked for "wine" colour, but she protested, saying that I should do "golden-brown" or something like that... which I finally allowed her to do, giving her the benefit of the doubt as a hair-dresser.

STAFF & CUSTOMERS
There was only one other customer in the salon, a korean ajumma, around the same time that I came in, as it was still mid afternoon before people had got off work yet. The salon owner's husband, and lady of indian descent late into the evening. According to one of the staff, who hails from Myanmar, the salon is normally crowded on weekends, and customers have to make an appointments in order to get a vacancy.

There were two other staff, and the owner-manager herself at the salon when I was there. I am not sure how many more other staff would be helping during the busy-crowded weekend, as I couldn't ask the owner, You-Jung who spoke limited English. So if you know some korean (or perhaps some other language the owner know) that would be very useful indeed!

THE SURROUNDINGS
As I went off outside the hair salon, I happened to stop in front of a hair salon (SHUNJI MATSUO) in the ground level of where You-Jung was. I say it was most likely serviced by either korean or japanese employees, as during my conversation on my mobile outside the salon entrance, a girl came to the front-desk near the entrance. I indicated that I didn't want to go in, by way of bowing, and the person bowed back, which totally surprised me, and hence I deduced that she was most likely NOT Chinese at all! LOL.

I also saw KENCE salon, nearby the car-park (along the same row as Maybank) which was mentioned in the Malaysian Babes forum. As I drove out of the parking lot, I saw many a number of korean people walking around, (which would not be surprising as the establishments in the entire vicinity was made up of Korean convenient stores, restaurants, other kinds of services, hair salons, a korean language school, and boutiques). An almost surreal Korean-like setting.

AMENITIES
Every proper korean hair salon (at least, when I was in South Korea), will provide excellent amenities to their guests, and this by default, should include Japan as well. This is one of they key things that differentiates typical Chinaman businesses, and the Korean/Japanese establishments.















In this salon, they provided:
- A hot & cold water dispenser
- coffee, tea, and soft drinks (which would be limited to one per guest).
- An electric-reflexology foot massager.
- and, if I am not mistaken, a computer for internet access, although it was used for playing music when I was there.

AMOUNT OF TIME TAKEN
- Time taken to choose a hair style and speak to owner: about 5-10 mins.
- Wash & Cut: about 20 mins
- Hair Colour Treatment: about 1 hour
- Digital Perm: about 1 hour.
In total, almost 3 hours in total.


ITEMISED PRICING FOR LIST OF SERVICES RENDERED
- Wash, Cut (complimentary service)
- Hair Colour Treatment: RM150
Digital Perm: RM200
NETT Total: RM350.00

Payment Type: CASH, in multiples of RM50.00 notes.
After the service was rendered, I went to the counter to make my payment. Instead of paying by card, I decided to pay by cash, (as I had withdrew money earlier!), so that I could see "literally" for myself how much I was paying for it.

The owner gave me her card, and then in the typical Grand Korean Tradition, pointedly informed me to return the following week for a follow-up complimentary "service" Hair Treatment. Upon consulting an acquaitance, Shirley informed me that a Hair Treatment could take up to an hour, and would cost about RM100 or so.
Not bad for a follow-up service in that case. ^^


REACTION/RESPONSE TO THE STYLE GIVEN:
So far, the hair-style doesn't look too bad. But it's really hard to judge, until maybe a week later to give a definitive answer. Although a number of people have stated that it would be unwise to have dyed my hair the colour of "wine", which aroused horrified expressions from the others!