Opened last October... Reservations require a 2-month wait
Jeon Seongsu District Mayor: "We will create happy changes that help the lives of people with disabilities"
A person with a brain lesion disability visited Hair Hanuri for a haircut. (Photo by Seocho District Office)
"It was difficult to use a regular hair salon because we had to immobilize a child with a brain lesion disability just to get a haircut. At 'Hair Hanuri,' we can receive services comfortably, which is really great." (Park, guardian of a child with a brain lesion disability)
'Hair Hanuri' opened in a corner of the Seocho-gu Hanuri Information and Culture Center. It is the first disability-friendly hair salon installed within a welfare center for the disabled in the nation by Seocho-gu. Since its opening in October last year, 285 people have used the service over four months, and reservations take up to two months due to its tremendous popularity.
The entrance has no threshold, allowing wheelchair access. It is equipped with facilities for the disabled, such as an 'integrated shampoo station' where customers can wash their hair while seated and a 'portable lift' for those with mobility difficulties. Among the 285 disabled users over the past four months, 143 were individuals with brain lesion and physical disabilities, meaning more than 50% of users are benefiting significantly from these facilities.
Jeong Eun-ju, a hairdresser working at 'Hair Hanuri,' said, "Most wheelchair-using visitors have never experienced shampooing at a hair salon before. At Hair Hanuri, they can get a haircut and shampoo in one place using the integrated shampoo station, which satisfies both the disabled customers and their guardians."
The salon employs a skilled professional hairdresser with over 25 years of experience, and a dedicated social worker communicates with users to check for any discomfort. The service also receives high praise for offering personalized service for just one person at a time, catering to those who feel burdened by others' gazes and hesitate to visit hair salons.
The affordable prices are another attractive feature. Haircuts cost 6,000 KRW, coloring 15,000 KRW, and perms range from 19,000 to 39,000 KRW. Additionally, recipients of government aid and low-income groups receive a 50% discount.
This year, Seocho-gu plans to utilize the 'Hair Hanuri' space to conduct vocational training for the disabled, supporting job creation and providing a foundation for independence.
The training will offer 1:1 customized hairdressing assistant job training, including service and job education, targeting registered adult disabled individuals. After training, the goal is to connect trainees not only with 'Hair Hanuri' but also with other disabled-only or private hair salons in different districts, diversifying job opportunities and helping disabled people establish independence.
Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, stated, "We will carefully examine the difficulties faced by disabled people from their perspective and create happy changes in their lives through close administration that truly helps in daily life."
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