▲ Owner and operator Kevin Photo courtesy of Kevin Jeong

My head is covered with what might be best described as “baby’s bum hair”. It’s soft and thin, and there isn’t much of it. It’s tough to find a stylist that “gets” my hair, even back East in America.

A lot of cutters in Korea just don’t have enough experience working with various types of hair to know how to handle me. It must be tough shifting from the thick, lustrous hair that so many Koreans enjoy to the wispy bird’s nest that lives on top of my head.

This would explain why the majority of my haircuts in Korea have given me that enviable “Dennis the Menace” look. Because nothing says sexy like a two-meter tall nine-year-old.

Kevin Jeong, on the other hand, somehow made me look like an adult. The haircut he gave me was positively urbane. Kevin is clearly a man in full command of hair, regardless of nation, color, or creed. And what’s more, my cut cost a mere 15,000 Won.

Little did I know when I first discovered Kevin earlier this year, he is actually the “go to” guy for a lot of people on the island. He currently has an expatriate clientele of around 100 people or so.

Kevin moved to Jeju seven years ago and quickly earned a reputation for hair at places like Toni&Guy.

After a lot of hard work at other salons, he finally realized every hairdresser's dream. In February of 2016 he opened his very own shop and checked off a major item from his bucket list, which, incidentally, is tattooed on one of his arms.

▲ At his new location Photo courtesy of Kevin Jeong

It took Keven three months of constant searching to finally find his current location, just down the street from Bagdad Cafe. In fact he almost didn’t find it.

He and his wife had just given up and decided to relocate to Seogwipo in order to find an appropriate location when Kevin went out for one, last, hopeless search of the City Hall area. And like a scene out of a movie, he blundered into exactly what he had been looking for.

Soon he was designing the interior and searching for staff.

Kevin’s hairshop has settled in nicely. It’s home to not only great cuts, but it’s also homey. It has a very comfortably appointed interior with a decidedly intercontinental vibe. It’s hip, without being crass; it’s classy without sacrificing comfort or intimacy.

Kevin put a lot of thought into his design, but he made it look somehow effortless and natural.
From the coffee bar in the back to the mini-loft and reading area, Kevin has assembled an altogether tasteful, cozy, internationally flavored shop that really adds to the professionalism of the haircut experience.

His staff is similarly on point: friendly, and genuinely happy to be working with hair.

Kevin’s is well worth a visit, so take note of his new location. A reservation isn’t always necessary, but it’s never a bad idea.

You can opt for current trends like “ombre” - a hair-coloring technique that gradual changes from one shade or color to another to the classic pomade look which is hot right now.

Or, if you’re like me, you can just ask for a basic trim and then sit back and relax.

064-759-9949

MAP
1186-21 Ido 2(i)-dong
Jeju-si, Jeju-do
South Korea

▲Sit back and relax Photo courtesy of Kevin Jeong