One of the most common requests we get is in regard to a post in our first year for Dr. Fish. People seem to be pretty enamored by the idea of this unique shop and, once it closed, our readers have been begging us for an update on possible new locations in Seoul. There’s some good and some bad in this post, but we are here with the answers we’ve been able to gather.
The good news is this: there are still establishments in Myeong-dong that have fish to assault your bunions after a long day on your feet in this shopping wonderland. At the locations indicated on the map below, you can find these establishments. The Foot Shop offers the Dr. Fish experience for about 10,000krw. These shops aren’t like the previous one that we had frequented that was more reminiscent of a coffee shop that happened to have Dr. Fish. These new establishments are massage spas that offer Dr. Fish as a novelty side offer and are more luxurious.
What Is Dr. Fish?
Dr. Fish are these little red garra fish that are found in rivers and streams in Asia. They are notorious for nibbling at people who take a dip in the waters. They like your dead skin cells, as weird as that is. In Korea and many other Asian countries they use them in small foot baths (and some FULL pools) for a novelty way to remove dead skin cells.
There are some definite downsides to where the Dr. Fish culture has gone. The new shops are all more expensive by a long shot. The one we visited only had room for 1 or 2 people to have the Dr. Fish treatment at the same time, so the days of getting a group together to experience this oddity together is a bygone memory. We spoke to one of the Tourism Police Officers (tourist assistants/guides in Myeong-dong) who kindly explained that the concept of having fish eat your dead skin is a very old novelty that is slowly being forgotten. The cafes no longer want to offer this attraction, so spas are the only remaining establishment to keep the tradition alive in Seoul.
The Foot Shop And My Dr. Fish Experience
So what does all of this mean? Well, we are happy to report that we’ve found Dr. Fish and it is still available for anyone wanting to experience the odd sensation of being eaten alive be tiny fish. On the downside, there are no longer, and it seems there won’t again be, cafes and relaxed environments to giggle and squirm as your feet are chewed. Now you must visit the select few foot spas that still host the hordes of hungry fish and I’d imagine that they expect you to be more of a spa-goer than a tourist. The spas were nice, but not the same environment we’d experienced before where it was a novelty.
The Foot Shop is a massage store chain that can be found throughout Korea, not just at this location. If you find a different Foot Shop, they might have Dr. Fish, but perhaps you should call first to check just to be sure. The Dr. Fish at the Foot Shop is a more quite and serious affair than the other novelty cafes we’ve been to before. Most massage stores expect quiet, so suppressing giggles with the fish nibbling away is a bit hard.
They served me tea and gave me special Korean spa clothes to wear while I tried my hardest to relax and enjoy my Dr. Fish foot care experience. The fish service was sort of A LA CARTE and not on the menu. They charged me 10,000 won ($9) for the time. The pool for the fish is small, so perhaps three of four people MAX would be able to try out the fish at a time. If you go with a group, consider breaking up and some doing the fish while everyone else gets a massage, then you can switch! I really liked my time, even though trying not to giggle was extremely hard!
Check out our map and video for more information. If this post was helpful, be sure to check out our YouTube Channel and like, subscribe, and SHARE! We really appreciate it.
Map
Get off the subway at the Myeongdong Station Exit 6. You will walk up the street two blocks and turn left at the Adidas store. Walk clear to the end of this street and you will see Innisfree. To the left of Innisfree, there is a small doorway and stairwell. Go up to the 3rd floor and you will find the Myeongdong Foot Shop and Dr. Fish!
Massage Services & Prices
The Dr. Fish service was not on their menu, but they let me do it for 10,000 won ($9). We didn’t try their other services, but I have heard really good things about all their massage packages!! Their back and shoulder care massages are the cheapest and are worth the $20-$30 if you are really needing a nice and relaxing experience on top of your Dr. Fish time! This is such a fun place to pop in to after an afternoon of CROWDED Myeongdong shopping to unwind and get off your feet.
[…] Cafe Namu Ganeul with Dr. Fish in Seoul is no longer there, sad day! The Foot Shop in Myeongdong is a great alternative option! […]
Thank you Thank YOU THANK YOU!!! I loved the experience!! Because of your thorough directions we found it just fine..
We’re so glad you found it and enjoyed it so much! Dr. Fish is certainly one of the more unique experiences you can have at a pedicure and it feels really nice once you get over the initial shock. Pass this post along and let everyone know that Dr. Fish lives!
[…] cafes are not unique in Korea, as we explored dog cafes, sheep cafes, and Dr. Fish (seen here and here) where fish nibble offf your dead skins cells while you enjoy lattes and smoothies, but they do […]
[…] A relaxing spa treatment to unwind after a long day in the city? This might not sound all to strange, but the wonderful fact remains that there are several cafes and spas around Korea that have Dr. Fish. Whether at a spa or coffee shop, these unicorns of Seoul allow you to dip your feet into a small pool of water filled with ravenous fish to eat your dead skin cells. These places are always moving and changing, but you can find our most recent confirmed location HERE. […]
[…] Only in Korea – Dr. Fish […]
[…] Only in Korea – New Dr. Fish […]
[…] Only in Korea – New Dr. Fish! […]