On the afternoon of the 4th, at a mugwort moxibustion room in Dobong-gu, Seoul. As soon as we entered the building, the smell of burning mugwort stung the nose. Inside the shop, in a space of about 60㎡ (about 20 pyeong), four beds were placed, and on one side there was a small separate room for sitting-smoke therapy (좌훈).
On the abdomens, backs, and legs of female customers in their 20s and 30s lying on the beds were round mechanical moxibustion devices.
Owner Jo Mi-yeon, 63, lit a cone-shaped block of hardened mugwort. When the burning mugwort was placed in the device, smoke quickly billowed out. As Jo moved among the customers checking the devices, the phone rang.
It was a caller asking about reservations. Jo said, "We're fully booked right now," and added, "It will only be possible in two weeks." The phone rang again as soon as the call ended.
Jo said, "Since the start of this year, there's been a noticeable increase in young customers, including female college students," adding, "Customers are up by at least 50% compared with last year." Jo said, "Even though I extended business hours by four hours a day, reservations keep piling up."
◇ Half the customers are women in their 20s and 30s… sales also "shoot up"
Recently, mugwort moxibustion has been gaining popularity among women in their 20s and 30s. Word of mouth has spread that it is a "cost-effective health management method."
Mugwort moxibustion is a traditional thermal therapy that uses the heat and smoke generated by burning mugwort. The heat radiating inside the device warms the body, and the far-infrared rays produced when mugwort burns are said to help blood circulation.
However, some say that because what is done at moxibustion rooms operating without a licensed Korean medicine doctor is not a "medical act," therapeutic effects should not be expected.
Related content is also spreading quickly on social media. As of the 7th, Instagram has more than 5,000 posts on the theme of "mugwort moxibustion." Sometrend, a social media data analysis platform, analyzed that the user base of moxibustion rooms has recently shifted from people in their 50s and older to women in their 20s and 30s, and that it has entered a "habitual stage" of regular visits.
Owners of moxibustion rooms also agreed that the number of young female customers has jumped. A, who runs a moxibustion room in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, said, "In the past, many regulars were people undergoing infertility treatment, cancer treatment, and affluent housewives," adding, "Since this year, as the number of women in their 20s and 30s has increased, sales have also risen by about 30% to 50%." B, who owns a moxibustion room in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, also said, "These days, women in their 20s and 30s account for more than half of customers."
◇ Word of mouth on social media for cost-effectiveness... concerns about side effects too
Women in their 20s and 30s met at moxibustion rooms in Seoul cited cost-effectiveness as the appeal of mugwort moxibustion. One session costs between 30,000 won and 50,000 won.
A woman in her 20s, identified as A, said, "Since I started mugwort moxibustion, my menstrual cramps have decreased dramatically," adding, "Considering the effect, the price is not burdensome." Yang, 31, said, "I've always been interested in health and liked getting moxibustion at Korean medicine clinics, and after seeing it on social media, I decided to visit a moxibustion room."
Kim, 31, who recorded 1 million views with a "mugwort moxibustion" video on social media, explained the reason for posting related content by saying, "I've always been interested in health, and there's also a trend among this generation favoring a healthy lifestyle," adding, "Many of my friends don't know good methods for immune care, so I made a Reel to share."
Foreign customers are also said to be visiting moxibustion rooms. As it has become known as a traditional Korean folk remedy, there has been demand for reservations to try it.
Of course, not everyone who has tried mugwort moxibustion is satisfied. Kim, 31, who recently visited a moxibustion room, said, "I sweated a lot and felt refreshed, but I'm not sure what benefits it has compared with a jjimjilbang," adding, "There were also aspects that felt a bit uncomfortable in terms of hygiene."
Some also note that caution is necessary because the procedures are performed without medical licenses. Kim Seok-hee, a director at the Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM), said, "Moxibustion is not just a simple folk remedy but a treatment that can cause side effects such as burns or blisters," adding, "Depending on one's condition, symptoms may worsen, so an accurate diagnosis is needed."