Seven neighborhood salons designated starting this month; ramps, oversized capes and other accommodations provided
Disabled welfare recipients and near-poverty residents eligible for 10,000-won monthly discount
Seodaemun-gu is improving salon accessibility and reducing costs for residents with disabilities, who have long needed extra preparation and effort just to get a haircut.
The district office announced Monday that it has designated seven local hair salons as "disability-friendly salons" and launched the program this month.
The district laid the legal groundwork in July by enacting an ordinance on the installation, designation and support of disability-friendly hair and beauty facilities, then recruited participating salons and prepared for operations.
The program supplements existing neighborhood salons with equipment and facilities so that residents with disabilities can receive services within their own communities. After on-site inspections, the district installs ramps for easier entry and supplies each salon with items needed for hair and beauty services, including oversized capes.
The cost burden will also ease. Registered disabled residents of Seodaemun-gu who are basic livelihood recipients or near-poverty households are eligible for a 10,000-won ($7) monthly discount at designated salons.
At Daenggi Meori salon in Bukahyeon-dong, for example, the discount brings a women's cut from 18,000 won to 8,000 won and a men's cut from 15,000 won to 5,000 won — roughly 44 percent and 33 percent of the original prices, respectively. Prices vary by salon, so customers are advised to check in advance.
Residents wishing to use the service should bring their disability welfare card and proof of recipient or near-poverty status when visiting. The district reimburses the salons directly, so users do not need to apply for a refund afterward.
The seven designated salons across six neighborhoods are Daenggi Meori (Bukahyeon-dong), Hiro Hair Salon (Yeonhui-dong), Jun Hair Shop (Hongje 3-dong), Moar Hair (Hongeun 2-dong), Yedni Hair Shop (Namgajwa 2-dong), and Sunhui Hair Shop and Sharon salon (Bukgajwa 2-dong).
The district plans to recruit additional participating salons on a rolling basis to expand coverage by area, and will post locations, hours and instructions on the district office website and at neighborhood community centers. Feedback from users will also be incorporated to improve facilities and services.
Separately, the district is preparing to open a dedicated disability-friendly salon space on Segeomjeong-ro.
"No one should face a greater burden just because of a disability when doing something as ordinary as getting a haircut," Seodaemun-gu District Mayor Park Un-gi said. "We will check whether the designated salons are genuinely easy to use in practice, and expand the number of accessible locations in each residential area."
The district signed MOUs with all seven participating salons at the district mayor's office on Thursday. Under the agreements, the district handles facility improvements and supply costs, while the salons provide hair and beauty services to vulnerable disabled residents.
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