Korean Perm Photos: Curls from Seoul
A digital perm at a seminar in March and a cold perm on thin rods in August: from winding to soft, moving curls after drying.
Oksana Prisyazhnaya, founder and editor. 20 October 2026, Gangnam, Seoul
In short. Below are photos and videos of Korean perms that the editors took themselves at MASSTIGE HAIR Academy in Seoul: a digital perm at a seminar in March 2026 and a cold perm on thin rods during one-to-one training in August 2026. They show what the winding looks like, what happens to the curl after rinsing and what it becomes after drying.
Digital perm: a seminar in Seoul, March 2026
In March the magazine's founder Oksana Prisyazhnaya attended a MASSTIGE HAIR Academy seminar on restorative digital perm with Beati solutions. The academy instructor Hong Jihoon demonstrated the technique on models.
A digital perm is done on heated rollers, which the profession calls rods. The rods are wired to a machine; the temperature on the hair is 60-120 °C, and the mode is chosen for the hair and changes as the procedure goes on.
Cold perm: after drying, after rinsing, wound on thin rods. August 2026
Cold perm on thin rods: training in Seoul, August 2026
In August Oksana Prisyazhnaya took one-to-one training in cold perm and root volume with TENGRITY solutions at the same academy. No machine is needed here: the hair is wound on thin rods, and the solution and time set the shape.
On a live model the instructor wound the hair on pink rods and secured them with bands. The photos show how the curl changes: right after rinsing the spiral is tight, and after drying with a diffuser it opens up and gains volume.
How to read Korean perm photos
- Dry or wet hair. Right after the procedure and after drying, the curl looks different. Go by photos taken on dry hair: that is how the perm looks in everyday life.
- Rod diameter. The large rods in the March photos gave a large wave, the thin rods in August a small spiral. The shape of the curl is set first of all by the diameter the hair was wound on.
- Length and density. The same technique looks different on long, thick hair and on a bob. For your own reference, look for photos with a similar length and density.
- Test strand. At the academy in Seoul we were advised to perm a test strand on the lower back of the head first. That is the most accurate "before and after" photo on your own hair.
More on haircuts and perms is in the Hair section. For stylists who want to see the technique live in Seoul: the 2027 training programme.
Perm prices in Seoul
Measured 24.08.2026 from salon menus, Koreabridge.
Converted at the Bank of Russia rate for 24.08.2026
Questions
What does a Korean perm look like in photos?
It depends on the technique and the rod diameter. The digital perm photos from the Seoul seminar show a large, soft wave on long hair. The cold perm photos on thin rods show a small spiral curl along the full length.
Why do curls look different in perm photos?
The shape is set by the diameter of the rods, the length and density of the hair, and when the photo was taken: right after the procedure or after drying.
Where can I see Korean perm before and after photos?
The most reliable is a test strand on your own hair: at the academy in Seoul we were advised to do one before the procedure. Other people's photos are useful as a reference if their hair length and density are similar to yours.
How long does a Korean perm last?
A digital perm lasts up to 6 months, a cold perm usually 3-5 months, longer on thick hair.
What does a Korean perm look like on long hair?
On long hair, a digital perm on large rods gives a wave from mid-length to the ends, while the hair stays smooth at the roots, as in the March photos from the Seoul seminar.
Curls like these are done in Moscow at the Versiya Lab studio: from 18,000 ₽ for a bob to 39,000 ₽ for hair below the waist.
Prices as of 13.10.2026