📝 Day 5 – Grooming Schools & Structure Envy

Day 5 gave us something we hadn’t had all trip: a slower morning. We didn’t have to meet Harley until later, so after breakfast, Allison and I met up with Emily and her son and headed back to the canal to stretch our legs and reset our brains.

Colorful heart-themed art installation brightens a canal-side plaza surrounded by modern architecture.

This walk had everything — cherry blossoms, cute shops, weird art, and somehow... a full gym under an overpass? On the other side? A library. Like, what even? Who said urban design had to be boring? Not Korea, apparently.

We wandered, we admired, and of course, we hit the convenience store for the essentials: snacks and an ice cup. I swear, I’m going to dream about those little plastic cups of magic for the rest of my life.

Then it was time to link back up with Harley and start our school tour adventure — and let me tell you,

Enjoying artistic moments by the canal in Korea, perfectly framed with angelic wings.

if you like geeking out over how other groomers run their programs, this was a buffet.

🐾 Stop 1: Gimpo Grooming Academy – Vibes & Drafting Goals

Our first stop was Gimpo Grooming Academy, run by Jun Jaeyoung. From the outside, it wasn’t flashy — the building was older, and it definitely wasn’t the sterile, showroom-perfect vibe we’re so used to seeing online.

Logo for Gimpo Grooming Academy featuring a stylized pet with a bow tie and hat, set against a minimalist black and white background.

But once we walked in? I loved it.

It felt real. Not Pinterest-perfect. Clean, but lived in. Jun clearly worked with what he had — which, as someone running a school in a building from 1908, I deeply respect.

And then we saw the classroom. Y’all. They had students working on structure — with actual drafting tools. Like rulers, angles, labeled lines. I nearly cried. It was a grooming nerd’s dream. Jun made the workbooks himself,

and they were so beautifully laid out I immediately

Students at Gimpo Grooming Academy engage in a lesson on animal anatomy and structure using detailed diagrams on a monitor, fostering a thorough understanding of grooming techniques.

made a mental note:

I need to message him about this. The U.S. could use about 50 more schools doing exactly that.

🍜 Quick Ramen Hit – Delicious & Dangerous

Drying room equipped with tables, stools, and hair dryers at Gimpo Academy.

Lunch was fast food ramen, and as usual, Korea delivered. Spicy, flavorful, and just the right level of “I can’t feel my tongue but I’m not mad about it.”

Not naming names, but someone in our group couldn’t hang with the heat — which honestly just made it taste even better to the rest of us.

✂️ Stop 2: BEF Academy – Passion, Puppies & Terriers

Signage for BEF Academy, a grooming institute, displayed indoors beside a water cooler and a reflective glass door.

Next up was BEF Academy, run by Jewook Lee. This one was more modern, but still very human. You could tell it wasn’t just for show — it was a real working school with real students.

Jewook was ready for us with snacks (I was too full to function, but it was still sweet), and instead of trying to explain his program through translation, he drew it out for us with diagrams and charts. Genius. My burnt-out brain appreciated every second of that clarity.

Groomers at BEF Academy expertly perform handstripping on dogs, ensuring their coats are beautifully maintained.

And the passion? SO much passion. He teaches a full handstripping program — super rare in Korea, since terriers are still gaining popularity. We got to peek in on a room full of Westies and Schnauzer pups, and he even told us he’d recently won Best in Show at the Masters competition with a handstripped Schnauzer. We saw the photo — stunning.

🧼 Stop 3: Groomville – The Spotless Powerhouse

Last but definitely not least, we landed at Groomville,

Groomvill Academy's welcoming sign shares its vision of a harmonious village where pets and groomers thrive together, acknowledging the teamwork between adorable dogs and their dedicated caretakers.

and this one was what I originally imagined Korean grooming schools would be like. Ultra-modern. Spotless. Not a hair out of place, literally or figuratively.

But it wasn’t just pretty — it was smart. They sent me home with full copies of their workbooks (yes, all in Korean, but full of diagrams and images, and I’ve got Google Translate, so it’s game on).

Their curriculum included:

• Cleaning & tool maintenance

• Client communication

• Behavior and handling

• Creative grooming and color theory (which is still controversial in parts of Korea)

The head instructor, Sung-goo Ahn, went above and

Modern bathing room setup at Groomvill, featuring multiple washing stations equipped with sleek faucets and ample storage.

beyond. He gave us a mini-lesson on scissor handling and hand-strengthening exercises, and then casually showed us a technique for brushing out model dogs that made my prep time so much better.

It was one of those “I’m absolutely stealing this” moments.

🍽️ Dinner – Korean-Chinese Feast

The Groomville crew also took us to dinner at a Korean-Chinese restaurant, where — you guessed it — they fed us until we couldn’t move. I don’t know how people in Korea eat that much and still look like they

Grooming students at Groomvill Academy engage in a hands-on lesson with model dogs, surrounded by fluffy white materials, while a real dog curiously observes the activity.

jog for fun, but I was both impressed and physically defeated. Every bite? Worth it. Every food coma?

EARNED.

After that, we headed back to the hotel and had the rarest experience of the entire trip: a night of sleep without waking up drenched in sweat. Miracles do happen.

🌏 Cultural Differences – Day 5

• Underpass gym + bridge library = peak city planning. Functional. Beautiful. Unexpected. I’m obsessed.

• Not all grooming schools look like Instagram. And that’s okay — the best ones had personality and purpose, not just aesthetics.

• They teach real stuff. Structure, tool care, client communication — and they don’t treat it like filler.

• Food is a love language. And also possibly a challenge to see how much a human can hold.

• Creative grooming is still a little spicy culturally. Seeing it in a structured curriculum felt like watching the future arrive.

  
  

  

  A vibrant underpass in Korea transformed into a unique public library, featuring colorful columns and open shelves filled with books, inviting passersby to explore and read.

  
  

♿ Accessibility – Day 5

Geometric poodle design adorning the window of Groomvill Academy, adding a playful touch to the academy's entrance.

After three days of go-go-go, this one felt like the deep breath we all needed. There were fewer transitions, lots of time to observe and reflect, and way less overstimulation.

• Visual learners were thriving. Diagrams, workbooks, and physical models > spoken explanations 1000%.

• Google Translate came in clutch. Especially during conversations at dinner — slow but effective.

• The kindness didn’t slow down. From snack offers to surprise lessons, people continued to show up for us with warmth and zero judgment.

• We weren’t “other.” Even as foreigners touring Korean grooming schools, we were treated like peers, not curiosities.

💸 Spending Summary – Day 5

Item	Amount (USD)	Notes
Meals (Lunch + Dinner)	Included	Thank you, Groomville ❤️
Snacks & Ice Cup	Included	Part of our Harley adventure
Transport + Tours + Day with Harley	Included	Full day of chauffeuring, education, and care
Total Spent	$100.00	For meals, snacks, transit, and being spoiled all day

An engaging sculpture by a canal in Korea depicts children playing, capturing a moment of playful interaction and joy.

$100 for a full day of VIP treatment, grooming nerd joy, food comas, and educational inspiration? I’ve spent more for way less.

💤 End of Day 5 – Final Thoughts

Getting to tour these schools gave me more than ideas — it gave me perspective. Every single place had strengths. Every one had gaps. And none of them were trying to be perfect. They were just trying to be better, every day. That’s exactly what we should all be

Allison sits thoughtfully at the underpass library, surrounded by greenery and playful sculptures.

doing.

This was the one day I wasn’t on a stage or behind a grooming table, and yet I still felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be. It was nourishing in every way — mind, body, spirit, and yes, stomach.