What happens when your Korean best friend takes you home, introduces you to his culture, and decides the two of you need an entire weekend dedicated to glowing up?
Apparently, you eat really well, get naked at a Korean spa, sweat in approximately seven different saunas, eat enough shaved ice to feed a small wedding, laser your face, get your nails done, hike through Georgia woods, and learn a few Korean words along the way.
And honestly?
I highly recommend it.
This wasn’t just a girls’ getaway. It wasn’t quite a spa weekend. And it definitely wasn’t a typical Atlanta vacation.
It was my Korean anti-aging weekend; a weekend of friendship, culture, food, beauty, relaxation and a little bit of laughter about getting older.
And it started with one of my favorite people in the world.
When My Korean Bestie Took Me Home
I flew directly from Tulsa, Oklahoma, with Delta Airlines to Atlanta with my Korean best friend for a quick weekend getaway.
As we drove from the airport toward Buford, I started noticing something I wasn’t expecting.
Korean signs.
Korean restaurants.
Korean grocery stores.
Korean beauty businesses.
Korean cafés.
It felt like we had driven into another little world tucked inside metro Atlanta.
My friend kept telling me, “You’re going to love it. It’s like a little Korean town.”
He wasn’t kidding.
But the biggest part of the weekend wasn’t actually the beauty treatments.
It was meeting his family.
This was the first time he had ever brought a woman home to meet his parents, and it meant something to both of us. I’ve always been fascinated by other cultures, but growing up Irish-Scottish with a redheaded dad and Native American mom, Korean culture wasn’t something I had personally experienced beyond the fact that two of my favorite people happen to be Korean.
My friend has spent years living in my world and navigating American culture, including choosing an American name because, as he explained, it simply made life easier in the world we live in.
This weekend gave me a chance to step into his.
And his family welcomed me with food.
Lots and lots of food.
A Korean Lunch Made With Love
His mother prepared a beautiful Korean lunch for us, and much of it came from his family’s own garden.
There were soy-seasoned black beans, leafy vegetables, garlic, kimchi, anchovies, peppers, tofu, beef with onions, eggplant, seaweed, and, of course, sticky rice.
Everything was fresh, colorful, and incredibly flavorful.
I tried everything.
And I loved it.
What struck me most wasn’t simply the food itself. It was the way food was connected to family, gardening, and taking care of one another.
After lunch, we had something I’d never experienced before: lemons and honey that had been marinating together for about two weeks.
Add a little water, and you’ve got a simple, refreshing drink.
It was one of those little moments that made me realize how much there is to learn when you step outside your normal routine.
My First Korean Spa Experience
Then came the part of the weekend that I was simultaneously excited about and slightly terrified of.
Our first Korean body scrub.
If you’ve never experienced a Korean spa before, let me set the scene: welcome to Spa Land.
You arrive, change clothes, and head into separate men’s and women’s areas. After soaking in a hot tub, you are brought to a massage-style plastic table.
And then you realize something very quickly:
Modesty is not really part of the program.
😂
The women performing the treatments are completely professional, and the experience is treated as an ordinary part of their workday. Once I realized that, I stopped worrying about it and just surrendered to the experience.
And then came the scrub.
And when I say she scrubbed me from head to toe, I mean HEAD. TO. TOE.
I was twisted around like a pretzel so she could get every bit of dead skin.
A little public service announcement for my fellow 40-somethings: those plastic tables are VERY slippery when they’re wet. When it’s time to flip over, proceed with caution. 😂
I learned this the hard way.
As I turned over, I nearly slid right off the table and onto the floor. I mean, we’re talking full-on Korean spa slip-and-slide with my 40-year-old body.
My scrub lady immediately went, “Oh! Oh! Oh!” as she tried to catch me, and we both started laughing.
Nothing like nearly launching yourself naked onto the floor to break the ice with your spa technician. 😂
So, if you try a Korean body scrub, remember: flip carefully, hold on, and don’t let your confidence exceed the traction of the plastic table.
At one point I thought, surely there cannot possibly be anything left.
There was.
A lot.
Afterward, I was coated in oil, had my hair washed, and sent back to shower.
My skin felt incredibly smooth.
And my face. All glowing. A little from embarrassment, a lot from the scrub-down.
Korean Saunas: From Charcoal to Cold Therapy
After the body scrub, I met back up with my bestie in the main spa area. We took a few minutes to compare notes and laugh about the happenings in our separate areas, because, of course, we had to hear all about each other’s experience. 😂 Then, feeling completely relaxed and wonderfully clean, we moved on to enjoy the rest of what the spa had to offer.
This was where the experience really became a full wellness day.
We tried several different rooms and treatments, including:
- Oxygen sauna
- Charcoal sauna
- Jade sauna
- Gold and pyramid sauna
- Infrared beds
- Rock salt sauna
- Cold room
- Resting and meditation areas
Each room had its own wellness concept, and the spa explained the different ways they are intended to support relaxation and overall well-being.
We also stopped for snacks and drinks, including fresh pear and tangerine beverages and fruit imported from Korea.
One of the things I found fascinating was hearing about the Korean jjimjilbang tradition: large Korean bathhouses and sauna facilities where people can spend hours relaxing, eating, resting, and socializing.
My friend’s family told me that at some 24-hour Korean spas, people may stay overnight.
And suddenly my American idea of a “spa day” seemed very small.
This was more like a wellness lifestyle.
Then We Found the Korean Shaved Ice
After spending hours getting scrubbed, soaked, steamed, and relaxed, we needed nourishment.
Or so we told ourselves.
Next door was Twohas Cafe, where we ordered one of their famous Korean shaved ice desserts.
But we didn’t choose the ordinary one.
Of course not.
We ordered the strawberry cheesecake bingsu.
And then it arrived.
Massive doesn’t begin to describe it.
The presentation itself was part of the experience, with the giant dessert arriving dramatically surrounded by dry ice.
We had ordered it to share.
I’m pretty sure it could have fed twelve people.
We added a caramel macchiato because apparently we hadn’t consumed enough sugar or caffeine that day, and eventually made our way back to our Airbnb to sit near the fire pit and recover.
Because Day Two was going to require beauty stamina.
Day Two: Lasers, Brows & More Korean Beauty
The next morning started simply with fruit, coffee, and Korean roasted eggs.
If you’ve never had Korean roasted eggs, they’re cooked for a long time in a pressure cooker until the whites turn darker and the texture becomes chewy and almost caramelized.
No salt required.
Then it was time for the serious part of our anti-aging weekend.
Oligio + YAG Genesis
I had an Oligio treatment and YAG Genesis 3000 brightening treatment, along with nano-brow work at Med Spa Raum.
My Korean friend was also getting treatments, but our recommendations weren’t exactly the same.
One of the interesting conversations we had with the spa professionals was about how skin characteristics and treatment responses can differ between individuals and ethnic backgrounds.
The providers explained that certain lasers and treatments may be selected differently depending on skin type, pigmentation, and the individual’s goals.
That was actually one of my biggest takeaways:
There isn’t one magic anti-aging treatment that works for everyone.
Your skin, your history, your goals, and the expertise of the person treating you all matter.
For me, the focus was brightening and overall rejuvenation.
For my friend, some of his recommendations were different, including YAG and Ultherapy.
And I learned that my next possible treatment might be another Oligio session along with some Ultherapy around my lower face and under-chin area.
I’m still deciding.
**A quick note on the results: I saw immediate results from the laser treatment, and I’m expecting to see even more improvement over the next few weeks. My Oligio treatment was around $800, and one of the things I loved was that there was no downtime. Oligio is designed to stimulate collagen production, so I’m excited to see how the results continue to develop.
And Stella’s work on my brows was phenomenal. Her attention to detail was incredible. Rather than using a machine, she used a hand tool to create individual, realistic-looking brow hairs, which made the finished result look much more natural to me.
I had a very different experience with a brow treatment I had done in Oklahoma a few years ago. That technician used a machine, and after spending seven hours in the chair and $800, I still found myself drawing in my brows every day. Needless to say, that felt like $800 down the drain. 😬
Stella’s work was around $450, and I am already much happier with the result. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for, but in this case, I actually paid half the price and walked away much more impressed.
***If you’d like to hear more about these treatments & others I have personally tried, take a look at my latest blog: “What I’ve Actually Done To My Face.”
Nails Because Apparently We Were Doing Everything
After lasers and brows, we went to Bogan Nails & Spa for manicures and pedicures.
I chose acrylic with a classic white tip.
And yes, I know what you’re thinking:
Why would a woman who owns acreage and stages homes choose white acrylic nails?
Because I apparently enjoy making life difficult for myself. 😂
Between working around my acreage and staging homes for my real estate business, I am hard on my hands.
But sometimes a little pampering is worth it.
A Walk Through the Georgia Woods
After all that beauty work, we needed to move.
We headed to the Ivy Creek Greenway and walked toward Woodward Mill Dam.
This ended up being one of my favorite parts of the weekend.
There is something about stepping underneath those enormous Georgia trees after spending hours inside a spa that resets your brain.
The trail offered shade and partial sun, a peaceful natural setting, and a small man-made waterfall with cool water.
We slowed down.
We breathed.
We stretched.
And we just enjoyed being outside.
One thing I couldn’t stop noticing was the crepe myrtles.
Georgia grows some massive crepe myrtles!
Meanwhile, my Oklahoma crepe myrtles seem to spend years fighting for their lives just to make it past six feet.
And don’t even get me started on the fungus and aphids.
Apparently Georgia has been keeping secrets.
Then We Found the Cutest Breakfast Spot
One of my favorite meals of the weekend came at Brunch Apothecary.
It is housed in a charming 1907 home that was moved to its current location by the Filipino family who purchased it.
As a Realtor and someone who loves historic homes, you can imagine that I was already sold before breakfast arrived.
The house itself creates such a cozy atmosphere, and the food was just as enjoyable.
I had whipped coffee and a homemade biscuit, and it was the perfect combination of historic-home charm and modern brunch.
This is exactly the kind of place I look for when I travel:
somewhere with a story.
Not just somewhere to eat.
Nau Myunok
At Naju Myunok, we had a completely different kind of Korean dining experience.
One of the things that stood out to me was the beef bone broth, which was served in carafes so you could pour it yourself and sip it throughout the meal.
There was something about that experience that felt so simple and traditional.
Fresh food, warm broth, and dishes designed to be shared around the table.
It was another reminder that Korean food isn’t just about what ends up on your plate—there’s a whole culture of gathering and sharing around the food.
KPOT
Then there was KPOT, which was basically the opposite end of the Korean dining spectrum. 😂
This was the fun, energetic all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ and hot pot experience, with a two-hour time limit.
You choose your meats and other ingredients, cook them right at the table, and keep the food coming.
Let’s just say there was no shortage of food.
After all the fresh vegetables, family-style dishes, and traditional foods we’d been eating, this was a completely different experience, but just as much fun. The flavors and mixes are endless; did I have questions about what half of the items were? Yes. Did I enjoy it all? Of course!
And yes, we absolutely took advantage of the two-hour window. Including the finale of ice cream & watermelon.
Korean Food, Family & the Philosophy of Aging
We also had dinner at a Korean restaurant where beef bone broth is served in carafes that you pour yourself.
The meal was filled with fresh foods and traditional Korean flavors.
Throughout the weekend, food and aging kept coming up in conversation.
My friend’s family members are incredibly active. His parents are in their 80s and still garden, build things, maintain their property, and create their own outdoor spaces.
They don’t seem to have gotten the memo that they’re “supposed” to slow down.😂
His family also talked about the importance of family responsibility in Korean culture, including the expectation that adult children often care for aging parents and may bring them into their homes.
That part of Korean culture really stayed with me.
Aging isn’t simply something to fight.
It’s something you prepare for, participate in, and experience as part of family life.
And maybe that is part of what I loved most about the weekend.
We were spending time trying to look younger, sure.
But we were also learning about how to live well as we get older.
“White People Are Like Milk…”
At some point during the weekend, my Korean bestie looked at me and said:
“White people are like milk. We have an expiration date.”
I laughed so hard.
And yet…
There was a little truth hiding inside the joke.
We’re all aging.
Every single one of us.
We can spend thousands on skincare, lasers, injectables, facials, and treatments, and I am absolutely going to enjoy doing some of those things, but the bigger goal should be feeling good in the skin we’re living in.
Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to mean obsessing over every wrinkle.
It can mean eating fresh food.
Moving your body.
Getting enough rest.
Spending time with people who make you laugh.
Taking care of your skin.
Getting outside.
Trying something completely unfamiliar.
And occasionally letting someone scrub every last piece of dead skin off your body while you question every life decision that brought you there. 😂
What I Learned From My Korean Anti-Aging Weekend
I went to Atlanta thinking I was going to have a weekend of beauty treatments.
I came home with something much more meaningful.
1. Self-care can be an experience.
It doesn’t have to be a bath and a face mask at home.
Sometimes self-care is booking the flight.
2. Food is part of wellness.
Fresh ingredients, vegetables, seafood, fermented foods, and homegrown produce were woven into so much of our weekend.
3. Aging well is bigger than skincare.
The most inspiring part wasn’t necessarily the lasers.
It was watching people in their 80s still gardening, walking, building, cooking, and taking care of their homes.
4. Friendship is good for you.
There is something incredibly special about having a friend who invites you into their world and says, essentially, “Come see where I come from.”
5. You can always learn something new.
I learned about Korean food.
Korean spa traditions.
A few Korean words.
Different approaches to beauty.
And a completely different perspective on aging.
A Few Korean Words I Learned
I didn’t exactly become fluent over one weekend.
But I did learn a couple of words.
Yeoboseyo (여보세요) — Hello, commonly used when answering the phone.
And I picked up juyeo (주여), which is used in Korean Christian contexts as “Lord or Hallelujah”
My vocabulary may still need some work.
But I’m working on it. 😂
Would I Do It Again?
Absolutely.
In fact, I would probably do it again with a little more time.
I’d spend an extra day exploring the Korean community around Buford, Suwanee, and Duluth, visit more Korean cafés and bakeries, try more traditional foods, spend more time at the spa, and explore some of the historic areas around Buford.
Because that’s what made this trip special.
It wasn’t simply about trying to look younger.
It was about feeling alive.
About friendship.
About culture.
About taking care of yourself.
About getting outside of your normal routine and remembering that there are still so many things you’ve never tried.
And maybe that’s the real secret to staying young.
Keep learning.
Keep laughing.
Keep traveling.
Keep surrounding yourself with people who make you happy.
And every once in a while…
Let somebody scrub you like a dirty casserole dish.
You’ll glow afterward. ✨
Where We Stayed: The Airbnb That Felt Like Someone Cared
If you decide to head to this area for your own Korean-inspired getaway, I also have to tell you about the cutest little Airbnb we found. It was one of those places where you could immediately tell the owners actually cared about their guests. All of the little details were thought out, and those little touches made our stay feel comfortable, welcoming, and genuinely special.
It was a two-bedroom Airbnb just a few miles from my bestie’s family, which made it the perfect home base for our weekend. But one of my favorite parts of the property was the outdoor space. There was a fire pit, some land to wander around, and these gorgeous, towering Georgia trees that made the whole place feel like a little escape of its own.
We fully utilized that space. In the mornings, we’d sit outside with our coffee and our phones, answering emails and taking care of a little work while enjoying the peaceful surroundings. In the evenings, we’d head back outside, build a little bonfire, and unwind under those huge Georgia trees.
And then there were the cats. 🐈⬛❤️
A few adorable fur balls roamed the property and were more than happy to provide us with some much-needed fur-baby love. Between the coffee, the fire, the trees, and the cats, there were moments when it honestly felt like we had our own little retreat tucked away in Georgia.
Sometimes it’s the unexpected parts of a trip that end up being your favorite—and this little Airbnb was definitely one of them.
If you want to check out the cute two-bedroom Airbnb where we stayed, you can find it here:
[https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1531151924550213032?guests=1&c=.pi129.pkpast_trip_share_virality&s=67&unique_share_id=a5ba5937-1e5e-40b4-873d-aa8348667d18 ]
A Final Thought
There is a line I’ve been carrying with me lately:
“Even in our darkest moments, we are being guided toward a brighter light.”
Maybe getting older isn’t about trying to stop time.
Maybe it’s about making sure we’re actually living while it’s passing.
And if a Korean spa, a giant bowl of strawberry cheesecake bingsu, a historic house, a hike under Georgia trees, and a weekend with one of my favorite people can help me do that…
I’ll take it.
Here’s to aging, glowing, and living a little more wholeheartedly. ❤️
