Korean bath houses come up in conversation and the reaction among foreign visitors is usually the same: high interest, moderate anxiety, and a lot of questions about what actually happens in there. Most of the anxiety centers on nudity, which is real but also considerably less uncomfortable in practice than most people expect. The other reaction, from almost everyone who actually goes, is that they wish they’d done it sooner. I’ve visited neighborhood bath houses (mokyoktang) many times and also been to the large upscale jjimjilbang experiences that are more suited for tourists. Both have their place. From young children to grandparents, Koreans visit bath houses as a regular part…