Authorities in South Hamgyong province are cracking down on private hairdressers and barbers, but young North Koreans who want personalized styles are still seeking the stylists out. Many now take only regular customers or make house calls to stay out of view.
A source told Daily NK on Wednesday that Hamhung’s People’s Committee, the city’s local governing body, ordered neighborhood offices late last month to crack down on private hairdressers and barbers.
The offices then directed neighborhood watch heads, known as inminbanjang, to act. These officials monitor households within a residential unit and report to local authorities.
Watch heads were told to identify anyone offering paid hair services out of private homes. They were ordered to report those people and stop the practice.
North Korean authorities have long encouraged people to use state-run convenience service facilities instead of private stylists. Demand for private hairdressers and barbers has not fallen, prompting the crackdown. These stylists typically set up mirrors, chairs and tools inside homes or storage sheds.
Higher prices do not deter customers seeking a personal touch
Private hairdressers and barbers who once hung signs advertising their services have taken them down since the crackdown intensified. They now serve only regular customers or people introduced by acquaintances.
A men’s haircut costs 5,000 North Korean won at a state-run facility, compared with 7,000 to 10,000 won for a private one. Despite the higher price, demand has stayed steady, since private stylists pay close attention to customer requests.
Young people with a strong sense of personal style are often unsatisfied with the standardized cuts at state-run salons and barbershops. Some travel to other neighborhoods based on word of mouth about a particularly skilled stylist.
“Young people who have found a stylist they trust will deliberately travel to other neighborhoods,” the source said. “That is what it takes to get their hair done the way they want.”
Neighborhood watch heads are now checking within their units for private hairdressers and barbers taking customers at home or in storage sheds. They were also warned they would be held responsible if they knew about such businesses and failed to report them. That warning has left many of the watch heads on edge.
Even so, private hairdressers and barbers are evading the scrutiny. Many have closed their shed doors and moved their tools elsewhere in the home. They now serve only regular customers or visit clients directly instead.
“This isn’t the first crackdown like this, so people just pretend to comply while the enforcement is underway,” the source said. Neighborhood watch heads have too many other duties to keep constant watch over one person.
Many private stylists have also built trust with their watch heads by readily fulfilling the non-tax burdens imposed on their neighborhood unit. Both factors, the source said, help the stylists stay under the radar.
Reporting from inside North Korea
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August 13, 2026 at 02:23AM
by DailyNK(North Korean Media)