Catching a bite...

Welcome to Dr. Fish. There are a number of boutiques in South Korea where, for 2,000 KRW, you can submerge your feet in a tank full of skin-hungry guppies for 15 minutes. The establishment I visited was more of a coffee/book cafe. Here, this bargain, of course, can only be purchased after you have ordered a 5,000 KRW latte, accompanied with an all-you-can-eat bread buffet.

Squirmophobes, beware, this one's a tickler. I'll admit, sans exaggeration that I laughed for a solid 7 minutes upon my initial plunge. My chingu (Korean for "friend") Matt put the feeling perfectly, "It feels like a million electric shocks," kind of like your feet have fallen asleep and are now waking up from the outside-in. Albeit, the concept is a little gross -- the same fish that have sucked the skin off of everyone else that day are now regurgitating their fungi all over your peds. Similar to the AIDS transmitting mosquito myths, I get it. Though some have advised me to preserve my own personal hygiene, I did not heed their warnings.The friendly attendant gave my piggies a thorough hose-down pre- and post-fish feast. Call me naive, but this reassured my germ worries. Afterwards, I was even given an anti-bacterial spray-down. So they have their bases covered.

All-in-all, I got a little tickle, exfoliation and pseudo-exotic spa treatment in one stop. Though the fish didn't visibly rid my rugged feet of absolutely all af their extra-dermis, it was worth the dough, for sure. You may wonder, What kind of fish are these? Guppies? Goldfish? Algae-eaters? And I shall answer, Doctor Fish.