Studio Spotlight: J-Pole Fitness

Click here to read this post in Korean.

이 게시물을 한국어로 읽으려면 여기를 클릭하십시오.

There is nothing I love more than little old ladies.

They are the cutest, most curmudgeonly, sassiest beings on this green planet. They just don’t give a FUCK in their old age. I love grandmas so, so much. They are precious and must be protected at all costs.

The convenience store near my apartment is run by an older lady and her daughters. She likes me okay. However, this lady LOVES my boyfriend, and always gives him free snacks and pieces of chicken from the rotating metal food prison that always sits on the checkout counter.

I’m not even mad about it, I just wonder what she sees in him that she doesn’t see in me. 

I found out today that one of my coworkers is friends with this lady’s daughter, and you can bet your sweet happy ass that I will be visiting that GS for snickity snacks as soon as I can relay that connection. It’s who ya know!

ANYHOO, let’s talk shop.

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Studio spotlight

The focus of this feature is to celebrate the diversity of different pole dance studios around the world. Each has something unique to offer, whether it’s a different style, class offered, or an award-winning instructor. For now, let’s celebrate the ones that stumble into the path of this blog.

J-pole Fitness
(스튜디오 스포트라이트)

4th floor, 29, Wollang-ro, Jeju-si, Jeju-do
제주 제주시 월랑로 29 4층
telephone: 064-747-8097

Today’s post is an adage to my home studio here on Jeju-si: J-Pole Fitness

As the biggest studio on the island, J-Pole Fitness is home to eleven poles, an indoor tree, and one of the sweetest instructors on the face of the planet. Her name is 정희정, or Hui Jeong to waygooks like me. 

J-Pole Fitness, as a studio, is darker and more colorful than others in Korea. Lighting is everything, as we all know, and some deep purple-blue hues never hurt nobody. The lighting setup can be swapped out to match any dancer, and Hui Jeong has been known to trick out the studio for holidays as well.

Who doesn’t love bloodred Halloween lighting or soft, snowy white Christmas vibes? That is the stuff Insta dreams are made of.

J-Pole Fitness also offers ZUMBA classes intermittently, but the crux of the studio is the pole classes. 

Hui Jeong, The Light of My Life

Nothing but positivity here!

You don’t have to speak Korean to understand the inclusive nature of J-Pole Fitness, and this is because of the owner herself. 

Hui Jeong is an absolute sweetheart, and she takes people of any age and ability. I’ve taken classes with ten-year-olds and sixty-year-olds, and people with muscle and skin issues; she doesn’t turn anyone away. One of her students described her as “warm-hearted,” which has proved itself to be true over and over again.

Also, did I mention that she’s almost twice as old as me?

She’s not even close to a grandma (like we gushed about above) but she’s as badass as they come. This lady can spin circles over my head and I’m still sweating trying to invert. 

For the past year, I’ve continued to show up weekly (except for when pandemic restrictions rear their ugly heads) even though I can’t speak Korean and sometimes am at the mercy of Papago. Hui Jeong doesn’t even flinch when I pull out my phone to ask why I can’t nail a trick, or tell her about some life event. She reads it all with a huge smile.

Little orphan american

This post, in addition to a review, is also a homage. JPole became my home during the times that being away from home was especially rough. I may not know a lot of Korean, but to this place, it’s the applause and smiles that speak the loudest. 

SO, my pole friendarinos (and all of my friends, really) if you ever find yourself in this corner of the world, this is the place to visit.