Matina Lounge at Incheon Airport: A Pre-Flight Shower

2015-05-17 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

The day I returned to work after a trip to Japan with my mom, I sensed an unusual vibe. We sat in a small circle for a brief meeting, and everyone started talking with smiles on their faces, yet looking like they had made some sort of resolution.

"Sydney! We think you need to... go to Sydney."

Oh boy... so this is it. Australia right after coming back from Japan. To be exact, what scares me isn't the physical toll of getting on a plane again. Since it's a company trip, I don't have to worry much about booking flights, and they always put me up in pretty nice hotels, so the flights and accommodation are actually a plus rather than a problem. The problem is... English. In Japan, the locals don't speak English and neither do I, so it's like, "Hey, as long as we can communicate using hand gestures, it's fine, right?" But Australia is completely different. Plus, I'm not going there to spend money; it's a business trip where I have to go and say, "Please look favorably upon us~ haha~". In Australia, a 5-year-old could tutor me in English... I am so doomed.

I had a lot of luggage for this business trip, so by the time I arrived at the airport, my clothes were completely soaked in sweat. Sweating like this in February is a luxury in a way, but I don't have the bandwidth to enjoy such luxuries right now. I just feel sticky and incredibly annoyed. Since the flight is 10 hours long, I figured I needed to wash up somewhere. Then I remembered I had a Priority Pass (PP card) from my premium credit card, which meant I could take a shower in the lounge. I originally got the card to use the buffets, but it comes in handy like this too.

A passage with an illuminated sign indicating the entrance to the Transit Hotel and Matina Lounge. — Matina Lounge

An illuminated sign directing to the Transit Hotel and Matina Lounge is installed on the wall above a fire hydrant. — A photo that makes it painfully obvious I just snapped it quickly and rushed off to shower.

A hallway with signs for the men's and women's shower rooms hanging on a wooden wall. — I handed them my card and asked if I could shower, and they gave me a key and told me to use the women's shower room. It doesn't really matter since it locks and unlocks with a key anyway, but I was needlessly anxious about being mistaken for a pervert before even leaving the country.

Inside a shower room with a showerhead, shampoo dispenser, and hair dryer installed on the tiled wall. — It's a clean shower room.

A staff member and a customer are talking inside a lounge where beverage dispensers and buffet food are displayed. — Now that I've showered, it's time to fill my stomach.

A plate of fried rice and meat side dishes, cup ramen, and soup placed on a wooden table. — There isn't any spectacular food. The soup and instant ramen are the best out of the bunch.

A plate of sandwiches and bread, along with a glass of draft beer, placed on a table. — I brought a bit of everything, but in the end, it's just snacks to go with my beer... Still, it's better than airplane food.

A Korean Air passenger plane connected to a boarding bridge waiting outside the window on a dark night. — I've washed up and eaten well, so I'll be on my way now.

#Peanuts from Peanut Airlines #Matina Lounge seems a bit small #Always shower before a long flight