Retreat Signiel Spa (Lotte Hotels & Resorts) 86 floors above Seoul, inside Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, the country's most expensive spa treatment unfolds over four hours with guests wrapped in warm, edible chocolate.At Retreat Signiel Spa, the Chocolate Whole Body course runs 240 minutes and costs 1.5 million won ($1,000), the highest price of any spa program in Korea. Presented as the world's first full-body chocolate treatment, it draws on cacao's polyphenols and theobromine, delivered through heat meant to loosen the body and settle the mind.The experience begins at the door. A staff member greets each guest, walks them through the program and pours a welcome tea from a ceramic pot into silver-finished cups. A therapist then hands over a condition checklist and asks which areas the guest wants to focus on.Guests are led to a private room with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the Seoul skyline, each with its own shower. The lights stay dimmed throughout. French spa brand Bernard Cassiere products used for the Chocolate Whole Body course at Retreat Signiel Spa (Lotte Hotels & Resorts) The treatment splits into body and facial work. The body session opens with a 40- to 50-minute scrub, followed by a cocoa butter massage lasting up to two hours and a chocolate mapping. The facial moves through cleansing, deep cleansing, massage and a mask made with 64 percent cacao edible chocolate, a collaboration between chocolatier Walter Bovetti and French spa brand Bernard Cassiere."This is a demanding course that requires precise technique matched to the guest's breathing and body rhythm, and only senior therapists with more than 10 years of experience handle it, delivering customized care," Retreat Signiel Spa said.Tea and refreshments close the session. Singer Lee Chae-yeon documented the chocolate massage on YouTube about a year ago. (YouTube) At that price, verified reviews are scarce. Singer Lee Chae-yeon documented the chocolate massage on YouTube about a year ago, offering a rare look inside.The clientele skews toward those marking an occasion or passing through the city."This is our most premium program, so people book it as a gift to themselves, or overseas guests take it during their stay. Regular customers don't often request it. We get soccer players and some foreign celebrities," a therapist at the spa said.Retreat Signiel Spa operates from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Beyond the chocolate course, it offers signature facials and body therapies from Swiss brand Les Nouvels and France's Bernard Cassiere, a maternity wellness program, an oil atelier and couple suites with private bathtubs.This series looks at the latest lifestyles of the ultrarich. — Ed.