Seoul Night Life Part 1: Itaewon
Monday, October 19, 2009 at 4:38PM Seoul is a great city to party in. It's one of those cities where there are people out every night of the week. Sure, on weekdays your selection isn't that great, but on the weekends you'll be spoiled for choice with your friends spread out all over the city all having fun in the different neighborhoods scattered around the city.
There's a lot to the night life in Seoul, so I'm going to start by just naming and giving a brief overview of the major neighborhoods in Seoul that are great for partying it up at night.
In this first part, I'm going to talk about Itaewon, much maligned as the seedy underbelly of Seoul...
It has a bad name. Many Koreans have never been, and most have heard that it's dirty and dangerous. The reality is that while it may be a bit on the dingier side, in that the buildings and their interiors tend to be old, it's really just a stigma that comes from the fact that it's located near a US military base.
The proximity of the base and the businesses that have sprung up to serve the soldiers, means that it's where foreigners tend to congregate since virtually everything is in English. There are many products that are impossible to get anywhere else in Korea, and services are set up with the needs of foreigners in mind.
The real difference between Itaewon and other areas of Seoul, is that foreigners tend to let their debauchery hang out whereas Koreans like to keep it tucked in the back alley where no one will notice. There's even an area within Itaewon called hooker hill!
And while I did hear about one girl who got smashed in the head with a bottle by another woman(competition's a bitch, isn't it?), I haven't heard of or seen any fights breaking out.
Day time in Itaewon is great. The variety of restaurants is astounding and you can get your hands on just about anything you crave. Lots of cool bars and pubs, and a few nice lounges sprinkled here and there.
A quick and very brief listing of venues in no particular order:
- B1: For partying it up, you can go to here almost any night and there will be at least a few people there. This is a place frequented by foreigners so most of the patrons will speak pretty decent English. Recently this is the hot spot in Itaewon and there's always a huge lineup on weekends. It's just around the corner from KFC
- Naked: New place, just above B1, it's a decent alternative. There's no line to get in but recently they've been charging on weekends. The crowd is a step or two below B1 with more foreign chicks.
- Helios: Especially well known for it's seediness, lots of dancing and drunken yelling from the balconies to the streets below. Usually best on weekends, but a good crowd is usually there on Thursday's as well. Across from the Dunkin' Donuts. The trannies peddling their wares right next to the entrance are the giveaway that you've arrived.
- Loft: Right next to or above Dunkin' Donuts, this place can get lively. I'm not a big fan myself, but obviously some people like it. Very Koreans have been there when I've gone and those that are there are the minority in a larger group of foreigners. Seems like a good place to get sloshed.
- Hive: I've only been here once for a friends event. Cool atmosphere, and decent layout. It's up on Hooker hill near Kings(?).
- Gecko's: Pub on the corner of the main Itaewon intersection on the 2nd floor. Nice pleace, good atmosphere, and decent food. When I've been there, it wasn't such a mingle type place. Mostly people sitting at discreet tables having a drink or dinner with friends. Of course, I've never been there all that late at night, so I can't be certain.
- Wolfhound: A pub around the corner from Gecko's down the hill this place is a bit cozier so it's more mingle-y. Also, while Gecko's tends to be subdued, this place has more vibrancy and tends to be somewhat loud and social, especially on the 2nd floor.
- Bricx: Up the narrow street that B1 is on and around the corner to the left, Bricx is actually a Martini Bar and Hookah lounge chain. Lots of sofa's and dark atmosphere make it perfect for intimate conversation. Especially recommended as a bounce location. Some of my clients have actually met girls there. Ladies drink free on Thursdays.
- JJs: My personal Itaewon favorite. Located up the hill in the basement of the Grand Hyatt, it's not frequented by local foreigners much. Those that are there tend to be older, upper management types who are staying at the Hyatt during a business trip. Honestly, the layout isn't that great. It's really hard to lock in against the bar because too many seats, and there are lots of bottlenecks. The patio is awesome when it's open in the spring, summer and fall. The dance floor is quite small and the music is bad enough that most people would rather talk than dance. The women tend to be in their mid- to late 20s and up and a good number of them speak English quite well.
- Seoul Pub: Only went there once and didn't like the atmosphere much. Seemed like a bar for serious drinkers, rather than a fun, lively hang-out space, or a chill intimate space. Old interior.
Just a few spots to get started. I may add some, or more details about some in a future post. If you've got comments, suggestions, disagreements, or places you think I should have mentioned that I didn't, post a comment below.
Reader Comments (4)
hello
just signed up and wanted to say hello while I read through the posts
hopefully this is just what im looking for looks like i have a lot to read.
Glad to have you. By all means if there's anything that you'd like to hear more about, let me know. I haven't written a part 2 for this post yet by the way.
You in Seoul?
hello! ive been looking for a list such as this. really appreciate it. thanks a bunch!
Glad to help...the next one will be about either Hongdae or Gagnam