HELLO!

since my old post was.. really old. here’s a new one! many like Vanguard and NB2 Gangnam closed down.. but don’t fret because there are still a handful more! clubs are mainly located at Hongdae, Gangnam and Itaewon.

NOTE : please bring your passports if you want to go to a bar/club in Korea because without it, you will be denied entry. it doesn’t matter if you’re 30, you’ll still have to flash your passport/alien card. some places gives discounts to foreigners too! most clubs in Korea are free for all but if you’re way over 30, you might not blend in with the crowd and some places might deny your entry (it’s sad I know T_T). there are also a bunch of bars who don’t accept foreigners but if you’re going to a club there’s not much problems for foreigners. there are also locker rentals (3,000-5,000won) in most all clubs so don’t worry if you have a huge coat during the winter or an extra backpack. it’ll be safe ;).

NOTE 2 : although most clubs in Hongdae does not have a strict dress code, avoid full suits (black), slippers, training suits when entering a club in Korea as they might deny your entry. they may deny your entry for some stupid reasons sometimes relating to your appearance so it’s better to dress nicely than to get denied for entry.

here’s a helpful site for clubbing in Seoul and I have a list taken from Reddit at the end of my post and I will just state the ones I recommend in detail. I stopped clubbing but anyways, here’s my top 3 clubs!

1. Club Octagon (Gangnam)
address : Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Nonhyeon-dong 152 (Below New Hilltop Hotel)
open : Thursday, Friday, Saturday
hours : 10PM-7AM
cover charge : Thursday – FREE!/Friday&Saturday -30,000won (10,000won before 11PM, FREE after 4AM)
genre : Electronic, House, Trance etc. (songs after 12/1 are nicer!)
dress code : NO slippers, shorts, training suits.
locker charge : 5,000won
cost of average drink : 10,000-15,000won
cost of average bottle : 300,000won
contact no. : +82(0)2516-8847 (landline), +82(0)10-9031-0808
how to get there : get off at Hakdong Station 학동역 (line 7) exit 4, stick to the same side of the road and walk up the slope for 5 minutes. it will be on your right. OR get off at Yoksam Station 역삼역 (line 2) exit 6, same side of the road, walk straight for 15minutes. 5minutes by taxi. I’d suggest taxi if you’re in Gangnam to avoid walking in heels, or in the cold. if you take the taxi, tell them to go to New Hilltop Hotel at Gangnam.
comments : my personal favourite. even though I’ve stopped clubbing for a while, I really don’t mind going there once in a while just to gawk at all the pretty girls. the truth about clubbing in Korea is that most people go to clubs to pick up “someone” instead of enjoying themselves so you might have to digest the fact that most people are there to try to look their best instead of dancing. many famous people have been there like Skillrex, Jamie XX (I SAW HIMM!!! people named Jamie is awesome), Mystique… just to name a few. I saw 2PM there too (pure coincidence!) and I heard many Korean artists go there. I met uh.. Lee Yong Dae (Korea’s famous badminton player) there as well though I thought he wasn’t a nice person. I’m not as lucky but my friend met (like MET.) people like SNSD, Jay Park etc walking around at the VIP area. I go there for DJ KOO most of the time (some of my friends don’t like his music but oh well..) and they have the most good looking DJ’s so far.

some Koreans don’t like girls who frequents Octagon as they think that Korean girls who goes to Octagon are gold-diggers and those who value class a lot since it’s an expensive club. but to me.. the music’s great! some girls might be trying too hard in Octagon with the super sexy clothing but ain’t that a good view for us foreigners anyways? =P.

here’s an old picture of me outside Octagon.

2. TheA Hall (Gangnam/Yeoksam)
address : Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Yeoksam-dong 701-1 (below Art Nouveau)
open : Thursday, Friday, Saturday
hours : 10PM-9AM
cover charge : 30,000won
genre : Electronic
cost of average drink : 15,000won
cost of average bottle : 300,000won~
contact no. : +82-10-2025-1400
how to get there : get off Yeoksam Station and you’ll be there in no time!
comments : I’ve really only been there twice. it wasn’t really big but they always get the big shots to come. for example.. Steve Aoki, Justin Bieber, GD… just to name a few that I’ve heard haha. not a big fan of the music but always had quite a crazy young crowd on the floor and older peeps on the sides. but it’s currently under construction and I heard it’s going to be even huger. where their name will be changed to TheA Hall. I can’t wait! it should be open by March!

3. Ellui (Cheongdamdong)
address : 129, Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
open : Friday, Saturday
hours : 10PM-6AM
cover charge : 15,000won weekdays, 30,000won weekends. 1 drink included. world DJ playing? 30,000~60,000won. free entry before 1 (check their facebook page. sometimes you only have to show their page on your phone to get a free entry)
genre : Electronic
cost of average drink : 10,000won
cost of average bottle : 300,000won~
contact no. : 1577-9669
how to get there : get off Chungdam Station 청담역 (line 7) exit 13. walk straight from there, cross the road and you’ll be there at about 11minutes. if not, you can tell the taxi driver to get to Ellui Hotel, remember, it’s pronounced as ell-lu-ii. ^^.
comments : it’s new and renovated. I’ve been there once after the renovation. long queues but pretty good music. the sound system is pretty good now and it is still super huge. it feels less dodgy after the renovation and everything looks better. they cater a younger crowd and a lot of foreigners hit Ellui. loads of eye candies and people here are more approachable compared to Octagon.

4.  Club NB 2 & Harlem (Hongdae)
famous hip hop club owned by YG Entertainment (yes, Big Bang. friend met Seungri here. he talked to her!) people here wears sneakers into the club. since it’s a hip hop club you shall not find that surprising. girls here are less appealing but the music’s great (for me) and crowds awesome. just that their dance is very “kpopish” and pretty funny for first timers. the club cater the younger crowd and you can laugh at their dance moves all night long. the first time I was there, I thought to myself “what’s with those hand gestures?!”. eye opener. people here are very approachable. drinks are cheap. 4 tequilas for 10,000won. if you’re a foreigner, you can even get a 5,000won discount!
cover charge : 10,000won inclusive of a drink (sun~thurs), 20,000won inclusive of a drink (fri and sat)
genre : hiphop
how to get there : walk towards Hongik University, turn right once you’re outside the University and keep walking.
hours :  9pm-630am
you can enter the club as long as you’re not wearing a suit or slippers ^^. yes, NO FORMAL SUITS AT NB!

5. Cocoon (Hongdae)
address : Seoul, Mapo-gu, Seokyo-dong 364-26
cover charge : free entrance before 12 (sun~thurs) and 10,000won inclusive of a drink after 12. 10,000won inclusive of a free drink (fri and sat) before 11 and 20,000won inclusive of a free drink after 11.
cost of average drink : don’t worry it’s cheap.
genre : electronic and hiphop
how to get there : walk along the Hongdae Street and you’ll come by Prince Edward Karaoke on your left and turn in that junction. Hongdae is very very hard to explain. just get out of exit 9 and start your adventure ^^. basically just walk into the street upon exit 9, walk straight until you see the main street of Hongdae (you will know it!) and turn right. keeeeeeeep walking straight and you’ll find the Hongik Main Road which leads to Hongik University on your left. but cross the road and continue walking along Hongdae and you’ll find Prince Edward Karaoke. confusing much? well, read again. haha.
comments : the first club I’ve ever been to. quite a nice place. but really really really packed. it’s pretty average for me. it is a 4(?) storey club and the people there are rather young. like.. teenagers to early 20s. they dress like teenagers too. if you get what I mean? but it’s still alright. nothing too dodgy. they offer free tequila for ladies on Thursdays until 1am. and they also have free entrance for ladies on weekends before 10pm.

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there are also clubs I have not been to but heard a lot of positive comments on!

6. Answer (Cheongdamdong)
cover charge : 20,000won (sun, mon, tues, wed, thurs) 30,000won (fri, sat)
how to get there : Chungdam Station 청담역 (line 7) exit 13. walk striaght turn to your left and you will see it opposite the road.
hours : 9pm-6am
genre : electronic

7. B-One (Itaewon)
cover charge : 10,000won
how to get there : basically, just take the subway or cab to Itaewon station. take the Hamilton Hotel exit. it’s on the basement of Hamilton Hotel.
hours : Sunday to Thurs 9pm-4am. Fri, Sat 9pm-530am
genre : house
comments : I have friends who loveeee this club. apparently it isn’t so “Korean” and it is a place where foreigners can really get to enjoy nice music.

8. Syndrome (Apgujeong)
cover charge : 10,000won, 30,000won after 12 on Fridays and Saturdays
days : Thursday – Saturday
hours : 10pm-6am on Thursdays, 10pm-7am on Fridays and Saturdays
genre : house
comments : I know nothing about this club. but it is one of the most famous club amongst youngsters in Seoul. it’s located under Sunshine Hotel at Apgujeong near Apgujeong station. I can see a long queue outside the club every time.

9. Club Mute (Itaewon)
address : 26, Itaewon-ro 27ga-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
number : 02-796-6853
how to get there : get to Itaewon station and walk along the street behind Hamilton Hotel and you will find it.
open : Fridays and Saturdays
hours : 10pm-5am
genre : house
comments : it’s for the older clubbers. dark and dim. I’ve not clubbed here before but I took a look inside and well.. my older friends like this club.

10. Club Vera (Hongdae)
address : Seogyo Hotel B2, 356-1 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
hours : 10pm-6am
days : Wednesday – Saturday
genre : electronic, house, trance
comments : an exchange student friend from my university used to frequent this club a lot and it is one of the more popular clubs in Hongdae these days. there are many foreigners here from what I know.

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and for a more complete list written by dozytotoro on Reddit (removed those which are closed down):

Sinsa/Apgujeong

Syndrome

• Music: Electronic
• Cover: 10,000won before 12am. 30,000 after 12am.
• Open: Fri – Sat 10pm – 7am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Pretty sizable, but seems like a maze. Two floors.

Boutique

• Music: Electronic
• Cover: 30,000won
• Open: Fri/Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Never been.

Club Magnum

• Music: Electronic
• Cover: 30,000won
• Open: Fri/Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: Main. Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Never been.

Monkey Beach

• Music: Hip Hop
• Cover: None
• Open: Everyday 8pm – 6am
• Site: Main
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Gets very crowded on the weekends. Drinks are pretty cheap, 15,000won for a cocktail bucket.

Gangnam

Octagon

• Music: Electronic
• Cover: 10,000won before 11pm and after 4am, 30,000won between 11pm and 4am, free on Thursdays
• Open: Thu – Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: Main. Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Top 3 in Seoul. Definitely recommended. Two floors. Second DJ booth on second floor.

The A

• Music: Electronic
• Cover: 30,000won
• Open: Fri – Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Top 3 in Seoul. Definitely recommended. Two floors.

Eden

• Music: Electronic
• Cover: 30,000won
• Open: Wed – Sun 9:30pm – 6am
• Site: Main. Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Solid club, recommended. Two floors.

Mass

• Music: Electronic
• Cover: 20,000won
• Open: Thu – Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: Main. Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Two floors.

Chungdahm

Ellui

• Music: Electronic
• Cover: 30,000won
• Open: Fri/Sat 10:30pm – 6am
• Site: Main. Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Biggest club in Seoul. Recommended. Three different rooms for music (must have VIP access for the 3rd). Two floors.

Answer

• Music: Electronic
• Cover: 30,000won
• Open: Fri/Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: Main. Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Solid club, recommended. Two floors.

Listen Super Lounge

• Music: Many different genres (R&B, Soul, Hip Hop, Dubstep, Reggae)
• Cover: Free before 12am. 20,000 after 12am.
• Open: Thu – Sat 10pm – 7am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Never been.

Itaewon

Boombar

• Music: Hip Hop, R&B, Old School
• Cover: 20,000won
• Open: Fri/Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: N/A
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Can get crowded but it’s a classy venue.

Lucidream

• Music: Hip Hop, R&B, Old School
• Cover: 20,000won
• Open: Fri/Sat 10pm – 5am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map

Vivid Lounge

• Music: K-Pop and Electronic
• Cover: 20,000won
• Open: Fri/Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: N/A
• Direction: Map

Globe Lounge

• Music: Electronic
• Cover: 20,000won
• Open: Fri/Sat 7pm – 5am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map

Mute

• Music: Electronic, Electro Funk, Dance
• Cover: 20,000won. Free on Thursdays.
• Open: Thu – Sat 9:30 – 4am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Never been.

Move

• Music: Electronic
• Cover: 10,000won for ladies, 15,000won for men.
• Open: Wed – Sat 9pm – 6am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map

Mystik

• Music: Deep/Tech House
• Cover: ?
• Open: Fri – Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Never been.

LUV SuperLounge

• Music: Electronic (Usually House)
• Cover: Fri/Sat 20,000won. Thu 10,000won.
• Open: Thu 9pm – 4am, Fri/Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map

Venue/

• Music: House, Hip Hop, Disco
• Cover: 10,000won Fri/Sat.
• Open: Everyday 10pm – 6am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Small but cozy.

B One

• Music: House
• Cover: 10,000won
• Open: Everyday 9:30pm – 6am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Never been to new location.

Cakeshop

• Music: Many different genres (Usually House)
• Cover: 10,000won
• Open: Thu – Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Reasonably priced drinks

Dojo Lounge

• Music: Many different genres (Usually Electronic, sometimes live music)
• Cover: None (Usually)
• Open: Everyday 9pm – 4am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Small but cozy. Reasonably priced drinks

Hongdae

Mansion

• Music: Electronic (Usually Electro/Progressive House)
• Cover: 20,000won
• Open: Fri – Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map

M2

• Music: Electronic (Usually Electro/Progressive House)
• Cover: 20,000won (Guest list until 12am)
• Open: Sun – Tue 9pm – 5am, Wed – Sat 9pm – 6am
• Site: Main
• Direction: Map

Q-Vo

• Music: Hip Hop
• Cover: Weekdays 10,000won, Weekends 15,000won
• Open: Tue – Sun 8pm – 6am
• Site: Main
• Direction: Map

Vera

• Music: Electronic
• Cover: 20,000won
• Open: Wed – Sat 10pm – 6am
• Site: Main. Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Never been.

NB1

• Music: Hip Hop, Pop
• Cover: 15,000won
• Open: Fri/Sat 8pm – 6am
• Site: Main
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Over-crowded on weekends.

NB2

• Music: Hip Hop, Pop
• Cover: Sun – Thu 10,000won (Free before 11pm), Fri/Sat 15,000won
• Open: Sun – Thu 8pm – 4am. Fri/Sat 8pm – 6am
• Site: Main
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Over-crowded on weekends.

Harlem

• Music: Hip Hop
• Cover: 15,000won
• Open: Fri/Sat 8pm – 6am
• Site: Main
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Over-crowded on weekends.

Cocoon

• Music: Hip Hop and Electronic
• Cover: Tue – Thu 10,000won (Free before 12am), Fri/Sat 10,000won before 11pm, 20,000won after 11pm
• Open: Tue – Thu 9pm – 4am. Fri/Sat 9pm – 6am
• Site: Facebook
• Direction: Map
• Notes: Over-crowded on weekends.

Dress Code: Clubs in Korea are not as strict compared to the super clubs of the US. Key rules: No sandals, open-toed shoes, or shorts. The dress code is more strict south of the river. It’s pretty non-existent at many Hongdae clubs. If you reserved a table, they’ll usually forget about the dress code.

Table Prices:

• Octagon, The A, Syndrome: Two bottle minimum starting around 650,000won. Three bottle minimum for special events, starting around 900,000won.
• Holic, Boutique, Magnum, Eden, Ellui, Answer, Mass: One bottle starting around 350,000won, two bottles starting around 550,000won.
• Some of the others like Boombar, Lucidream: One bottle starting around 250,000won, two bottles starting around 400,000won.
• Note: Clubs with two floors will usually charge more for a table on the second floor.

Tips: Always check the sites. Info for a free entry will frequently be available so don’t waste your money on cover fees!

Other Prices:

• Drinks: About 8,000won – 10,000won for cocktails. If you do pay for entry, usually a free drink coupon is included.
• Coat Check: About 3,000won – 5,000 won.

My Top Picks (by area):

• Sinsa/Apgujeong – Syndrome, Holic
• Gangnam – Octagon, The A
• Cheongdam – Answer, Ellui
• Itaewon – Boombar, Lucidream, Move
• Hongdae – Mansion, M2, Vera

My Top Picks (by days of the week):

• Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed – B One
• Thu – Octagon
• Fri, Sat – Refer to ‘Top Picks (by area)’