​

When you hear someone say the words “South Korea” what kind of thoughts immediately fill your mind? Perhaps you recall the country’s rouge-nation neighbour in the north, or your imagery overflows with packaged ramen noodles and kimchi. Maybe, you even have a flashback to PSY’s 2012 megahit Gangnam Style. Still, what might not instantly jump to your attention is the sort of nightlife which exists in this country’s super-urban, metropolitan capital of Seoul, and what exactly it is that defines the eccentric and dynamic student night scene...

The Drinking Culture
 

Drinking is an extremely huge part of Korean society and no stigma exists around heavy boozing. A Euromonitor 2014 study found that Koreans drink 13.7 shots of liqueur a week on average; coming out top of the 44 countries tested and beating the amount consumed by Brits, Russians and Americans combined. The two most popular alcoholic beverages are soju and makgeolli, with soju accounting for 97% of the country’s spirits market. This traditional fermented rice spirit is almost astringent on the tongue and certainly not one to savour. Its aggressive taste can be made sweeter by opting for flavoured soju such as one with hints of peach or blueberry, however, this doesn’t really do away with the cheap Smirnoff vodka tang.

 

Still, considering that a bottle usually has an alcohol content of between 20-40% yet costs only 1500₩ (1GBP) there isn’t really much to complain about. If, what you’re looking for is an authentic soju experience, try The Timber House in Gangnam-gu, most particularly the award-winning (Authoritative Korean Bartender Championships 2011) Love in the Sky cocktail made from Hwayo 41% soju, schnapps, omija syrup and iced raspberry tea. This concoction’s saccharine flavours immensely disguise the sharpness of soju. Another cultural drink is makgeolli, or rice wine. The alcohol content of this milky, fizzy brew is a lot lower at 6-8%. It’s known as ‘farmers’ drink’ and is sipped from a modest soup bowl as a way of paying homage to these humble roots. It comes in flavours such as strawberry, banana… even cream cheese if you’re up for drinking alcohol which tastes slightly like camembert. I would recommend going to Wolhyang in Itaewon, which is a makgeolli bar popular with young people.

​

The Before-Night-Out Meal

​

Another Korean night-time staple is the

before-night- out meal. One fascinating place to go

for this is the Noryangjinn fishery market which,

established in 1927, is one of the country’s largest

seafood markets. You select fish of your choice

from an aquarium-sized tank, which is drawn from

the water and cut into small pieces. Take this

incredibly fresh fish to the upstairs floor of the

market- the restaurant floor-and this is then served

to you as hwe/hoe (similar to Japanese sashimi).

Hwe is always prepared with dangmyeon;

translucent, decorative rice noodles which you’re

not supposed to eat but if you do, taste like soft

plastic, and with moo/mu which is a tangy Korean

white radish. You can also ask to have the fish remains

boiled into a zesty, intensely aromatic vegetable stew.

 

It’s a gory but ultimately worth-it- for-the- taste night time adventure. Another creative meal option is live octopus, which although doused in sesame oil and salt is quite flavourless. You can feel the little tentacles sticking to the roof of your mouth, however, which is strangely amusing. Gwangjang market is a spirited street-food bonanza, with foods ranging from crunchy chicken feet to spicy blood sausage. A little place called Soon-hee Ne, which was once visited by Tim Burton, requires a stopover as the mungbean pancakes there are legendary. Then of course you have the classic Korean barbecue. Typically served with side dishes of kimchi, bean sprouts, onion, garlic and onion leeks it’s a deliciously meaty meal shared between friends.

​

Norebang

Koreans have their own brand of karaoke(norebang) which is usually something students do after their meal if they’re looking for a tame night out. Entire buildings especially devoted to karaoke can be spotted everywhere around Seoul with their flashy, neon signs. Luxury Su is one of the most high-end, with rooms boasting views over Hongdae district. The corridor areas are a dingy and grey, but the actual booths contain plush seats, strong alcohol, simple snacks, and super funky disco lights. Grabbing one is also as cheap as 2,000 ₩(around £1.50) for 30 minutes, though its unlikely to come with all these additions. The karaoke experience is a must try. One downside is that the amount of Korean songs far outweighs the number of English ones, and the remote-control buttons are always in Korean symbols.

​

Korean Clubs

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

Korean clubs are a let-down for nightlife as they’re just not distinct from what you may find in the UK. For R&B and hip-hop music you will go to a club like NB2 in Hongdae. In London, you will find the equivalent in Shoreditch’s Corner Shop. Worse still hip-hop clubs, another being Hongdae’s Brown, are dreadfully overcrowded and smoking inside is very fashionable which is suffocating in a packed, sweltering club atmosphere. In Seoul, a major clubbing hotspot is the Gangnam-gu district; a luxurious and extravagant hangout for elites and celebrities. You won’t get into such a club unless you’re wearing an ostentatious dress with heels or you’re a K-pop starlet; London sees such clubs in the form of Mayfair’s Mahiki. Korean clubs are also ridiculously conservative. You don’t go outside of your friendship group to meet new people. This isn’t just due to the foreigner factor; but even Koreans in between themselves stay glued to their friends and hardly intermingle.

TOP TIP FOR PARTYING: Seoul has a zero-tolerance drugs policy, in fact, the country has some of the strictest marijuana laws on the planet. According to Chosun Ilbo, Korea’s largest daily, the number of students arrested has risen from 92 in 2010 to 139 in 2015. It’s best to avoid any sort of drug use when partying in Seoul as it’s just not worth the potential penalty.