Every once in a while, we will give you updates on what is happening with scenes in Seoul.
More news after the jump on 1. new lounges that opened up recently in Itaewon; 2. Woodstock Festival coming to Korea; 3. restaurant openings and general trends; 4. afterclub in the works; 5. S-Bar’s transformation.
You can’t really say you’ve experienced Korean club culture unless you’ve been to Club Naked. Unfortunately for those that haven’t, you may have permanently missed out on a piece of Seoul clubbing history.
It was only about a year ago that I stumbled upon Seoul’s afterclub scene while it was still in its infancy. These venues didn’t get crowded until after 3am, and it wasn’t uncommon to leave a still-packed afterclub to find the sun already high in the sky. At the time, they gathered only a small crowd, and I remember thinking it felt like everyone there knew each other, like it was a tightly knit family. The old Club Naked was among the first of these afterclubs.
When Naked moved its location to its current resting place near Hak-Dong Station, the afterclub scene exploded. No longer were clubbers content to end the night around 4am — when the megaclubs started to empty out, hordes of people would then flock to Club Naked to party well into the morning. Standing outside the front doors at 6 or 7am was a sight to behold — you’d find the most diehard of clubbers wandering out, shielding their eyes from the bright sun and loitering around, not quite ready to go home and not really sure what to do with themselves.
However, such a sight is no more, for as of April 2nd, 2010, Club Naked has officially closed its doors.
Every once in a while, we will give you updates on what is happening with scenes in Seoul.
Serein at Garosu-gil, Sinsa, famous for their variety of mojitos, is unfortunately closed. I heard from one of the personnel that they however will be preparing for another venue.
Max, #1-ranked mixologist in Korea, just recently left Blush, Intercontinental to join Banyan Tree. This is a big news for all the cocktail lovers out there. Now, to try the nation’s best cocktails you need to go to Banyan Tree, which require steep, and very steep, membership fees.
Rival Famous mixologist named JJ also left Coffee Bar K at Cheongdam a few months ago to join Diageo’s brand ambassador. Where do we now go for good cocktails in Seoul, now that both award-winning masters of cocktail concoction are gone? We will find that out for you and let you know!
Read more news after the jump.
What’s up, SeoulGrid? Hope you’re feeling well-rested: we have another three-day marathon party session this weekend. We’re looking at a First Thursday’s Aftework Party, guest DJs from Paris, Syndney, and NYC, and a professional beatboxer from England. Sound interesting? Read on.
[Update] S Bar apparently isn’t closed for good! They are undergoing renovation. Read more about it on our Seoul Scene Updates post.
Once in a while but still too often for
your liking, you hear about one of your old friends who you no longer are close to passing away. You have so many memories with the friend all the way back, but for whatever reasons the friend and you separated to go on your own ways. No longer close, but still hearing about a friend who made you who you are now, for better or for once, is never easy.
And a few weeks ago, I heard that S Bar in Cheongdam, one of the places to be for over a decade, had closed down. It’s been over a year since I visited the place. Don’t get me wrong, it was one of the hottest places in Seoul to hang out; however I chose to give all these new places popping up nearby a try whenever I was in the area. S Bar to most, due to its long history and its continued popularity, seemed like it would be there forever.
Come celebrate with us at Sir Raymond English pub! (Yes, we are celebrating Saint Patty’s day at an English pub haha).
I will be there from 9pm onwards along with a reasonably sized crowd. Put something green on and let’s celebrate with a pint of Guiness! Say hello if you see a guy wearing a ridiculously neon green polo shirt.
Sir Raymond pub is located in Garosu-gil, Sinsa. See directions after the jump for more details
Unfortunately, one of my favorite venues at Garosu-gil, Sinsa, has closed down a few weeks ago. I will miss their food and drinks served at the basement floor. I only hope another venue just as nice as Tutti Matti pops up soon in its place.
SeoulGrid’s definition of a lounge: a venue that serves alcoholic beverages that has music in the background. DJ booth is a plus. The difference between a bar and a lounge is that bars tend to be more crowded or loud with people talking. Lounge is where there is plenty of space for everyone and where you can go for a nice drink or two. You wouldn’t typically go to a lounge to get wasted, unless you have cash to burn.
Bars, you’d take your college buddies out for drinks of Irish car bombs or Jaggermeister shots for a casual night of fun. Lounge, you’d take your date; extra dry gin martini for yourself and mojito for your date. Sure, a glass of Cosmopolitan may cost twice or even thrice how much it would cost in casual bars, but once in a while, it’s an worthwhile investment.
Now what makes a lounge great? The differentiating factor between an awesome lounge and a lounge is that the former typically is larger in scale, serves better cocktails and of course, plays better music. Of course once in a while you run into a lounge that feature interior decor and ambiance so unique, modern and stylish that your jaws drop. There also are ones that are nice private lounges that isn’t open to everyone.
Below is top-pick list of the best lounges in Seoul. Of course, I am sure there are several others that I do not know of or haven’t had the chance to visit, but if I do, you can count on me to write about it in detail in future!
Smaller and more private clubs seem to be the trend these days. While mainstream clubbers prefer to party in megaclubs such as Eden or Heaven, a growing number of partygoers are heading off to smaller clubs… Be it intimacy, privacy, or whatnot, smaller clubs or lounges have advantages megaclubs cannot offer. Smaller venues considered relevant for this discussion include: Ark Lounge, Boutique Club Function, Chicago, Social Club, Tutti Matti, C4 and etc. Larger clubs include: Heaven, Le Nuit Blanche, Eden, Volume and etc. If you are familiar with the nightlife scene in Seoul, disparities in sheer magnitudes of these venues should be apparent to you.
My sources tell me that there are some major changes happening to the club scene in Seoul, besides the fact that Club Circle is undergoing renovation. I do hope Circle remains competitive after its facelift, and let’s see if they will go by the same name when it opens again…
3 updates happening to the club scene in Seoul after the jump.
