Club Eden opened its doors in December 2008, effectively making it Seoul’s second newest club next to Club Heaven. Located in Gangnam’s prestigious Ritz-Carlton hotel, Eden totes itself as a “megaclub,” and it does not disappoint. The dance floor is the biggest in Seoul, and on any Friday or Saturday night is guaranteed to be packed.
What makes it special:
Eden is, in a word, classy. This goes for the venue as well as the crowd. In fact, to me Eden is reminiscent of an 18th century ballroom formal — except they installed big-ass speakers that blast house music. The venue’s massive dance floor is bordered by giant black marble columns. Lighting, architecture, decor — Eden takes it to the hilt, and as such this is one of the poshest clubs you’ll ever set foot into.
Despite the club’s massive size, it manages to pack itself consistently every Friday and Saturday night. The crowd is just downright sexy — every weekend Gangnam and Apgujeong’s most beautiful people get dressed to the nines and come out to play. Eden tends to draw a more professional crowd that most of the other clubs, and as a result the typical patron is a bit older and a lot classier than your average clubber. Again, I can’t help but think of a ballroom formal. From the moment you step foot in the club, you’re surrounded by high-caliber people.
However, because of this, Eden’s crowd tends to be decidedly less “crazy” than some of the other clubs in Seoul. The dance floor is always packed, but the energy-level is a bit toned-down.
Drinks:
Drinks are pretty standard — $7 for a beer or a shot of tequila or jaeger, around $10 for a gin-and-tonic or standard mixer, and $15-25 for a mojito or premium drink. Unfortunately this means your “free drink” ticket will buy you either a shot of tequila or a cheap beer, otherwise you’re paying the difference. Water is $3.
For some odd reason, drinks in the second floor “VIP” section actually cost MORE than drinks on the first floor. Why? “Because it’s VIP.” Now, one would think that logically if you sprang the extra cash for a VIP table, your drinks would cost less, but apparently buying $20 ‘gin and tonic’s is worth VIP status to some.
Music:
Eden’s resident DJs play tech house and “minimalism” — a style of house that creates music by using as few sounds as possible — so don’t expect to recognize any beatport top-100 dancefloor hits here. To my tastes, the music is pretty generic and uninspired — I don’t enjoy listening to the same pulsing bass for five hours with little variation.
However, when Eden brings in guest DJs that break from the mold of minimalist house, the entire club can transform, and on these nights Eden has hosted some of the craziest parties I’ve ever been to. If Eden could consistently play this kind of music, I would have no reservations about crowning it the best club in Seoul. But due to the music, nights at Eden are typically hit or miss, so I’d recommend checking the DJ for that night before making your plans.
Tables:
Getting a table is a great investment at Eden. The downstairs tables are located right beside the dancefloor, providing a great home base and a place to bring new friends to take a shot with you. Upstairs VIP tables are much more exclusive — no one without a wristband is allowed upstairs, so unlike other clubs, the upstairs at Eden is truly reserved to those with VIP status. It’s like an exclusive private party inside an already private and exclusive club.
Downstairs table packages start around W360,000+ for four people, and upstairs VIP tables around W520,000+ for six people. You must be there before 12am midnight to claim your reservation, or it will be forfeited. Table costs also include entry or cover fees for four to six people, depending on which table you reserved.
For reservations, call Stephanie at 010.9081.9290 — she’s fluent in both English and Korean.
After-Club Food:
Let’s be honest; after a night of clubbing, we’re all hungry. Luckily Eden has some great eats nearby.
There’s a Jjajangmyun place right across the street from Ritz Carlton hotel that is famous in Seoul (their walls are lined with celebrity autographs). Simply walk down the steep hill from Eden, cross the main road and turn left, it’s a really small place on your right. If you go at the right time, you can see the ajusshi making the noodles fresh by hand. Get an order of tangsooyook (fried sweet-and-sour pork) for the table as well, it’s delicious.
Alternatively, don’t cross the street, and walk straight down the hill (towards Kyobo tower) for some legendary budae jjigae (spicy noodle soup with sausages and spam). It will be on your left.
Directions:
By Cab
Tell the taxi driver “Gangnam Ritz-Carlton Hotel”. Facing the hotel doors, turn left and walk until you can turn right up a ridiculously steep hill. Eden is at the top of that hill.
By Subway
From Shin-Nonhyun Stn (Line #9, brown line), get out at exit #4. Walk up the hill towards Ritz Carlton. Make a right once you see a steep hill (immediately after Ritz Carlton), walk up the hill and Eden is right there. (<10 minutes by walk)
From Gangnam Stn (Line #2, green line), get out at exit #7, walk straight until you hit the main intersection. Turn right and walk up the hill towards Ritz Carlton. Make a right once you see a steep hill (immediately after Ritz Carlton), walk up the hill and Eden is right there. (~20 minutes by walk)
Cost
- Entrance is 30,000 Won on most nights.
The Good
- Extremely Posh interior
- Upscale, professional crowd — everyone is well-dressed
- Largest dance floor in Seoul
- Located right next to Gangnam, so plenty of places to drink beforehand
The Bad
- Music and DJ selection leave a lot to be desired
- Crowd not as high-energy as other clubs
- Can get overly crowded on some nights
- Lines for entrance can sometimes be long, reservations a must for tables.
Contact/Reservations
- To check table availability and reservations, call Stephanie at 010.9081.9290
Map
View Eden in Gangnam in a larger map
