There are 3 clubs that represent clubs around Gangnam Stn area (Subway line #2, or the green line). The three brothers include NB and Harlem, two of the only hip hop clubs situated south of the Han River. The third club is Club Mass, which describes itself as “premier electronic house music club in Seoul”, and I give them credit for getting the description right more or less… perhaps they included an extra word that does more than justice.
Of course, there are other clubs around the area. Club Eden for example, is about 15 minutes by walk from Gangnam St. #7, but in my opinion, such a mega club caters to a different type of clientèle or guests altogether. Mega clubs such as Club Eden, Volume, or Heaven all have entrance cover fee of 30,000 Won while NB, Harlem, and Mass cost around 15,000 to 20,000 Won. Costs of drinks in those 3 clubs are generally cheaper than aforementioend mega clubs, where a shot of tequila ranges from 5,000 Won to 10,000. In comparison, a tequila shot costs around 5,000 in Mass/NB/Harlem. So the pricing difference itself acts as a mechanism to bring in different types of people. Club Mass, in effect, attracts casual Gangnam clubbing crowd.
Several world-class DJs performed at Mass: James Lavelle, DJ Sneak, DJ Disciple & Kenny Dope. While the dance floor may not be as large as some of the other clubs, and the interior may not be as posh as say, Eden, do not expect craziness that goes in it to be any less crazy. If you haven’t been to Club Mass, I would recommend that you at least check it out. As like any other club, the peak hour is around 1am.
For those who want everything laid out for you, here is SeoulGrid’s guide to enjoying Club Mass to its fullest (using its geographic advantages of being situated in one of the busiest streets in Seoul).
Game plan
9pm: Meet your friends in front of Subway exit #6. Choose one from one million soju bars near by and pregame there. There are always those who show up late, so you could tell them to join you while you and your buddies are embracing all that is necessary for a good night in a liquid form contained in green bottles. Start getting tipsy.
11pm: Go for another round at another venue (it must be hard choosing from the other 999,999 soju bars left for you to pick!). You start talking loudly. You would sing Celine Dion songs without a slightest hint of embarrassment in a karaoke.
12:30pm: Head on over to Mass. The scene should be getting warmed up by now. Switch to auto-pilot and let your night drive itself.
So you must be wondering… which of the three clubs is the best?
I feel like Club NB and Harlem cannot be compared to Club Mass mainly for one reason: Club NB and Harlem play different type of music altogether, targeting different types of crowd altogether. I feel like hip hop music in general seems to attract younger generation of clubbers than house music, as hip hop is more incorporated into Korean pop culture scene, making it more familiar to an average person. So it really comes down to your preference in music. Or I’ve seen cases where people shift their music preference to whichever type was played in clubs they had most fun with recently. So I suggest you try hip hop as well as electro/house music clubs.
Directions: Get out at Gangnam Stn. exit #6. Make a left as soon as you get out of the exit into an alley, then make a right. Walk straight for about 2 minutes until you reach an intersection. You will see Club Mass on your right with all the LED lights flashing in your face. It’s less than 5-minute walk from the station, and hard to miss really.
