When you construct a building made of shipping containers in the heart of “Korea’s Beverly Hills”, one would guess you are trying to make a statement. Platoon Kunsthalle succeeds by acting as both a physical and philosophical beacon to tell Korea that there is a place where creativity, art, and free thought will be cherished and promoted.
Platoon Kunsthalle is not necessarily a bar, restaurant, or art gallery. It is a little bit of all of those yet is set up in such a way that tells customers that they are not customers, but members of a community dedicated to advancing art, culture, and politics. Platoon is made out of 28 iso cargo containers. The building is 4 stories tall and is constructed in a way that allows it to be reassembled if it needs to be moved. It is truly a work of art and a masterful piece of architecture.
First Floor Seating and Bar
Every floor of Kunsthalle has seats where you can eat or drink. This drives home the idea of freedom in movement and thought. The first floor provides a concert area, a dance floor, a bar, and an eating area. The concert area also has seating so that you can watch sports games on a massive screen.
The second floor has 4 studios for artists, some sports images, a TV, and a lounge area.
Second Floor Studios
Second Floor Seating
The third floor has a Nike sponsored sports shop that is more like a soccer promotion than anything else. And of course, inside the sports shop are tables that you may eat and drink at. There also an artist inspiration area which is a room made entirely out of mirrors.
Part of the Third Floor Soccer Shop
Third Floor Mirror Room
The fourth floor is the rooftop. It contains seating areas and a bar. When I went to the roof, no customers were there except I oddly found an employee sitting on another one’s back, cracking it. As odd as this sounds, it was fitting and hilarious considering the point of the venue. Be free, crack each others’ backs while at work!
Platoon Kunsthalle Roof (Fourth Floor)
Each floor contributes to the diverse feel of Platoon and has added benefits when hosting parties, exhibitions, or other special events that are often held. Parties are especially social here and can only be fully described in video (provided by Platoon Kunsthalle):
There is also a simple but efficient menu at Kunsthalle consisting entirely of German food. I sampled both the Curry Wurst, 8,000KRW, and the Kasespatzle (Cheese Spatzle, Spatzle is a type of German Pasta), 10,000KRW. However, neither one impressed me. The Curry Wurst curry sauce was mild with an Indian style non-dairy gravy curry flavor but the sausage itself was a bit lacking and tasted processed. The Kasespatzle was half cheese and covered in grease. The noodles themselves were a bit thin, but I like my Spatzle to be a little thicker and very non-uniform.
Although I did not sample any drinks, the bar was extensive as can be seen in the previous pictures. The average drink price is around 8,000KRW which is very reasonable considering the location and style of the venue.
Platoon Kunsthalle Curry Sausage
Platoon Kunsthalle has been one of the most unique and inspiring venues that I have been to in Korea. Although it isn’t a place where I would go for an afternoon snack, it is a place where I would go to talk with friends about life, relax, and let myself breathe.
The Good
- Cultured and Refined with an Underground feel
- Visually and Achitecturally Impressive
- Good Prices
- Rooftop seating which is worth a lot more than a 8,000KRW drink
- Surrounded by free thought
The Bad
- Kasespatzle was greasy
- Lots of underutilized space
- Lacking in terms the amount of art present (visual, auditory, or written)
- Early close (1am)
Operating Hours
Mon-Sat 11am – 1am
Contact
02-3447-1191
Address
Gangnam-Gu, Nonhyeon-dong 97-22, Seoul
Directions
Take a taxi to Apgujeong Cine City (near Apgujeong or Sinsa station). With Cine City on your right, keep going until you soon approach a 4 way intersection. Turn left at the intersection. Enter the second street on your left and you should immediately see Platoon Kunsthalle on your left.
Map
View Platoon Kunsthalle in a larger map
