A Rollercoaster Ride Through Seoul’s Vibrant Nightlife
As I stepped into the chaotic streets of Hongdae, I knew I was in for a wild ride. This lively neighborhood, just north of the river in central Seoul, had recently usurped its steroid-pumped comrade Gangnam to become the city’s major hive of electric creativity and nighttime activity.
Kicking Off the Night in a Graffiti-Covered Playground
Unsure of where our blurry night might start, never mind end, I followed the little know-how I had gleaned so far to a graffiti-covered kids’ playground in the center of Hongdae. As we approached the dodgy-looking park, there were hordes of people standing around, drinking the fluorescent green bottles of Soju – the Korean pre-drink of choice. Impromptu performances and rap battles were gearing everyone up for their Saturday night.
Clearly, this area was all about the social, so we followed suit and bought a huge bottle of CASS Korean beer and two small Sojus, paying homage to our younger days when a bottle of cider in the park was the only place you could actually drink. As more people dropped by the park to kick-start their night, we struggled to place the jumble of attendees. It seemed that we had tapped into a demographic mash-up, including the favorites of the night – born-and-bred artists from Seoul like JayC and R2, like Star Wars, you know, R2-D2. Some things are universal despite a language barrier.
Stumbling Into a Cozy Jazz Club
Once the alfresco beers were laid to rest, we decided to check out another type of live music performance popular in Korea – jazz. We found the dimly lit Club Evans, up three flights of suspect stairs, oozing with booze fumes just a few streets down from the main drag of clubs. It was rammed and dark in that saloon style that jazz clubs often are, and there was a range of drinkers on display – the suited and booted, the young and trendy with craft beer in hand, and the seasoned jazzers down the front at the small round tables.
It was a hypnotic atmosphere of impressive riffs and shouts and whoops from the audience. It was a top find, but so far a world away from the Korean nightout we had expected. Still, the night was young. It was only 2 a.m. Onto the next.
Discovering Hidden Haunts for the Less Outrageous
We chatted with a young Korean couple sat next to us at Club Evans, and they recommended Bar 다. From one dingy hideaway to another, we set off, walking down Hongdae Street and looking for a dodgy staircase next to a chicken stand – easier said than done in between the stalls and nighttime crowds, or maybe the extra bottle of Soju had something to do with it. We found it eventually, clambered up the white, rickety stairs into an atmosphere that was so far removed from the neon-lit chaos outside, we stayed for several.
Also, thanks to the extensive selection of beers and whiskey, there’s a smoking balcony – more like a chopped-in-half fire escape, also a little rickety, probably not for the nervous type – overlooking the madness of the shopping streets below. As much as the locals go crazy for a club crawl, it was clear that hidden-away spots like Bar 다 were for the slightly less outrageous, yet incredibly boozy, side to Hongdae.
Embracing the Endless Options for a Night Out
If you’re after something different for the final venue of the night, you do have choices in Hongdae. Endless K-pop banger clubs like NB1 or NB2 are a favorite with the locals and tourists alike, and hip-hop and R&B basement joints seemed a popular one too. If all else fails, you can look around and see the Max Creamy Beer signs jutting out of restaurant walls – they serve pints and snacks well into the AM. Koreans love food all day, all night.
But really, you end where you begin in Hongdae. It’s gone 5 a.m., and the Koreans show absolutely no sign of slowing down. Perhaps now we understand why they drink so much coffee – an attempt to balance out their love for late nights and neat spirits. On our way home, we detoured through the area for a last-leg people-watch. Perhaps the reason why they don’t do mornings is because they get absolutely legless or “Koreeean” drunk, as one of the wobbly ladies we were chatting to exclaimed.
Slightly blurry ourselves, we wandered back through the streets, still full of Soju-downers tripping over themselves onto the next stop. Hongdae is vibrant, full of drunk students, yes, but equally full of surprise spots to drink your night away, and it is 100% the place to go if you want a taste of alternative Korean nightlife – and a hangover.
The next day, around 11 a.m., we headed to the bakery, nursing a whiskey-induced headache, for coffee, of course. There were cohorts of giggling drinkers stumbling about the morning-after-the-night-before streets – they definitely hadn’t made it to bed just yet.
If you’re planning a trip to Seoul and want to experience the electric nightlife of Hongdae, Hotel Stay Inn Seoul is the perfect place to call home. Situated right in the heart of the action, you’ll be able to stumble back to your cozy room after a night of exploring the endless options for bars, clubs, and hidden haunts that this vibrant neighborhood has to offer.
