NIGHTLIFE IN KOREA
Korea comes alive at night with a lot of entertaining activities. They range from classical music concerts to disco dancing, operas to Las Vegas-style floor shows, lounging in a bar for drinks to gambling at a casino. Large cities generally have a concentrated “entertainment areas” and offer wider choices than the provincial towns.
LIVE PERFORMANCES
Theaters
Many theaters, concert halls, cultural and national arts centers are the venues for large scale traditional and modern dramatic productions, music and dance performances, ballet and opera. National and regional cultural centers have also scheduled out door performances especially during festivals. Theatre restaurants in the major Korean as well as western style hotels also offer dinner, drinks and musical or a dance floor shows for a fixed price.
Concerts
Indoor and out door folk and rock concerts are also gaining popularity in Korea. These concerts offer Korean as well as Japanese or western popular music to the crowds hanging out at night. Busan sponsors an international rock concert on the beach each summer.
CINEMAS
Movies are very popular with Koreans. With the exception of an occasional film festival for foreigners or a special event at the Seoul Arts Center, Korean movies are shown in their native language. Imported movies are shown with Korean subtitles. Normally shows start from 1100. Tickets generally cost around 7,000 won and seats are assigned; small theaters charge less. Go during the week or buy your ticket well before the show time on weekend evenings to ensure a seat.
DRINKING & DANCING
Night clubs and discos
Night clubs and "rock cafes" abound in Korea. They have live music for dancing or a disco spin records. Most big hotels operate these clubs; others are privately run. You are expected to buy a minimum amount of drinks and food when you sit at a table. If you want to go for a cheaper place to just dance and have a couple of drinks, head for the clubs near U.S. military installations which just charge you for what you drink.
Another cheap and popular center of nightlife among the youth is the area surrounding Hongik University, or 'Hongdae'. It swarms with bars and pubs. On the last Friday of every month, Hongdae goes wild with 'Club Day'. You pay 15,000 won and it gets you admission to 11 different clubs, all night. If hungry, seek out one of the many street vendors that sell 'tteokbokgi' (spicy rice cakes) or 'eodaeng' (fish cakes). Also, do visit the Club Market where you can find many clothing items and accessories ideal for wearing to the clubs.
Itaewon is also one of the most vibrant and ethnically mixed areas in Seoul. Tourists can shop in the afternoon, enjoy a relaxing dinner, and then hit the club scene. The clubs’ atmosphere really heat up during the hours of 11 p.m. and 3 am.
Bars and Lounges
Many hotels have cocktail lounges. Their bars are similar to the western variety, and are strategically placed for the hotel’s best view. In the top bars the drink menu is quite good, most top shelf that one would expect, and also an array of cheap Korean beers. Some also have an extensive wine list and bottled beer from all over the world. Entertainment includes a DJ, a dance floor, Pool, and Darts. These places get pretty lively on weeknights as the young crowd makes their way to drunken bliss.
There are also hostess bars often known as “Room Salons”. They are often small, dark and very private; some have private booths. These establishments provide their male guests the company of a hostess whose drinks must be bought and time compensated.
Karaoke bars are also very popular in Korea. Most offer the same selection of songs, with a rather limited supply of older foreign songs
Cafes
They are immensely popular in Korea especially with the young crowd and urban professionals. They serve various coffee blends; green-leaf, root, and herbal teas; juices and soft drinks, cocktails, and a little variety of snacks and foods.
GAMBLING
Limited and strictly controlled gambling is allowed at the hotel-casinos in some parts of Korea. These are mainly in Seoul, Incheon, Seorak-san National Park, Gyeongjo, Busan and Jeju-do. You can try your luck at roulette, blackjack, baccarat, tai-sai, the big wheel or the slot machines. Chips can only be bought with foreign currency.
DINNING
Restaurants range from unpretentious places, with simple food served in simple settings at low prices, to expensive establishments serving refined food and wines in a more formal and classy setting. Other than the traditional Korean restaurants, you may enjoy the experience of dining at numerous authentic Chinese, Japanese and Western restaurants.
One of the best ways to meet the locals is to pull up a stool at pochangmacha- outdoor food stalls. They are usually found near river fronts, college districts, and shopping areas and remain open till after midnight.
Many international fast food chains like Burger King, McDonalds, and KFC are also opening up in large cities and are becoming trendy attractions, particularly among younger people with more varied tastes.
LEISURE
After a hectic day in a city, many city goers escape to the grassy areas or parks for late night picnics and drinks. Running through the center of Seoul, the Han River provides a great escape with cool summer breeze and romantic environment. It comes alive at night with glimmering city lights. There are several food stands nearby that sell beverages and snacks. Several floating restaurants also line the river. Many young couples enjoy riding the ferry cruise boat in the evening hours. You must view the sunset which is spectacular especially on a clear night.
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