Seoul Nightlife: Where to Party in Seoul?

Historically, the area near Itaewon metro station was the first in Seoul where foreigners (mostly U.S. military) would go to drink and party. It has remained popular until today, especially among tourists, English teachers, soldiers, businessmen, expats, and diplomats.

Once a gritty neighborhood, it has changed a lot over the past 10 years. While it isn't particularly pretty, it has become much more trendy with dozens of upscale shops, hipster coffee shops, and cool bars.

It is considered the most foreigner-friendly area in Seoul. In particular, there are many Western-owned pubs, such as Wolfhound Pub (Irish), Route 66 (American), Rocky Mountain (Canadian), Fat Albert (Canadian), and Sam Ryan's Sports Pub (Canadian-Australian). Coincidentally, due to the presence of Seoul's Central Mosque nearby, Itaewon also has a high number of migrant workers from Muslim countries (especially from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia).

Despite this, most people you'll encounter in Itaewon are Koreans (at least 80%). Among them, a few may be interested in chatting with foreigners to improve their English or to make new friends.

The busiest nights in Itaewon are from Thursdays to Saturdays. On weekdays, it is not as happening, but still, it is usually more crowded than anywhere else in the city.

If you can afford to spend some money, I'd recommend starting your night out in the fancy Korean BBQ restaurant Maple Tree House (if you are on a budget, don't worry as you also have much cheaper options, including some kebab joints).

After eating, you can crawl from bar to bars easily as they are all within walking distance to each other (if you are alone, you may want to join a pub crawl like Thirsty Thursdays). Another good thing about Itaewon is that clubs will rarely refuse foreigners (unfortunately, this can be quite common in Gangnam).

Many of the popular venues (like Glam, Prost, Boombar, or the Fountain) are located on the road Itaewon-ro 27-ga-gil, just behind Hamilton Hotel (Exit 1 of Itaewon Station). You may also want to check Soul Train and the Gold Bar - which are low-key but fun places. Club Made attracts an almost 100% Korean crowd, including some really pretty girls.

Club Made in Itaewon

On the opposite side of the Hamilton hotel (exit 3 and 4 of Itaewon Station), there are other famous spots, such as Bulldog, great for salsa on Saturday, Casa Corona, a newly renovated place which is quite trendy, U.N. Club (popular with the black community), and Soap (young crowd).

In the past few years, many alternative clubs have opened in Itaewon. They attract a local and international crowd who enjoys techno, deep house, trance, dubstep, and any kind of non-commercial music. The current hotspots are Cakeshop, Pistil, Faust, Concrete Bar, and Volnost.

You can end the night out at one of the local Noraebang (there is a famous one close to Exit 4), the Korean-style karaoke rooms.

There are also many gay clubs and bars in Itaewon, especially on street 12 Usadan-ro 12-gil (also known as Homo Hill). For instance, Queen, HIM by pulse, and Soho. A bit further away, you can check the well-known Q-bar, which organizes fun shows on the weekend (even if you are not gay, there are many straight people who go there as well).

Prostitution scene

Gangnam is the fancy area of Seoul.

Just 40 years ago, it mainly consisted of rice fields, but now it is so expensive than even a small flat can cost you millions of dollars. In Gangnam, the wards Cheongdam and Apgujeong are the most happening.

During weekdays, fewer people are going out in Gangnam compared with Itaewon, but it is similarly popular on weekends. 

New trendy bars open all the time in Gangnam. It is part of the "pali pali" culture (fast-fast, or "hurry up"), an essential concept in Korea: Customers are always looking for something new, meaning businesses often close, then re-open under a different name with a slightly improved concept.

Personally, I don't really enjoy partying in Gangnam as a foreigner for three main reasons:
- The first one is that many clubs can be racist and may deny entry to non-Korean speakers. They may also refuse to let you in if you don't look rich enough or if you are too old (over 30).
- The second one is that the area is more spread out, so it is not as easy as in Itaewon to go from one place to the other.
- The third one is that it can be really expensive to party there. Drinks may cost up to three times as much as in the cheaper venues in Seoul, and you may be requested to book a table in some clubs (with a minimum spend of around US$300).

One of the most exclusive and popular venues in Gangnam is Octagon, which is your typical superclub with two rooms (commercial EDM and Hip-Hop), a select crowd with designer clothes, and plenty of VIP corners.

Sexy bar hostess in Octagon

Another trendy venue is Jay & Jason. This small hip-hop lounge is accessible only if you book a table. Beautiful crowd, with very few foreigners.

Gangnam is also known for its cocktails bars and speakeasies, some of which are considered among the best in Asia. You can check Alice Cheongdam, Le Chamber, or Vault +82.

Hongdae is the preferred Seoul nightlife area for students (Hongdae is the Korean abbreviation for Hongik University). While the crowd is younger than elsewhere, it is also popular with older people, especially hipsters and some foreigners.

To party in Hongdae, you can go first to the busy exit 9 of Hongik University Station. From there, you can then walk to Eoulmadang-ro street up to Jandari-ro street. Many bars and clubs are located in that area, such as Mike's Cabin (most popular with foreigners), Aura (hip-hop), Made (EDM), FF (Live music), Thursday Party (crowded, part of a chain), Henz (trap music), and Vurt (techno).

Girls clubbing in Made Hongdae

A singular place in Hongdae is the Retrogame bar, co-founded by a Swedish, the perfect mix between videogames, alcohol, and fun!

If you stay in Seoul for more than a few days, you should also check these three areas:

- Eujiiro (close to Euljiro 3 metro station), a nice neighborhood with many local restaurants and bars, including trendy speakeasies (especially the one called “After Jerk Off”).

- Sajik-dong (Gyeongbokgung Exit 7) also has a few nice upscale bars, such as Cobbler (ask for a smoky cocktail!)

- Ikseon-dong is situated across the touristic neighborhood of Insa-dong. It has chic shops and restaurants. The perfect place for a walk in the afternoon or to grab something to eat in the evening.