Travelogue #51: A Completely Unauthorized Lonelyy Planett Guide to Seoul Entertainment, 2009

<--- Another Excerpt from "Half-Virgin"

---> Travelogue #52: The Bangkok/Phuket Thailand Diaries, September 2008, Part 1

Earlier this summer, my editor at Eloquence Magazine contacted several expat writers about an opportunity to contribute to the next edition of Lonely Planet: Seoul. Apparently, the Seoul City Government was not satisfied by the portrayal of the city in the last edition of the travel guide, and in turn, wanted to seek out new writers who'd find the cool nooks and crannies of Seoul that were overlooked the last time around.

I was excited but cautiously so - I've learned that the best strategy for any and all writing possibilities is to wait and see what happens. Unfortunately, the opportunity came to naught; my editor told me the City Government was acting in a way that suggested that maybe its opinions don't hold much water with the Lonely Planet publishers.

Oh well. Since I put in the work to produce several blurbs, I figured it'd be best not to let them go to waste. So - if you're in Seoul, or plan to visit Seoul soon, take a look at the following nightclubs and bars I've experienced/enjoyed over the past year. One of them just might be what you're looking for...
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CLUBS

GANGNAM

Club NB
15000W; open late, Gangnam Station

See and be seen in this rainbow-lit hip-hop music video come to life. This enormous nightclub is packed with dancing women in tight shirts and tighter jeans, and the brave men who try to dance with them.

HONGIK

OI
02-334-5484 ; admission free ; Sun-Thurs 1pm-5am; Fri-Sat 1pm-5am; subway line 2 to Hongik University, exit 5


Drop your shoes and dance barefoot in this marshmallow cave of disco lights and pulsing techno. To relax, enjoy a hookah or a cocktail in one of the club's cool, cavernous corners.

BARS

HONGIK

ICEBAR SUB-ZERO
82-2-337-688; admission 15000 W for cape, gloves, ice glass, and one vodka cocktail; 1pm-2am; subway line 2 to Hongik University, exit 5


Sip cocktails from goblets made out of ice, and watch your breath turn into cool wisps inside this igloo of a bar. Refills are 10000 won.

NABI
02-338-4879; admission free; 6pm-3am; subway line 2 to Hongik University, exit 5


A candlelit swirl of African, Asian, and Mediterranean influence, this underground lair of soft pillows and flavored hookah is perfect for intimate conversations late into the night.

BRICXX BAR: HONGDAE
02-3141-5571; admission free, time hours, subway line 2 to Hongik University, exit 5



Surrounded by noisier clubs, this bustling but laidback basement lounge gives you thirty minutes to puff a hookah before you have to return it. Stay for the drinks: the wine list is long.

ITAEWON

THE BUNGALOW: TROPICAL LOUNGE
010-9001-2380; admission free; time hours; subway line 6 to Itaewon Station, exit 2

Nestled in a back alley of Itaewon is this mellow-vibed lounge, featuring three floors of swinging bamboo chairs and sunken tables. If you're hungry, try the surprisingly juicy California Burger for 13000W.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

JAMSIL

SEOKCHON LAKE
A glimmer in the backyard of Lotte World, this manmade lake is circled by a cleanly-lit walking trail popular with couples and families. Expect hearty foot traffic from morning through midnight.


SHOPPING

ITAEWON

WHAT THE BOOK?
02-797-2342; subway line 6 to Itaewon Station, exit 2

Atop the hills of Itaewon sits this small but bustling shop of new and used books patronized by English-speaking expats. Expect an impressive selection of American magazines, from the popular to the obscure.  

<--- Another Excerpt from "Half-Virgin"

---> Travelogue #52: The Bangkok/Phuket Thailand Diaries, September 2008, Part 1

Related post:
Travelogue #33: A Spring Night in Hongdae

Travelogue #51: A Completely Unauthorized Lonelyy Planett Guide to Seoul Entertainment, 2009