Korean nightclub: my impressions. Nightlife of Seoul. Clubs and crazy streets Nightclubs of Seoul

In general, initially, we wanted to tell you about the TheA club, but unexpectedly we learned that it had completely closed... Therefore, we have no choice but to tell you about the most legendary club in Korea. Included in the TOP 100 best clubs in the world. And not just somewhere, in the late nineties. And in a proud 5th PLACE! In general, this is not just a club, it is a real cherry on top of the cake called the club culture of Korea. And his name is OCTAGON.

At the time of its opening, and this was back in 2011, there were a lot of rumors around it. For a long time it was even said that its owner was none other than G-Dragon. We don't know if it's true or not. They didn’t specify. But perhaps it was this rumor that allowed the club to take off and be on everyone’s lips literally from the moment it opened. In its scope it overtook the then famous Ellui. And it was perhaps because of Octagon that Ellui faded far into the background. But for 5 years now, OCTAGON has been consistently leading the ranking of the best clubs in Seoul. Agree, it sounds impressive and very tempting. We, too, could not pass by and not check all the rumors and speculations that fly around this club for ourselves.

So, Octagon is located in Gangnam, in the basement of the New Hilltop Hotel. If you are taking a taxi, it is better to tell the taxi driver the name of the hotel. And just in case, have a different address, since the hotel is not deluxe, they may not know.

The entrance, made of black stone, is not immediately noticeable; if there were not an inscription above it with the name of the club, one could easily pass by. At the entrance, as everywhere else, there is a guard in black who conducts face control and checks passports. So be sure to take them with you. By the way, in Korea it is enough to have a photo of your passport with you, for example, on your phone. By the way, recently the club has tightened face control for foreigners. So be fashionable.

And then there are black doors with a company logo and a staircase down. Across the flight there is a reception desk and a cash desk, two in one. Entrance costs 30,000 won (about $30), and like everywhere else, the price includes a free drink. It seems that before 11 pm entrance cost 10,000 won. But we are not sure that this is relevant at the moment. We always arrive after 11. Luggage storage is bags, the cost of a bag is 5,000 won. In exchange for money, you are given a branded rubber bracelet with the number of your bag.

So, if you continue descending on the right there will be a small lounge bar with its own music (different from the one played by the DJ below), usually hip-hop plays here. Well, at the very bottom the club itself awaits you. Its scope is impressive! 2 floors and a huge dance floor. If you go straight from the stairs, there will be a restroom. By the way, it’s also huge and very stylish. In one part there are huge mirrors with tables where you can put your makeup in order and black leather ottomans where you can sit, relax and chat. Well, then there are the booths and sinks themselves, as if in a separate nook. Everything is very stylish.

If you turn left from the stairs. Then on the right side there will be a huge bar counter. And on the left side there are VIP tables. Then there is a glass elevator leading to the 2nd floor to the VIP area and VIP room. And behind it is a huge dance floor. At the head of which is a DJ console and a huge screen panel, probably the largest in Korea. The interior design is quite simple, here you will not find a crystal chandelier or marble floor, but everything is laconic and stylish.
Music – electronic – dance. This club regularly hosts guest DJs from all over the world. There are also our own resident Korean DJs on a permanent basis.

The age group is average, there are young guys, and there are also people of status. But most of them are 25 and older. You won’t find ahjussi from a corporate party here, like in Ellui. Usually all guests come to the club purposefully. By the way, among the guests of the club you can constantly meet celebrities, not only Korean idols, but also American actors and singers. For example, Jessica Alba, Eric Bennett and Jamie Foxx were caught at the club, not to mention all sorts of Jay Parks and YG singers in full force. Just for such celebrities, the club has a couple of closed VIP rooms that you just can’t get into.

On the second floor there is a VIP area with white, leather sofas and tables that must be booked in advance. From the second floor there is a staircase that goes down to a small balcony - a podium directly to the side of the DJ console.

What to wear? Like all clubs in Korea, there is face control here. As we already wrote, recently they have tightened the rules for foreigners. Therefore, definitely no sneakers or sportswear. A beautiful club mini dress or mini skirt and a top and heels. You need to be stylish, but not flashy and vulgar;) Well, for guys, definitely jeans or trousers and a shirt/polo. No shorts, breeches or sweatpants.

By the way, on holidays such as New Year, Christmas or during performances of famous world DJs, there is real pandemonium in the club. Huge queues at the entrance! Which almost goes around the entire hotel. And the locker room is being moved to the hotel building. So, if anything, be prepared to run a couple of hundred meters from the hotel entrance to the club entrance, in the cold (if it’s winter) in just a dress. It was because of the queue and this locker room that we ended up leaving for Ansvey both times for Christmas and New Year.

Conclusion: The club really deserves its task - the best club in the country. And if you get a chance, be sure to visit it.

My IMHO: The club is really cool, cool and grand.

Briefly about the main thing:
Working hours: Thursday - Saturday from 22:00 to 7:00
Price: 30,000 won (just under 30 bucks), free drink included.
Luggage storage: 5,000 won (just under $5) per bag.
What to wear: Strict face – control for foreigners. Therefore, clubwear. For girls, dresses or skirt + top. For a guy, trousers\jeans + shirt\polo. No sneakers or sportswear.

Address: B1/B2 New Hilltop Hotel, 152 Nonhyeon-dong, Kangnam-gu, Seoul / 서울시 강남구 논현동 152 뉴힐탑호텔 B1/B2, South Korea 135-011
How to get there: Hak-dong Subway Station (Subway Line 7), Exit 4. Exit the subway and go straight along Nonhyeon – ro. After 2 intersections you will see the New Hilltop Hotel on the right. Club in the hotel basement. Walk from the metro for a maximum of 5 minutes.

Then you will definitely want to know where in this country you can have fun and dance at dusk.

Features of nightlife in South Korea

It makes sense for active night owls to take a closer look at the South Korean capital. In the Hongdae area they offer nightlife venues that feature electro (M2, Joker Red, Blue Spirit clubs), R’n’B, hip hop (Velvet Banana, Hole, Catch clubs), and heavy metal. It is worth noting that visiting hip-hop clubs ($10-15) is cheaper for young people than visiting clubs with electronic music ($17-25). In addition, the Hongdae area often hosts musical performances, in particular by jazz bands, in open areas or in life cafes.

In the Itaewon area you can dance in such establishments as B1, Volume (famous DJs work here on weekends; despite the fact that entry to many bar clubs in Itaewon is free, a visit to Volume will cost visitors $25), Helios.

The Gangnam area pampers young people with “sulchibs”, bars and drinking establishments. Here you should pay attention to the electronic club Mass and hip-hop clubs Harlem and NB.

Those planning to relax in the Apgujeong area should take into account that prices here are higher for everything, but there are also a lot of entertainment establishments here (many of them have face control), especially those specializing in electronic music parties (Answer, Circle and others).

Casino Seoul

Seven Luck Casino: the casino pleases visitors with about 120 slot machines and more than 70 gaming tables. Here you can “indulge” in Caribbean poker, baccarat, roulette, tie-sai...

Paradise Casino Walkerhill: Located in the Hilton Hotel and open 24 hours a day, you can play tie-sai, baccarat, blackjack, roulette... There's also a slot machine. This casino, like others in South Korea, is aimed exclusively at foreigners, so you must have a foreign passport with you.

Club Grid, Busan

Delights visitors with Night Party throughout the night, as well as Red Bull Three3Style (a competition of DJs in technical skills and the ability to “rock” the audience) and SuperMartxe parties.

Nightclubs in Seoul

At the entrance to Octagon (the club is open from Thursday to Saturday from 10 pm to 7 am), security conducts face control and checks visitors’ passports (don’t forget to take this document with you). The establishment, which occupies 2 floors (a glass elevator moves guests from one floor to another), is equipped with the best sound system in all of Seoul, a huge dance floor, 3 bars, an open kitchen, a swimming pool and a VIP area with white leather sofas.

Ellui (opening hours: Friday-Saturday from 22:00 to 7 am) is famous for its parties, which are attended by the best Korean DJs and international music acts. The territory of Ellui is also covered by free Wi-Fi. On the 2nd floor of the club there are VIP areas, and on the 1st floor there is a dance floor (mostly people have fun here listening to electronic dance music), with round counters/tables installed to the right and left. Under the stairs you can find a bar and a small area where there are tables and chairs. In addition, the club pampers visitors with a separate hip-hop lounge with its own bar.

You can visit the Answer Club from Wednesday to Saturday from 9 pm to 5 am (Friday-Saturday - until 6 am). After 23:00, visitors are charged about $30 for entry (this price includes 1 free drink). The dance floor of the Answer club is equipped with a luminous square podium that rises upward several times during the night. The VIP area provides tables and sofas for visitors. And if you wish, you can go up to the roof of the establishment and relax in the individual cabins located there (their rental is far from cheap).

Even before arriving in Korea, my Korean friends warned me: “Never go to clubs.” And forewarned means forearmed. I held out for three months, but curiosity took over. I won’t say anything about “walking or not walking,” I’ll just tell you about tonight.

Korean clubs are open every day at any time of the year. They are different. The clubs in Gangnam are electro music, and the clubs in Hongdae are hip-hop. “Well, we need to dance well,” - it was with these thoughts that we went to Hongdae. Who are we? This is important information, and you will understand why later. We are me (European appearance) and my two friends (one looks very Korean, and the second just has an Asian appearance).

Entrance to the club starts from 10 thousand won (about 10 dollars), but, again, it all depends on the club: there are places where entry is free or very cheap, but... It’s better to pay. Before entering, you need to show a document certifying that you are no longer a teenager, but an adult (either an ID, a passport, a temporary registration, or a license). And then the first pleasant thing is a ticket for a free drink, which is given at the entrance. You can choose anything you want. You must speak Korean. Loud. Because it seems that the bartenders are either actively using the contents of the bar, or are simply not thinking well in this chaos, which is not surprising.

Before opening the doors to this realm of confusion, music evoked thoughts of dancing. But... At first glance, it became clear that if I could just stand here (in the club, that is), then that would be great. There are not just a lot of people, there are o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o. And any dance will be called “herring in a barrel.” I honestly wanted to shoot a video or at least take a photo, but the night passed in the position of a tin soldier, periodically moved by the crowd to a new place.

It's very easy to lose each other in a Korean club. But if you are a girl who is not looking for adventure in “one place,” maintaining your company is vital. Koreans do not move around the club alone, but rather in a crowd. Undulating. When one wave passes by you, the result may be different; most likely, you will simply be carried away by the crowd somewhere far away from your previous place. What should I do? To be honest, we have lost one of our friends who looks like a Korean. It’s uncomfortable to sit on the phone, you can’t hear sounds, and vibration won’t help at all. After that, our dances turned into soldiers holding hands. Don't let go of the hand you came with! Even if guys appear later, it won’t bother them. Don't worry.

Now people are in the club. There are a lot more guys than girls. The guys have a lot of competition. You can choose anyone you like best. And about the situation of foreigners. Asian appearance makes a person a priori knowledgeable in the Korean language and, therefore, safe. It was hard for me at first. First of all, everyone is watching. It's fun only for the first couple of minutes, then it gets weird. Secondly, Koreans! I don’t want to complain (although I’ve already started), but these girls are very aggressive towards foreigners, especially while the foreigner doesn’t have a boyfriend on the horizon. If then someone stands next to you, then they no longer hit the top of the head with their elbows, do not push them as if they weigh 100 kilograms, in general, if they understand that you are not applying for their possible candidates, then they turn back into adequate Korean women . Needless to say, Asian appearance protects against attacks from Korean women? My friends did not experience any difficulties. And the guys (Koreans and Chinese) approached them much faster than they approached me. But foreign guys are worth their weight in gold. They just need to stand there, and Korean women will do everything themselves.

The club would not be a club if no one met there. In our clubs, a guy comes up and starts talking, and a Korean comes up either from behind or from the side and starts dancing together. Then you can look at it and say “yes” or “no.” By the way, “no” is perceived as normal, he will simply join the crowd and move away. For “yes”, it is better to choose a stronger and taller guy so that he can take the blow of the moving crowd. J

1. Club Ellui, also known as Asia Multiplex Club, is one of the biggest clubs in Asia, and currently the coolest in Seoul. Parties are held there quite often, where special guests are international bands and the best DJs in Korea.
In the midst of the party, the staff (and these are handsome, muscular guys, like models) jump onto the bar counter, start dancing and pouring cocktails into everyone’s mouths.
Entrance fee: 15,000 won on weekdays, 30,000 won on weekends.
129 Cheongdam-dong Gangnam-gu (강남구 청담동 129); cafe.naver.com/ellui; Reserve: +82 10 9111 6205

2. Club Mansion. Its only drawback is that the room is not very large. It is located in the Hongdae area. On weekdays this is an ordinary place to relax, no trash, but on weekends it opens its doors as a club.
Unlike other clubs in Seoul, Mansion's lighting gives everything a "cool" tone, which is very relaxing.
A huge plus of this club is that it is not as crowded as other places. It is very rare to stand in line for more than 30 minutes.
Admission: 20,000 won
368-22 Seokyo-dong, Mapo-gu (마포구 서교동 368-220); blog.naver.com/clubmansion/; +82 2 3143 4037

3. Another popular club is Answer, where Justice, Deadmau5, Benny Benassi visited.
The club occupies 3 floors, the stage is on the 1st, VIP tables are located on the 2nd floor, and rooms are on the 3rd.
A very strict dress code; there were often cases when people were not allowed in just because of their clothes. This is the place to really visit in Seoul if you want to have fun.
Just don't wear shorts or flip-flops.
Admission is 15,000 won on weekdays and 30,000 won on weekends.
125-16 Cheongdam-dongm Gangnam-gu (강남구 청담동 125-16); www.clubanswer.co.kr; twitter.com/#!/Club_Answer

4. Another excellent club, Rococo, which is located in the small but ultra-modern Imperial Palace Boutique hotel. It is located in the heart of Itaewon.
The Rococo club opened quite recently, but the video for GD and TOP High High was filmed there.
A lot of foreigners go there.
The club is located on the main road in Itaewon, so traffic jams are common, especially on weekends. It is almost impossible to park there, so we advise you to take a taxi or metro.
Admission 30,000 won
737-32 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu (용산구 한남동 737-32); +82 2 790 2269; club-rococo.com; twitter.com/#!/club_ROCOCO

5. Club Eden is rightfully considered one of the most luxurious clubs in Seoul.
A detailed, unique design, neon lights, a dance floor that resembles an 18th century ballroom (the music is what makes the difference).
Known for its sophisticated sound system. Eden is far from the cheapest club; if you want to drink, you will have to fork out for drinks.
There is a 2nd floor where VIP tables are located.
Admission 30,000 won
602 Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu (강남구 역삼동 602); www.eden-club.co.kr

And then my friend couldn’t come at the last moment!!! Well, I went alone, and besides, I heard that Seoul very safe, there are no drunken brawlers in the clubs (except for foreigners... lol... more on that below), no one is harassing or dragging you around. And besides, this was a considerable trump card, since from one blog I learned very interesting information: if a lonely foreigner stands languidly on the sidelines or dances alone, then Koreans are often interested in this, it seems like it’s interesting to hang out with a foreigner... And then they can invite to the VIP zone. And it’s always interesting to meet the natives...
By the way, in general, as a foreigner, people rarely got to know me in places like catering, but a guy I knew said: as soon as he sits down in a cafe or restaurant, everyone immediately gets to know each other with pleasure: both guys and girls. From which the other girls and I concluded that, apparently, this only applies to guys. Another guy will easily approach a guy and a girl, it’s clear why, will sit down. But with girls it’s a different story, guys are shy, and Koreans generally don’t like female competitors, especially foreigners.
So, I came myself, danced, looked around, I didn’t really like the music - I’d heard it better in clubs. But the size of the club is large, of course... in the middle there is a central hall, which has a view from two or three floors), impressive security is on duty at the stairs, and there is also a special transparent elevator for “special clients”, since there is a notorious VIP area, so that from top to bottom look at the smerds. To be honest, such an obvious, deliberate division into “classes” zones doesn’t look particularly pleasant... Another plus is the incredible wall-sized screen, against which the DJ sits and towers over everyone, and excellent lighting. (one photo of mine without a caption, the rest I found on the Internet so that there would be some kind of idea) And the main highlight of the show “lol” is the toilet, so big, clean with sofas, with all the amenities, the girls are sitting putting on their makeup, chatting. I haven’t seen such concern for visitors in the toilet in other clubs where I’ve been, and not just clubs... Here I got a better look at the club fashion, and it struck me that some were dressed as if not for a club, but for a high-society evening...
In the end, I started to get bored, because I didn’t really like the music, the mix didn’t shine with variety: just knock-knock-knock, two slams - three stomps. I took a cocktail and stood aside to watch. And then at first the foreigners began to pester me - I barely got away with it, I almost sent one to a “good place” - I grabbed it so hard. But after a couple of minutes, two natives come up and call me to the VIP zone (as the blogger described ha-ha-ha). Well, I broke down a little for the sake of decency, but there was a tick in the plan - to see what the serious guards are protecting there... Well, the VIP zone on the second floor is open halls along the walls, like balconies overlooking the central dance floor, divided into sectors with sofas. Drink various food on the table, eat - I don’t want to... True, the interlocutor was annoying, I, of course, did not count on a highly intellectual conversation, but at least pleasant communication with light, and not “heavy primitive” flirting and humor, yes and I love dancing in clubs, what to talk about there when the music is screaming, especially when two people in broken English are trying to hear and understand each other . In addition, he also wanted to stubbornly sit on the sofa - he was so lazy. In general, feeling even more sad, I quickly left him, but silently thanked him for giving me access to the VIP zone.  I went to explore the remaining floors. The last one had separate rooms with translucent glass, which were rented by groups of friends. Then I accidentally burst into a closed room with either sofas or a bed and a Korean lying there... ha ha ha... and somehow I immediately went back out, otherwise you never know what adventures I would run into... ha ha ha ... On the top floor I talked with nice people from a group of friends who rented a room about BD. And, in the end, not being too late, I crawled home around 3:00. I really liked a small detail - a soft path on the sidewalk (like on playgrounds), I took off my heels and walked comfortably along it, as if they had invented it especially for such tired, night-time pedestrians haha... In general, I would say, if it weren’t for the music (well, I have good taste) everyone is different), quite a good club. Tomorrow there was reconnaissance in Hongdae... and, as it turned out, in the morning and night it was neither dinner nor breakfast at 5:00 (they call it going to bed early).
IN Hongdae() its own specificity, completely different from Gangnam, it’s hard to imagine so many clubs in a few square meters, they are all very small, compact, with different atmospheres and music - you can find something for every taste. But a little cramped, of course, but one thing I really liked was the music. And there was some kind of chaos going on on the street, there were tons of people, the noise was incredible, it was very easy to get lost, everyone was in a hurry, there was a suffocating aroma of street food, a lot of young people and a lot of groups playing in the streets. Some kind of endless extravaganza of sounds, light and smells...

The friend who left me offered to go clubbing with her in Hongdae the next day. At the same time, she promised that there is some kind of “club guide” who knows everyone, belongs everywhere and will guide you around for a reasonable amount. Hongdae He will also offer a couple of cocktails. True, the meeting of the tour group was scheduled during childhood, so, as I suspected, we first settled in a strange half-empty bar, then walked along the street, watching impressive rap battles. Everyone dissed each other, the crowd gathered around, buzzed, cheered. Since I had never participated in this before, it was interesting, although I felt a little stupid, since they were reading in Korean... It turned out that I only listened to the rhythm and looked at the burning emotions  As for our tour group as a whole, for the first hour and a half, many were We were unhappy with the walk because it was too early: the first clubs were half empty... We visited 4-5 in total... For the first time in my life I visited so many places in one night! Of course, more than half of our “tour group” were foreigners, and this is where I felt the difference between foreigners and Koreans. The American guy from our “night tourist group” got tired of pestering him, drank a little and got carried away... The Koreans behaved very decently, however, as I found information on the Internet: they don’t get drunk, don’t paw, don’t immediately roll up from behind and accept refusal with dignity. And I understood why foreigners are so disliked in clubs in Korea, just