Hip Hop/Clubs, Seoul

There are many clubs in Korea, especially in the posh Gangnam district. However, Club Arena is the most exclusive out of all clubs in Korea, where Korea's socialites and celebrities are frequently spotted. The music is mainstream EDM but it is the atmosphere and the crowd here that differentiates club Arena from other clubs.

If you are looking for genuine, local top-of-the-notch nightlife fun, club Arena is a must.

Think pangea in Singapore, Dragon-I in Hong Kong

Dress Code: Dress Code is relatively strict. fashionable attire.

Most HRC's I have been to are set up as restaurants with outrageous decor and music memorabilia. This one is totally different. It's got a lot of room for dancing, a DJ set up on a stage and lots of intimate seating throughout the place.

I posted my HRC tip under shopping because, that's what I do. I buy pins to add to my collection and sometimes I get a shirt. Directions are listed there.

Located in the heart of Itaewon, under the Hamilton Hotel, B One is one of the area's best nightclubs. When I lived here in 2003-2004, the club was new and called Limelight. The club was OK before midnight or one o'clock, but after hours is when Limelight really started to rock. Many weekend nights, it will stay open until the sun comes up.

Sure drinks are relatively expensive, but nowhere else in the heart of Itaewon will you find a place like this.

since 2005, this place is known by very famous live/indie music club at Hongdae. their common base is rock. DJs are djing with famous rock music. beers and cocktails starts 4000~8000. after band's performance is finish, it's free enterance fee!
you can use here on clubday.(every month last friday)

Dress Code: just free:)

I've been there 3 times, in both 1st and 2nd floor areas.
Music - DJ s are very good, but unfortunately on a ground floor you can hardly move, let alone dancing. Situation tends to get better after 3AM. You have to wait to get a drink-go to the washroom maybe more than 15 minutes.
On the second floor is much better, there is a place to sit down, have a separate bar, but you ll need "vip" card to go there. on this floor dancing is possible and there are less kids.

This is an oldie in a new building (the O-hoo--Korean for PM, as in after noon). Good music with some events like MC battles. 10,000 won (9USD) to get in (afro-ed Korean bouncer is named Duke) includes 5,000 or so worth of drinks (basically 1).

Fridays and Saturdays are best...anytime from midnight to 4AM. Thursday is Ladies' Night (gals get select free drinks from 10-midnight and no cover).

M2 below is trance/house music and it's Ladies' Night is Wednesday.

Dress Code: Anything, but nothing crazy....never seen anyone turned away except for footwear (no flipflops or sandels!).

Keep an eye on these guys to bring in a fantastic name with little to no promotion. I have no idea why!!?? The pic is from Kyoto Jazz Massive- I've also seen DJ Heather there to name a few. Nice intimate setting anyways.

Dress Code: Anything

Last Day in Seoul!! We made sure that it was gonna be a memorable last day, and a good finish to our South Korea trip. We hit Apujeong. The dream land of plastic surgery! hahaha no I wasn't gonna get surgery to end it of with a big bang. lol.

We had samgapsil, tons of soju ahhahah tipsy!! Met some random Koreans, two were from the states. And yeah there we were with three complete strangers of to party with them. Dance the nite away.

Club NB is an awesome place. I think its a franchise so its everywhere. Again great hip hop music and Koreans are rockin to the music. Lots of boys then girls at this club. Well the time I went. We had a blast!! Cute boys tat nite hahahha.

Stayed there til like 5 am. very impressive. we beat our record!! lol.
A magnificient finish!! It was hella fun!! Club NB for sure next year!

Dress Code: I didn't think there was a dress code so yeah you can wear anything. But yeah its good to look ur best!

I didnt' know what to expect when I thought of clubbing in Korea. I've heard that's clubbin is way betta in Asia than your home country! Well that is true since you don't know anyone in that country. So your able to go crazy and wild! No one knows you! lol.

Walking on the streets of Hongdae, you hear the vibrations, beats and the music coming from the clubs. I knew I was gonna have fun!! The streets were filled with young adults, in their club wear. Their pretty casual when it comes to club wear. We hit two bars just for cheap drinks and to chill. Then it was on!! hehehehe. We went inside Qvo and I was impressed! The vibe their was awesome. All of them were in their hip hop gear and rockin away.

I swear the music here is betta than what I hear at home. Nothing could compare to the madness, the great remixes and the sweet tunes! We were dancin til 3 am! clubs back home close at 2 am.

clubbin here... CHUHAYO!! can't complain

Dress Code: The dress code is pretty casual. The style is mostly hip hop. but i think you could wear whatever. Qvo has coat checks as well.

The Limelight is near the Hamilton hotel, across from Gecko's Terrace. This is probably the hippest club in the Itaewon district, even though it is a bit shady (some call it "slimelight"). Go inside, pay W10,000, get a drink ticket, go downstairs, drop off your coat, and start dancing and buying drinks. The crowd here is REALLY late. Therefore, you can be sure that if you see Americans here, they aren't in the military, due to curfews. The DJ plays new hip-hop for the most part, as well as some old-school R & B. Drinks are $5-7 each, and the room has a nice ambient temperature. There are raised dance floors and brass poles, so you can play stripper-for-a-day. There are tough looking security guards, yet the staff is caring and nice, and want to make sure you have a good time, but won't allow any trouble makers.

Dress Code: There is no dress code, as far as I know, but in order to fit in, I'd wear something like what everyone else in Seoul wears- nice, awesome, stylish, comfortable clothing suitable for sweating and dancing.

The only place to go if you're north of Hong-dae. This place is really a bunker (hate to see it in a fire situaiton). Nevertheless, there are attractions here. No cover is one. Just buy a (5,000 won/4.50USD) drink from the ice bar or waiter (if you can flag one down). It's pretty packed and the 2,500 won/2.00USD tequila shooters don't make it any less crowded.

Tunes are all hip-hop, kinda hot and cold, but if you like dancing with 20-somethings this is a good spot. A few expats here, but not near as many as Hong-dae.

Dress Code: Anything.

Pros: Lots of beautiful people (esp women) and many of the patrons (and all staff) speak English. 2 sections, one with live band, another with dancefloor plus outside (when it's bearable). Good music.

Cons: prices. Heineken everwhere else is 5,000-7,000 won (USD 4-6), here it's 13,000 (USD 11)! Long Island Ice Teas are 14,500. Have a few (or many) drinks before coming here, for sure. And, no Subway to here. Closest is Itaewon (Line 6) and then a cab.

After JJ's it's a short cab ride to LimeLight (see review).

Dress Code: Definately no shorts (found that out one Summer night). Suits are good, or dress casual.

This is a real progressive venue. In a town (seoul) that is very Hip hoppy, this is a god send.

Ohoo is a new Complex. It is prooving to be a nice venue at that, attracting alot of great international acts.. Just last week I saw Leeroy (Former Prodigy) spinning there.

The Dance floor is great and beset on both sides by two bars that are always busy. The lighting is great, and being a laser fan (I am known as Laserboy by a few - this is another story however) the laser shows here are quite spectacular.

My only downer is that it can be really packed and so quite stressful. But well when you get a few in ya, all is great. On friday night sit is a little subdued with local acts playing not much more than trip hop, and house, but saturdays are wild, with acts usually being foreign.

Upstairs is a nice quiet terrace, that is usually closed off for members. (BTW my photo is taken from this terrace ^.~ - I took it with my phone this is why the quality is very very ordinary).

The cover is between 10 and 20 dollars depnding on the act. But it always includes at least one drink.

Dress Code: Dress tidily. Don't wear sandals if you are a man

This place is a good late night joint. It comes with young Hip Hop types from the swanky part of Seoul. The music is good and current, and the enthusiasm is all there.

The cover is between $10 and $20 depending on who is playing. My advice is go late. You'll pay $10 and you'll prollyscore that much worth of drink tickets.

Dress Code: Hmmmm. Dress like a hip hopper. (However I never do... I always dress like a trance head, and no one seems to mind ^.~)

My friend Imgee turned me on to this place. It is a very young crowd, and the current trend is towards break dancing. The only thing Kdoc breaks now is his hip while trying to do a backspin.

It is a basement club with a huge dance floor, a stage where live DJ's spin the tunes and a large screen shows the action. Plenty of space to sit down, and relax too. The only complaint was that there was only one kind of beer, Heinaken. Yuck! Give me a Cass or an OB any day.