A team of Korea Herald reporters went on a weekend crawl of clubs in Seoul’s infamous clubbing districts of Gangnam, Hongdae and Itaewon. The following is our tried and tested list of the hottest clubs in Seoul now. 


Gangnam, glitz and glam

The inspiration behind that galloping hit track by rapper Psy, Seoul’s well-off Gangnam area is the home ground of some of the most glamorous and sophisticated clubs not only in Korea, but worldwide. 


Club of clubs: Octagon

To play it safe, Octagon is the fail-proof choice for those seeking the typical wild night out in Seoul. Since its birth in 2011, the massive, multistoried venue has quickly grown to occupy the landmark club status south of the Hangang River, with its vast dance hall, top-notch surround sound system and throbbing electronic dance music.

Octagon ranked sixth place in the world’s top 100 clubs of 2015 by DJ Mag, an international authority in nightlife which described the venue as “a space-age engine room” that gives “high octane clubbers exactly what they want.” American singer-actor Jamie Foxx partied here just last month, the club’s executives said. The stage often features world-class deejays such as Mark Jay and Fedde le Grand.

There’s more to Octagon than EDM, however. The club is broadening its horizons by collaborating with jazz club Blue Note and participating in new cultural events such as the classical party Yellow Lounge. For more information, visit octagonseoul.com. 


Height of exclusivity: D.Bridge

For those who want to trade in sweaty crowds for bubbly champagne and a more upscale experience, the place to go is D.Bridge -- a lounge bar quickly rising as the trendiest place to be seen in the affluent Cheongdam area.

The venue’s glitzy interior includes a gold-laced descending staircase, glass-walled stalls and an ambient terrace, where table reservation fees start from a hefty 1.1 million won ($929). Drinks flow from the arms of championship-winning bartenders; an open deejay booth stands at the center of the main hall, pumping out swanky tunes just loud enough to encourage intimate conversation.

“It’s a new kind of place that Korea hasn’t seen before, where you can enjoy good music and drinks but also socialize,” said Cha Seung-won, the venue’s CEO, handing this reporter a glass of champagne.

Since its opening last June, D.Bridge has been acting as a social club of sorts to an exclusive clientele of businessmen, professionals and celebrities in their mid-twenties to late thirties who network and relax here. It has come to be a favorite hangout of hallyu stars such as boy band Big Bang’s Seungri and T.O.P and the Suzy-Lee Min-ho couple.

Those seeking still more exclusivity can rent out luxurious private rooms, starting at 1.2 million won.


 Stars at the turntable: Syndrome

What differentiates Syndrome is its hoard of resident K-pop celebrity deejays, including comedian Park Myung-soo, or Great Park, Rana of girl group Nine Muses, Dong-ho of boy band U-KISS, Haneul of veteran pop group DJ DOC, Moon Joon-young of boy band ZE:A and even actor Lee Wan, the starlet Kim Tae-hee’s younger brother.

The club features a diverse array of music genres. Electro house tunes blare throughout the main stage, but a separate hiphop stage is also available. Local big-name rappers Jay Park, Jessi, Vasco, Beenzino, Dok2, Swings and San E have taken to performing here.

Syndrome is made up of nine dance zones, each with a different theme, including “Mirror,” “Bunker,” and “Pool,” where bikini- and boxer-clad clubbers splash about when pool raves take place.

Worldwide celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Jessica Alba and David Beckham have also partied at the Apgujeong-located venue during their stay in Korea.  


After hours: Arena

Those hardcore clubbers still unsatiated after a few hours of dancing will want to head over to Arena, an “after-club” that peak at midnight and opens until well past the break of dawn.

The space is somewhat cozier than the clubs above but still dizzying, with low-hanging mirror balls and dancing poles lining each side of the hall for clubbers to straddle.

“The music here alternates between electronic, hard trance and psychedelic according to the mood and vibe of the dancers,” said staff member Kim Sung-hoon.


Come one, come all: Ellui

Another big-name Seoul club known to international audiences is Ellui, which also opened in 2011 and reigned supreme in the Gangnam party scene for a good few years.

Ellui used to be a hyperexclusive venue, boasting a refined crowd and banning people wearing flip-flops or shorts from entering its doors. Since this year, however, the club is pushing a new image of mass-appeal and accessibility, said Shin Sol, an Ellui executive.

“Even first-time clubbers can come comfortably and enjoy themselves now,” he said.

The quarters consist of a roomy main stage roaring with EDM music, a glamorous powder room and “mirror zone” surrounded by crystal balls and white cylinders.

With paper confetti raining from the ceiling and featuring different party themes every week, Ellui still stands strong as one of the hottest spots in Gangnam. For details, visit elluiseoul.co.kr.



Itaewon clubs, unique and expat-friendly

Just a few years ago, many Koreans saw the foreigner district of Itaewon as grungy and dangerous. Since then, the area and its clubs have made a meteoric rise in the party scene with some of the most unique lounges and clubs that pull in top DJs from abroad.


Party hard at Club MUTE

MUTE is one of the most party-hard clubs in Itaewon, sitting on the second floor of the district building just behind the Hamilton Hotel. On weekends, the crowd is heavy with foreigners coming to dance after grabbing drinks at nearby bars (pub-and-grill Prost and the Glam lounge are in the same building). Like the bars in the same building, MUTE boasts one of the most dazzling interiors around with well-designed lights and even a cage. Show up looking your best -- the MUTE crowd is stylish and sexy, with tipsy girls teetering on kill heels and swaying to the EDM music. MUTE is a good choice for a second or third stop on a party night; the atmosphere might be a bit too much to take in when sober. 


B1, the sprawling party castle

B1 is one of the most accessible clubs in Itaewon, standing literally just outside Itaewon subway station next to the Hamilton Hotel. It is one of the largest lounge clubs in the area, with two stages and two bars at either end. Decorated throughout with a “castle” theme, the club feels like a stylish underground party dungeon pounding with house and techno music. Although it is a lounge, expect to spend some cash on liquor if you want to get a decent table. The club has an upscale feel and the clubbers are expected to be dressed well. Here, the crowd in generally more local than foreign. There are long lines on weekends and little room to move around inside; we recommend that you use B1 as a starting point and make your way later to the smaller, less crowded clubs to save energy.


Glam, quality liquor and cozy atmosphere 

Those looking to take a break from nonstop hard partying of Itaewon should head to Glam Lounge, just next to Club MUTE. Clubbers stepping inside the venue are greeted by a not-too-pushy bouncer, politely asking you to remove your down jacket, or whatever garment that may be violating Glam’s dress code of “no sportswear, mountain wear (which apparently includes down jackets), LED light-up T-shirts.” Hoodies are also a no-no, shorts are not recommended, while casual and formal shoes are both welcomed. Visitors, however, are urged to refrain from being clad in slippers or flip-flops.

The bar in the middle of the lounge is surrounded by chairs, occupied by guests predominantly in their late 20s to early 30s. The demographic is quite wide though, as early-20s and even 40-somethings do not appear out of place. The cost of a dish is between 12,000 won and 55,000 won, while the drinks range from ho-hum 6,000 won orange juice, 10,000 bottle of Heineken to bottled champagne with a price tag north of 1 million won.

A separate dance floor does not exist, but guests can dance to the unobtrusive House music under the dimly-lit lights. They can also occupy one of seven tables that can be procured without reservation. People spending over 180,000 won can reserve the rest of the tables. 



Hongdae, energetic and crowded

Hongdae’s clubs boast a highly energetic crowd, often of the youngest legal age, and relatively cheap drinks. Another unique feature of the area is the monthly Club Tour, formerly known as Club Day, which allows clubbers entrance to nine hot venues for a single ticket costing 20,000 won ($17). 

December‘s Club Tour falls on the day after Christmas, Dec. 26, and will include Cocoon, m2, MAMA, MINT, nb1, nb2, Papa Gorilla, Super7 and Vera.


Cocoon: Warning -- High male density

Club Cocoon is notorious for its high male density. Despite the frequent gender imbalance, Cocoon is one of the most crowded party venues in Hongdae, partly because of its ready availability. The club opens throughout the week from Monday to Sunday and offers free-flowing Sauza tequila to women until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Those who have ever been to Hongdae have at least once passed by Cocoon, due to its advantageous central location between Hongdae’s shopping area and the outdoor busking arena, the Hongdae playground. Cocoon plays all kinds of music and has an iconic terraced dancing stage where paid dancers in skimpy outfits pump up the atmosphere alongside clubbers. On its second floor it has a “lady zone,” for ladies who want a break from unwanted attention.
 

m2: Worth the wait

Club m2 makes visitors wait for a noticeably longer time than other clubs. Clubbers endure the annoyance, as what awaits inside is worth the delay. Once through the 30-minute-or-longer static line, club-goers are rewarded with a spacious dance hall decked with three poles each on the left and right side on elevated footing. M2 plays original electronic mixes by in-house disc jockeys and there is a good chance of finding someone for more than just a bump-and-grind, as the lighting here is just bright enough to catch the look in another person’s eyes. The club has been in service for 11 long years and boasts an undying fame. It offers themed weekly parties, some ambitiously volunteering to serve as matchmaker for single clubbers through special events. 


Vera: the Gangnam appeal

People love or hate Vera depending on what they have set out for the night. Vera is much brighter than other clubs, and the music its resident disco jockeys mix is, while distinctive and addictive, not the deafening woofer pounds often heard at other venues. Vera is a mutant among the Hongdae clubs, possibly due to its sharing premises with a cultural concert hall, Lezhin Comics V-hall, at earlier hours. A group of girls leaving the club at 2 a.m. declared Vera “very boring” while another group called it their favorite in Hongdae because it was “like Gangnam clubs.”   


nb: Riding on YG premium

Club nb, short for “noise basement,” is one of the most popular hip-hop clubs in Hongdae. Established in 1999 by YG Entertainment’s chief producer Yang Hyun-suk, over the years it has expanded to nb1, nb2, lounge club Doo Bar and the now-defunct Club Harlem. There’s a branch of nb in Gangnam, too. YG artists including Big Bang, 2NE1, Psy and more are known to make occasional appearances at nb clubs, keeping the supply of tourists who choose to party there flowing. On weekends, an admission ticket to either nb1 or nb2 automatically grants access to the other. Although one of the oldest and the most crowded venues where a serpentine line builds up each weekend night, it’s extremely difficult to get reliable and up-to-date information on the nb clubs on the Internet.

By Yoon Min-sik, Won Ho-jung, Rumy Doo & Lim Jeong-yeo (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com, hwj@heraldcorp.com, bigbird@heraldcorp.com, kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)