The west side’s hippest ‘hood…
Arguably Seoul’s most bustling arts district, Mapo is home to Hongik University and is playground to it’s many art students. Shows go all night here. Explore venues in this west Seoul borough. The streets are bright and colorful. Not only is Hongdae a great place to hear music. There’s a plethora of dance clubs, clothing shops, and good eats. Check out my favorite spots here:
채널1969 Channel1969
Located underground in chic 연남동 Yeonnam-dong, this club boasts live music and live-streaming on the regular. They have a hefty collection of 만화책 comic books and retro game rigs for your enjoyment as well. On weekends live sets or disc-jockeys play into the early morning, so you can dance the night away.
스트레인지 프룻 Strange Fruit
This club is located in Hongdae. If you aren’t on Facebook, it’s impossible to know what’s going on here. This club, however, is very famous in Hongdae and hosts many international bands that are passing through. Styles vary widely.
취한 제비 Drunken Swallow (제비다방 Jebidabang)
This is one of the most unique music venues in Seoul. Located in 상수동 Sangsu-dong, Jebidabang has a stage in the basement. While you’re welcome to grab a seat downstairs, you can enjoy the view from above since the bar wraps around an eagle’s eye view. By day, 제비다방 ‘jebidabang’ meaning ‘swallow’s cafe’ serves as a restaurant. By night, it transforms into 취한제비 ‘choihanjebi’ meaning ‘drunken swallow,’ a space for all to let loose and enjoy the night.
벨로주 Veloso
Veloso has two locations, one in 망원 Mangwon, and the other in 홍대 Hongdae. Veloso is a space that doesn’t host late night disc-jockeys. Rather, this venue is dedicated to providing an intimate, live performance setting. In this room, don’t invite your chatty friends, take a seat, and listen.
에반스 Club Evans
Another gem in 상수동 Sangsu-dong. Three words: Real. Good. Jazz. This club is a great place to hear live jazz music every night of the week. They host open jam sessions as well, so take a look at the calendar! The room is pretty small, offering an intimate listening experience.
클럽 에프에프 club FF
Looking for an emo night in Seoul city? Punk rock? FF is a popular spot for students with a taste for alternative music. Goes lateeeeee and drink specials ’til 11PM.
생기스튜디오 SengGi Studio
A music venue and multimedia venue. Although this space is small, they run a really concise, English-subbed web series showcasing local indie artists. Follow the glowing, retro TVs up to the fifth floor and grab a beer.
대환영 Big Welcome
Official description: craft beer and vinyl. Located in trendy 연남동 Yeonnam-dong. Sounds good, no? Well, these guys have a lot of friends in the indie-music scene, so keep an eye out for live performances. And while you’re at it, grab a tasty cold-brew and buy some LPs.
아이다호 Cafe IDAHO
A very hip, modern cafe in 망원 Mangwon. They have some of the booziest coffees (I recommend the ‘Keannu Reeves’) and you can see art exhibits here as well as live music performances; mainly indie/alternative bands feature here. The ambiance is very nice and cozy. In daytime, there’s a fair amount of natural light as well.
클럽 MODECi
MODECi hosts a lot of disc-jockeys late into the night. Although they don’t often host live performances, I felt compelled to include them here because every so often, they do host live sets by primarily local electronic artists, and even the DJ sets are worth a listen. I’ve link the Henz Club here as well, a series hosted at MODECi. Often international acts have even performed here. Big names in the Korean R&B scene also frequent the HENZ club. The vibe is very ‘David Lynch:’ tiled black and white floors and dreamy, warm lights. It’s dark in here, but there’s a lot of fresh air on the rooftop. Bring the beats
네스트나다 nest NADA
nest NADA is a small, intimate space for live music. Hosting an array of different artists, you can always expect something different here. The room is minimalistic and cozy, free of flashy distractions. Grab a beer and get a seat up close to the stage.
studioLOG
A seriously beautiful, intimate space in posh 연희동 Yeonhui-dong. Although this space is largely used as a recording studio, mellow jazz sets are performed here every now and then. Keep an eye on the website for dates!
롤링홀 Rollinghall
Another medium-sized concert hall, Rollinghall has been a staple of the Hongdae music scene since 1995! Predominantly hosting indie and rock music, Rollinghall is a beautiful room.
클럽빵 club bbang
One of Hongdae’s original rock music venues, this place has not moved or changed over many years. With a very hodge-podge vibe, this venue has it’s own unique, homey flavor.
스페이스브릭 SPACE BRICK
SPACE BRICK is a fairly new, medium-sized concert hall near 합정 Hapjeong. This room is beautiful and chic, and yet still small enough to offer an intimate musical experience. There’s even a second floor balcony over-look if you’re looking for a bird’s eye view.
벤더 bender
bender is your standard dark, basement pub and live music space. Indie rock, punk, grunge, and more is on the menu here. This place reminds me of many familiar spots back home in the states. Grab a beer and if you’re feeling daring, get into the pit!
클럽 SF CLUB STEEL FACE
STEEL FACE is a hip spot, but be warned that the room is very small. If the act is popular, be prepared to cram your body against other onlookers. Aside, the room itself is very hip, with a bar to the left of the stage. They generally host hardcore music, but it’s not unusual to see other acts such as lo-fi sets or disc-jockeys.
클럽 A.O.R. (ALL OF ROCK)
A.O.R. is a venue dedicated to hardcore music. The room is relatively small, but the sound and ambiance is sublime. A.O.R. is another space that really takes you away from reality for a few hours. Arguably, A.O.R. is one of the best spaces sonically in Hongdae.
프리즘홀 Prism Hall
Prism is a small-medium concert hall not far from Hapjeong station. They host a lot of indie acts, but the space is available to a variety of other events as well. Established in 2012, Prism has a decent drink menu and is a popular spot to catch some live music in Hongdae.
상상마당 Sangsang Madang
Sangsang Madang is an arts space that hosts a multitude of events and exhibitions. Art, music, and more, it’s a real staple of the Hongdae community. There’s also a Busan location, Gangnam, Chuncheon, and Nonsan. The building itself is hard to miss: unique, abstract architecture decorated with bright colors. It’s a great place to buy cute stationary as well. Check out their IG for the latest exhibitions.
T팩토리 SOUND Factory
T Factory is a cultural experience space in Hongdae. It’s a product of SK Telecom, and hosts a variety of experiences and exhibitions to promote digital content. However, they also host musical performances as well, and thus was born SOUND Factory. The space is very bright, clean, and modern.
연남5701 Yeonnam 5701
This is a small, intimate jazz bar with Western eats and an extensive drink menu. Located near the street park known as “Yeontral Park” in Yeonnam-dong, I love coming here to hear standards when the weather is chilly and you’re in need of a warm mood. Like many other spots around Mapo, they host live music most nights of the week.
히피토끼 Hippytokki
Hippytokki is one of the go-to places in Mapo for any variations on alternative music. Located right near Strange Fruit, it’s very close to Hongdae Street. If you’re interested in post-rock and alternative music, they host bands regularly and even have compiled a playlist on their IG. Emo night is alive and well here. Aside from music, Hippytokki is also a place where people gather to explore visual arts, with events such as drink-and-draw, language exchange, and more. Check it out!
꿀잼 COOLJAM 