Bar entertainment in South Korea
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A
Fuzzy Navel
Gwang·an's interesting bars are located on the busy beachfront road and the small lane one block behind the drag. Most of the stimulating places are beside or behind the funky Fuzzy Navel where the recipe for this delicious drink is simple: take one shack and decorate liberally with California beach-bum graffiti. Add Plexiglas windows and presto, one of the city's most interesting concoctions.
reviewed
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B
Bar Bliss
Away from the main gay strip, bar staff Ted and Lucky keep this a friendly and relaxing bar. A chill-out, relax-on-cushions, shisha-pipe zone is the latest feature, and the eclectic decor includes a reclining Buddha. Any night someone might start playing a guitar, and the cheese and crackers are tempting.
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Noran Mahura
It's a tent restaurant on Cheongsapo (청사포), an out-of-the-way harbour where people come for a drink to watch the sunset and unexpectedly stay for the sunrise. The harbour road is packed with tent restaurants so if this one happens to be busy, walk along the pier to find another. Snacks include garibi (가리비), grilled clams with a salsalike sauce that tastes great. It tastes even better with soju at sunrise.
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Starface
Everything a fun neighbourhood pub needs is here: decent bar selection, regular specials and the occasional brawl. Friday night is all-you-can-drink for around ₩150 (some limitations). Located on Dalmaji Hill, an around ₩3000 taxi from Hae·undae is the only practical way to get here. Not many drivers are familiar with Starface but they all know 김성종 추리문학관, the next-door bookstore.
reviewed
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C
Barony Brahaus
Formerly known as Dojima, it's Busan's first microbrewery and a popular after-work watering hole for the upwardly mobile crowd. With a 550cc mug starting at around ₩5000 it's easy to run up a substantial tab quickly. That's why prudent drinkers drop around ₩16,000 on the all-you-can-eat-and-drink option; gorge and binge daily from 18:00 to 22:00. Located on a small lane one block behind Lotte Department Store.
reviewed
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D
Flower
Step inside this Arabian fantasyland and relax on floor cushions in screened compartments while sucking on a shisha pipe. The extraordinary, extravagantly designed bar has a wraparound balcony and large trees – avoid falling into the river after downing too many drinks. Wine, beer and cocktails range from W5000 to W7000, so how could you not go see?
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Ol' 55
A testosterone-charged tavern with everything a beer-chugging man needs: ale to match budget and taste, a prohibition on hip-hop music and women who play billiards in high-heel shoes and cut-offs. Line 2 to Kyungsung-Pukyong station, Exit 3. Turn 180 degrees, walk to the corner and turn left. Turn left at the second street and right at next block.
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US 66 Bar
This American-style bar with dark-wood décor is a gathering place for expats prior to launching out into clubland and the staff speak some English. Beers are well priced but nothing will set your night off like the notorious 'Long Island iced tea', which is only slightly more expensive and kicks a little more than a bottle of Hite.
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E
Labris
Up on the 8th floor, this newly opened social-cum–dance club is for women only and is lesbian oriented. It attracts locals and foreigners with its three levels of differently coloured, comfortable sofas. DJ nights are Friday to Sunday when the minimum charge for a drink and compulsory anju is W17,000.
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Juju Tent Bar
Particularly popular in summer, this outdoor bar near Apgujeong has a retractable roof and is open all year round. Beer and soju are W4000 but the trad food, chicken gizzards, chicken feet, grilled eel, stews and fish, is more expensive (meals W12,000 to W20,000).
reviewed
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OG Bar
A basic concrete-and-candles bar with cheerful music. It specialises in weird beer cocktails such as sweet-and-sour beer, guava beer and even coffee beer. They taste better than they sound and cost W5000, making this a good spot to start an evening.
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Mu
Probably the most amazing bar interior in Seoul, it has overhead waterways, and a sinuous white creeper design that creates individual cubicles for patrons. Imagine a Star Wars bar designed by an Inuit. It feels strange even when you're sober.
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Cowboy
Anyone doing the rounds in Seomyeon at some point pulls into Cowboy. Dark and smoky with thumping Korean pop music interspersed with classic rock tunes, the open-floor concept and wooden bar make it possible to mingle and on occasion hook up.
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Rock ’n’ Roll Bar
A small museum of foreign currencies and personal mementoes adds atmosphere to this long-running three-storey log-cabin bar in pricey Apgujeong, where the cocktails (W9000) are a better deal than the beers (W8000). Meals cost W20,000.
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Beatles
An enviable record collection of over 10,000 LPs fills a wall in this basement log-cabin ‘old music’ (ie 1960s and ’70s) bar where beers cost W4000. The host is laid-back and the atmosphere is quiet and relaxing.
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K
Lotte Hotel Lobby Lounge
Here's the upscale lizard lounge you've been looking for. Palm trees, comfy chairs and live muzak created by the duo with a piano and Imac. Throw in a decent Irish coffee and you've got the perfect place to impress a date.
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Nashville Sports Bar
Guinness on tap, big-screen movies, TV sport shows, pool and darts bring in customers to this American sports bar. Upstairs there’s a rooftop garden that’s popular in summer for a quick drink and BBQ burger.
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Pyeonuijeom Rose Marine
This tumbledown shack is as quirky and informal a bar as you'll find anywhere on planet Korea - sit outside by the water or even in a wigwam. You want tuna stew - the staff will open a can and cook it up for you.
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M
360@
Dip your feet in the pool, sit in a shady garden swing seat or recline on a bed indoors at this eccentric bar, full of places to relax as you listen to their tunes. Large beers are W5000, cocktails W10,000.
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Blue Bird
Young couples are attracted to this bar, which has a romantic ambience with comfortable chairs around tables that are adorned with flickering candles, while soft jazz plays moodily in the background.
reviewed
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Ssanggye Jaeda
It's a teahouse with medicinal drinks like the dark and slightly bitter ssanghwa tea (쌍화차). Line 1 to Jungangdong station, Exit 11. Walk two blocks past the post office.
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Nampodong
Most of the drinking establishments in Nampodong cater to Japanese and Korean business travellers. But there are a good a number of shops where you can experiment with unusual teas or sip espresso.
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U2
Finding a bar that plays George Thorogood isn't easy. Luckily, Busan has one and this is it. A fine rock-and-roll bar with bourbon, scotch and beer; opposite the Marriott Hotel in Hae·undae.
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Our Place
Spread over the three top floors with a terrace and rooftop section, this engaging wine bar with candles serves fusion food and is run by Seoul's most famous gay icon, TV actor Hong Seok-chun.
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Cheap Eats and Drinks
The commercial district in front of Kyungsung and Pukyong universities is an electric party district with eating and drinking options catering to 40,000 hungry, thirsty and frugal students.
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