Must-see entertainment in South Korea

  • Top Choice
    Seoul Racecourse

    Enjoy a day at the races at Seoul's impressive and hugely popular horse-racing track. A 40,000-capacity grandstand faces the sandy track and its backdrop…

  • Top Choice
    Nanta Theatre Jung-gu

    Running since 1997, with no end in sight, is Korea's most successful nonverbal performance. Set in a kitchen, this high-octane, 90-minute show mixes magic…

  • Top Choice
    Mudaeruk

    The 'Lost Continent of Mu' has been hiding out in Sangsu-dong all these years? Join those in the know for live bands, piano, improv jazz or electronic…

  • Top Choice
    National Theater of Korea

    The several venues here are home to the national drama, changgeuk (Korean opera), orchestra and dance companies. Free concerts and movies are put on in…

  • Top Choice
    Paradise City Casino

    Put it all on black at Korea's first Vegas-style casino, featuring an enormous gaming floor where bow-tied croupiers shuffle cards and stack chips at…

  • Top Choice
    Mellowa

    Sounding like 'mellow out' in English, this small live-music bar is very Yeonnam-dong – Hongdae's mellower, cooler sibling. The dark industrial-chic space…

  • Top Choice
    National Gugak Center

    Traditional Korean classical and folk music and dance are performed, preserved and taught at this centre, which is home to the Court Music Orchestra, the…

  • Top Choice
    Club Evans

    Appealing across the generations, Evans offers top-grade jazz and a great atmosphere. If you want a seat, get here early or book ahead – live music…

  • Top Choice
    Jeongdong Theater

    Most famous for its critically acclaimed musical Miso, this theatre company also produces a number of traditional nonverbal musicals.

  • Top Choice
    FF

    A top live venue with up to eight local indie bands playing at the weekend until midnight. Afterwards it becomes a dance club with DJs.

  • Lotte Giants

    The Lotte Giants baseball experience inside Sajik stadium neatly captures the essence of Busan: boisterous, fun-loving and occasionally naughty …

  • Busan Cinema Center

    An important venue for the Busan International Film Festival, this complex plays a mix of Korean and foreign films in its smaller venues. The magnificent…

  • Owl's Rooftop

    With live jazz, bands and acoustic music, great Korean food (clam and tofu stew; apple bbq pork) and beer (or bottles of berry makgeolli), this place,…

  • In the Groove

    This mellow basement hideaway features live jazz from 10pm every Friday and Saturday night. There's no cover charge.

  • Post Territory Ujjeonguk

    This former post office turned art centre focuses on the theme of sharing and communication. With many exhibitions, concerts and seminars put on by and…

  • Seoul Arts Center

    The national ballet and opera companies are based at this sprawling arts complex, which includes a circular opera house with a roof shaped like a Korean…

  • Gwangju Kia Champions Field

    Catch the Kia Tigers professional baseball team in action from April through November. Stock up on snacks from the street vendors outside the stadium,…

  • Nanta Theatre Hongdae

    Set in a kitchen, this long-running, high-­octane show mixes varied ingredients – magic tricks, circus acts, drumming with kitchen utensils, comedy, dance…

  • Cinematheque

    Catch independent and foreign films (with subtitles in Korean) at this arts cinema where you’ll also find Hollywood golden oldies screening at the Silver…

  • Boogie Woogie

    Shake your stuff to two shows nightly (7pm and 9pm) at this neon-clad live-music den featuring local jazz acts and a smattering of blues, funk and hip hop…