CITY guide
SEOUL
KOREA
Seoul, Korea, is the eighth most crowded city per square
mile in the world. But you won’t have time to feel claustrophobic because there is so much to see and do. From
its famous war memorials to its gorgeous national parks,
this large metropolitan city atop the Han River is unlike
anywhere else. Hint: you won’t go wrong in Hongdae.
FROM THE AIRPORT
Indie electro-pop band From The
Airport independently released Colors
in 2012. Since then, they’ve been busy
releasing singles, and in 2015 dropped
their debut full length, You Could
Imagine, with local indie record label
Fluxus Music.
ROCK N ROLL RADIO
True to their name, Rock n Roll
Radio mixes good ol’ rock ’n’ roll with
infectious, dance-y grooves. They have
been a mainstay in the local music
scene, playing major music festivals in
Korea since 2012.
BIG PHONY
Big Phony is the self-deprecating stage
name of singer/songwriter Bobby Choy
— but he’s the real deal. This Korean
native got his start in New York, and
has been slowly building a faithful
fanbase for his sweet sounds since the
mid-2000s.
LOVE X STEREO
Since 2011, duo Annie Ko and Toby
Hwang have c ombined electronic and
rock under the moniker Love X Stereo.
Their newest EP We Love We Leave,
Part I was released earlier this year.
Pump up their upbeat ode to home,
“Soul City (Seoul City).”
Bird’s eye view of Hongik University Street [Hongdae]
PLACES TOURISTS WOULDN’T
KNOW ABOUT
Big Phony: There’s a drinking place called
“
” (Intestine Casserole) which
is actually a popular Korean dish. They
don’t serve this on the menu — it’s actually
a place to drink soju, beer, and makgeoli,
while listening to a great selection of older
classic Korean tunes. The walls are lined with
vintage Korean vinyl records.
From the Airport: Yeonhui-dong [up-andcoming college neighborhood]. It’s near
Hongdae and you can find a lot of high-class
restaurants and cafes there.
Love X Stereo: Nuridream Square food court
[tech-focused exhibit center and building]
LIVE MUSIC VENUE
Rock n Roll Radio: Club Freebird in Hongdae.
Big Phony: Hongdae has the most live music
clubs. Some of my favorites are small and
intimate like Jebidabang and Veloso.
From the Airport: Our favorite is MUV
Hall, where we had our first live concert.
[International acts such as St. Vincent have
played the intimate Hongdae venue]
Love X Stereo: Club FF [live music venue in
Hongdae that turns into a dance club after
midnight]
TIPS FOR TOURISTS
Rock n Roll Radio: You should not visit
Gangnam. It’s not Beverly Hills in Korea. Too
crowded. It’s an annoying, useless street.
Big Phony: Cash tipping isn’t necessary
in Korea. Subway is sometimes faster than
cabbing it. Very simple to use. Check your
receipts at cafes. They sometimes put the
WiFi passwords on them for you to access.
Dawn 808 is great for hangovers. It’s available
at any convenience store. Drink one can
before a night of drinking, before you pass
out, or when you wake up. Pour and receive
alcohol with two hands. Everyone goes out for
lunch from 12-1 p.m. Try and eat lunch before
or after that to avoid the rush.
From the Airport: It’s not mandatory to tip at
restaurants or in taxis. You can if you want,
but no one expects you to do so! Everything
is open really late, so you don’t have to worry
about not being able to find some place to eat.
Love X Stereo: Tips aren’t mandatory here. So
tip from your heart.
BEST PLACE FOR RECORDS
Rock n Roll Radio: Purple Record in Hongdae
Big Phony: The Seoul Record Fair, held once a
year at Platoon Kunsthalle.
From the Airport: There aren’t many record
shops left in Korea due to the boom in the
online music industry, but our favorite is
Hyang Music in Sinchon. It’s really small, but
you can often find rare items there.
Citizen Park, Hangang River
30 . TRAVEL WITH PURPOSE
Hongdae nightlife