Queer Seoul Series
An Expat Guide to Queer Seoul
Part III: Vex in the City
When it comes to gay night life in Seoul my online endeavors revealed it all revolves around Itaewon and Jongno. You can think of Jongno as an older gentleman, dignified, set in his ways who likes to partake of the soju with some noraebong before bedtime. On the other hand Itaewon is his wild younger brother who parties Dorian Gray style with a bottle of booze in hand and feet flying across the dance floor. So if you fancy either of those types then you’re set.
To begin the night I chose the aptly named Homo Hill in Itaewon primarily because it’s in the foreign part of town. Being understood in English isn’t a problem there. Yanks, Canuks, South Africans, Aussies, Kiwis, Irish, and Brits and a bevy of other nationalities mix and mingle with the local Koreans in some whacky alchemy that works more often than not. In this mish mash of cultures Homo Hill fits right in. From subway exit it’s a one block trek straight then a right turn up the hill with a left after King Club. Going up the hill, it is a hill so wear your hiking shoes, for the first time feels like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole. Nervous anticipation of what I would find, who I would see, if it would be like back home or totally alien.
First up on the hill is Trance. It’s on the left with descending stairs down into the interior. It’s small, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s not busy. Uh-uh, on the weekend tons of people squeeze into Trance like they’re getting into their favorite pair of jeans. It’s tight, two sizes too small, and you may have to hold your breath, but once inside it feels good. Techno pop music booms. The crowd, which merges into one big seething animal of swaying arms and bobbing heads, doesn’t give an inch on the dance floor.
Meeting guys might be tough at Trance. Most of the crowd leans straight. They’re there to see the Queens put on a show and a show it is. They prance, strut, and work the stage pouring drama into every flick of the wrist and batted eyed. You won’t be disappointed. The Drag Queens perform at two thirty AM Friday and Saturday Nights. The W10,000 cover includes a free drink.
Continuing up the hill on the left hand side after Trance is Queen. It’s even smaller than Trance and way too tiny to be a club, but the lack of a dance floor impedes no one. Once the alcohol soaks the senses and the music fills your head the dancing cannot be denied. Queen spins the best music on homo hill. The clientele knows it. In Queen you’ll find teachers, businessmen, vacationers, university students, westerners and Koreans all having a good time. The interior is all white, black and chrome. A video façade plays music videos all night. The drinks may be pricey, but there’s no cover.
Just past Queen come the two bars Always Homme and Oz. Both of these spots allow some breathing room to actually talk if you’ve met someone. The vibe in Always Homme is relaxed and low key. One of the bartenders is extra flirty in his attempt to get you inside to have a drink. He flits from table to table ensuring everyone has one drink in hand if not two. Oz is a bit brighter with a tad more dazzle. Much like its next door neighbor conversation is the key here as well.
Across from Oz is Soho. Expect the same crowd as Queen except with a heavy dose of military looking to unwind and cut loose. Soho actually has a dance floor which gets put to good use especially when Beyonce’s Single Ladies plays and gays go wild with choreographed routines in homage to the music video vixen. Soho is much more open and with greater space comes more maneuvering room to socialize. It also seems to be the lesbian nexus of the hill. Maybe it’s the W5,000 cowgirl shots? Sadly, the music isn’t as good here as it is at Queen. The mix of top forty pop and k-pop tunes seems to be on an eternal loop week after week, nevertheless the crowd never seems to mind. No cover, but the drink prices sure make up for that.
Heading back down the hill right next to Soho is Why Not. It’s an actual club like Soho so prepare to dance this time to electronic K-pop blaring at ear drum popping decibels. Inside the crowd is more Korean but there’s still a good mix of all types. Expect a healthy dose of Big Bang, Wonder Girls, 2NE1 and Lee Hyori. The atmosphere is a little intense with the flickering light show and may trigger an epileptic attack. Thankfully, the seven foot tall drag queen is on hand to provide assistance.
Those are the main go to spots on homo hill. The hot night is Saturday followed by Friday. During the week it’s a snooze fest unless there’s a holiday. In the warmer months the action tends to spill out onto the street with people enjoying the weather while drinking and socializing. Like back home if you’re a wall flower you might find it difficult to meet folks. Your first time there it seems like everyone knows everyone. Go early before it gets too wild and you’ll find it easier to chat someone up. Of course if you’re an Adonis then you should have no problems meeting anyone and may have to slap a few hands away.
Homo Hill isn’t quite the end of gay night life in Itaewon. Pulse, just underneath Panchos next to Dunkin Donuts, is a huge club in the basement. It’s an after-hours place. Cover is usually W15,000 if you can even get in since they tend to balk if you look straight, foreign, or military though that may have changed. EF (energy factory) is the latest gay club. It’s next to King Club right before Homo Hill and takes up three floors. Cover is also W15,000 and they seem to have the same policy as Pulse. Spend your money elsewhere. Almas is at the foot of Hooker Hill. It’s a lounge style bar with the music to match along with moody lights and a hip urban style. The crowd tends to be mostly Korean. Down the hill across the street and around the corner to the left is another lounge bar named Lipstick. At the top of Hooker Hill there’s Question. It’s tiny but with good music and strong drinks. Then there’s Fu Bar across from the Wolfhound and Bar Bliss. It’s a wine bar that hosts drag queen bingo on Friday nights. Beyond wine and other drinks they also have hookahs readily available to puff away on your favorite shisha.
JONGNO
Other than homo hill there’s only one other sizable gay destination in Seoul. Jongno may not have the catchy name but it boasts double to triple the number of spots that homo hill has to offer. One caveat: a lot of those establishments happen to be noraebang and soju bars. I’m not one to guzzle soju and my singing skill compares to the wailing of a wounded animal snared in barb wire. Luckily there are still quite a few spots in Jongno to enjoy.
Bar Code is one of the most accessible bars for expats enjoying a night out in Jongno. The bar has an open and laid back atmopshere. Here guys just sit enjoying a drink or two. The owner speaks English and is very welcoming to foreigners. A big screen TV can be seen showing everything from episodes of Spartacus to the latest Korean drama. The music is mostly background pop and K-pop so actually having a conversation without shouting is possible.
Next door to Bar Code you’ll find Short Bus. From outside it may not look like much, but once inside you’ll be pleasant surprised. The space is open, airy, and bright. Here the big screen plays episodes of America’s Next Top Model. The staff was friendly and also English speaking, at least one of the bar tenders, which means they didn’t have to suffer through my abysmal Korean. Short Bus seems like the place where friends congregate to celebrate or catch up with each other.
Near exit four of Jongno station you’ll find a few more bars. Here all in close proximity are the bars Escape, Moro, and Blood G to just name a few. Really, more than one night is needed to explore all the cocktail bars.
Afterwards, I was feeling brave enough to venture into the back streets and alleys to find the multitude of soju bars. These places are so small only a handful of people can squeeze inside. I ventured inside a a few but immediately I could sense that a foreigner probably had not set foot inside in a long time if ever. Soju bars are typically small like in seven to ten customers at a time small. With things so cramped and intimate its no wonder the regulars seemed a bit territorial. A few visits may change that or maybe you’ll have better luck if you go with someone who frequents the particular soju bar.
The more adventurous expat will be right at home in Jongno. The scene is definitely low key compared to Itaewon, but it has a lot to offer. Grab a Korean buddy, a guide book of the area from Bar Code, and check it out.
To be Continued in Part IV: Power of Pink
