Clubs

Underlounge Seoul
Hongdae or Hongik University Area

This is the local club of a hip Japanese chain that also has a branch in Shanghai, located in the famous clubbing area Hongdae. Spacious, with a supersized mirror ball hanging over your head, DJs from near and far make music while you hang out at the bar or in classy private rooms. Located near the main entrance of Hongik University. Call (02) 325-5715 or visit www.underlounge.kr.

Boutique Club 52
Itaewon

Once called Function inside Macaroni Market, Club 52 boasts a chic and modern interior with the DJ spinning the beats for the hippest crowd from the center of the dance floor. Featuring top DJs from both home and abroad, two bars inside the club serving the coolest cocktails including some made with Hendrick’s gin, and a high-class interior, Club 52 is always the place for good times.

Club Volume
Itaewon

Located in the Crown Hotel near Noksapyeong Station, Club Volume offers the finest venue for specially themed weekly events and talented international DJs for unforgettable nights of dancing and debauchery. Reborn after extensive renovations to maintain its reputation as a quality club with a superior sound system, luxurious setting and stylish people, Club Volume was listed by TIME magazine among the 10 things to do in 24 hours in Seoul. Call 1544-2635 for more information.

Le Nuit Blanche
Cheongdam-dong

Formerly Club Answer, Le Nuit Blanche is a posh restaurant, theater and club. Located in front of the Hotel Prima in Cheongdam-dong, Le Nuit Blanche offers Cirque du Soleil-type performances at its theater restaurant. World-class DJs from all over the world perform at the club. Call (02) 514-4311 or visit www.lenuitblanche.com.

Cafe Mou
Sinsa-dong

This cafe has a rich ethnic interior that mixes inspirations from such places as Morocco and France. Its menu is limited, but features desserts. It is located at the edge of Dosan Park. 650-9 Park View Building, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam, near the Cine City Theater in Apgujeongdong. Call (02) 3444-6069.

Berlin Cafe & Lounge
Itaewon

Almost hidden atop a hill at the mouth of Itaewon, this terrace with a view offers deliciously themed dinner platters, strong cocktails and DJs on the weekends. The kitchen is open late and the waitstaff is attentive. The modern decor, floral touches and artistic ambiance add to the dining experience. Call (02) 749-0903 for reservations.

Once in a Blue Moon
Apgujeong-dong

Once in a Blue Moon is one of the best known jazz clubs in the city. It features live jazz sets from two different bands every night, usually starting at 7:30 p.m. The place exudes an elegant, sophisticated atmosphere that is perfect for a romantic date. It is located on the street between the Hakdong intersection and the Galleria intersection in Apgujeong-dong. Call (02) 549-5490 or visit www.onceinabluemoon.co.kr for more information.

Platoon Kunsthalle
Apgujeong-dong

Platoon Kunsthalle is a cultural space where visitors can enjoy various facilities, including an event hall, library lounge, art studios, and a bar and restaurant. Open from Monday to Saturday from 11 to 12 a.m. DJ nights on Thursday and Friday from 10 p.m. Located near exit 10 of Hakdong Station on subway line 7. Visit www.kunsthalle.com or www.platoon.org.

Noxa Lounge
KyoungLiDan

A restaurant and bar serving home-style Italian cuisine along with basic cocktails, wine and a large selection of non-alcoholic drinks, Noxa offers the best patio seating in the neighborhood with a cosmopolitan flair. Call (02) 790-0776 for more information.

Gachi
Apgujeong-dong

Salsa enthusiasts can dance the night away here. To get to Gachi, get off at Apgujeong Line 3 and get out at Exit 5. After walking past six streets, look for the Matilda Club and Bar on the seventh street, turn left and look for Gachi’s red-and-white sign. Gachi is open from Mondays to Fridays 6 p.m. to 12 a.m., Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 12 a.m. Call (02) 540-7087.

St.102
Hongdae

This hip-hop club often has special parties and performances. There are many Korean homies here with do-rags, dreads and baseball caps turned sideways. Visit st102.cyworld.com. 360-18 Seogyo-dong, Hongdae, or call (02) 335-7166.

Naos Nova
Huam-dong

A wine bar and restaurant with a design so stunning that it was featured in several interior design magazines before its doors even opened to the public. Its location across from Namsan Park gives it a wonderful, cool atmosphere. Visit www.naosnova.com. 448-120 Huam-dong Yongsan-gu, Seoul or call (02) 754-2202.

Kyotofu
Itaewon

With a stark, modern interior and unique menu options with tofu-based ingredients, this restaurant and sake lounge offers a hip dining experience. Call (02) 749-1488 for reservations.

Club FF
Hongdae

This live-music venue features all kinds of music. Depending on the night, they feature funk, punk, rock or pop. Club FF attracts an eclectic mix of people. Walk down to the alley with Club Tool on the corner and turn right. Visit clubff.cyworld.com.

Traditional

Korea House performances
Korea House
Open run

Korea House regularly holds a series of traditional performances featuring dance, “pansori” (Korean opera) and more. Tickets cost 50,000 won. The venue offers various hands-on activities such as making kimchi. For more information, visit www.koreahouse.or.kr or call (02) 2266-9101. Located near Exit 3 of Chungmuro Station, subway lines 3 and 4.

Saturday Morning Concert with Tea ’Morning of SamcheongGak’
SamcheongGak
Through Dec. 31

SamcheongGak, a traditional Korean cultural venue established in 1972, has been holding regular morning concerts on the last Saturday of each month. Audiences can enjoy traditional Korean music with special seasonal Korean teas. “Haeguem player” Won Na-kyoung will be on stage on Nov. 26 with a program consisting of Korean traditional court and folk music and folk song tunes from the Gyeonggi
area such as “Gin Arirang, Noratgarak, Changbu Taryeong, Bang-a Taryeong.” Tickets cost 20,000 won. Located near exit 5 of Jonggak Station on subway line 1. A shuttle bus from subway stations to Samcheonggak is provided. For more information, call (02) 765-3700 or visit http://www.samcheonggak.or.kr.

Kim Duk-soo’s Traditional Yeonhui Performance ‘Pan’
Gwanghwamun Art Hall
Open run

“Pan,” which opened in May 2008, is a traditional Korean performance expressing on stage a Korean clown’s joyful and pleasant emotions in harmony with traditional instruments, drama and circus acts. Since its first performance in 2008, the theater has prepared a new version of the show and opened it to the public in 2009. The second version is now being presented. Located near exit 1 of Gyeongbokgung Station, subway line 3. Tickets cost 30,000 to 50,000 won. For more information, call (02) 722-3416.
Miso
Chongdong Theater
Open run
This Korean musical tells the romantic story of a young couple in the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1897) falling in love with each other, describing the transformation of love as chronicling the four seasons and using Korean musical instruments and dance. The musical was created in 2008, and the second version has been running since 2010. Tickets cost 30,000 to 50,000 won. Located near exit 5 of Seodaemun Station, subway line 5. For more information, call (02) 751-1500.

Art Exhibitions

SUITMAN Past, Present, Future
Gallery Factory
Through Dec. 17

SUITMAN, also known as Kim Young immigrated to the United States and worked as a creative director for advertising company Dentsu. Establishing his new identity through the new name “SUITMAN,” he has passionately expressed his artistic inspiration stemming from the boundaries between business and art. Located near exit 4 of Gyeongbokgung Station on subway line 3. For more information, call (02) 733-4883.

Seo Min-jeong ’Sum in a Point of Time II’
Gallery Absinthe
Through Dec. 16

This private exhibition, planned as SeMA’s (Seoul Museum of Art) supporting program for rising artists, sheds light on Seo Min-jeong’s project which has been developing for the past 16 years in Germany and Japan.
Seo minimizes parts of the soon-to-be demolished buildings, intentionally blows them up and attempts to catch the paused moments of the explosion to persuade audiences to think about things that are removed without careful consideration. Admission is free. Located near exit 3 of Apgujeong Station on subway line 3. Admission is free. For more information, call (02)-548-7662~3.

Kim Si-yeon ’THREAD’
16 bungee
Through Dec. 4

Discovering a series of compulsive images from life objects, such as soap and salt, artist Kim Si-yeon attempts to explore communication’s absence and modern people’s self-defensive behavior in metaphorical ways. The artist chose to utilize erasers especially for this exhibition and created threads with fragments of erasers to symbolize the traces of ordinary human life. Admission is free. Located near exit 1 of Anguk Station on subway line 3. For more information, call (02) 2287-3516.

The Masters
Opera Gallery
Through Dec. 31

Celebrating the 4th anniversary since its grand opening, the gallery prepared an exhibition entitled “The Masters” to display the pieces of world-renowned artists in modern art history from post impressionism in the 19th century to modernism. Claude Monet, Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Raoul Dufy, Fernand Leger, Andy Warhol, Tom Wesselmann and Robert Indiana are featured. Admission is free. Located near exit 2 of Apgujeong Station on subway line 3. For more information, call (02) 3446-0070.

Tell Me Tell Me: Australian and Korean Art 1976-2011
National Museum of Contemporary Art
Through Feb. 19

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Korea and Australia, this exhibition was designed in cooperation with the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. Setting 1976 as the starting point for the exchange of artistic values between the two countries as four Korean artists participated in the 2nd Sydney Biennale and video artist Paik Nam-june visited Australia that year, the exhibition highlights the astonishing moments of modern art in either nation from then to today. Over 130 pieces created by 47 Korean and Australian artists are on display. Tickets cost 5,000 won. Located near exit 4 of Seoul Grand Park Station on subway line 4. For more information, call (02) 2188-6000.

U Sunok ’Drawing for a While’
Kukje Gallery
Through Dec. 6

Established artist and Ewha Womans University professor U Sun-ok has consistently created a series of installations, drawings and video art, placing her artistic values on the oriental beauty of space. Her third exhibition attempts to share more thoughtful and metaphorical aspects of her artistic realm than the previous ones. Located near exit 1 of Anguk Station on subway line 3. For more information, call (02) 735-8449.

WORK IN PROGRESS — Karl Lagerfeld Photography Exhibition
Daelim Museum
Through March 18

Working as head fashion designer and creative director for Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld has expressed his artistic spirit in various sectors from photography to publishing and film. Though many people recognize him only as a top-class designer, this exhibition will be a good opportunity to see his aesthetic ability as a photographer covering a wide range of genres from portraits to architecture and scenery. Tickets cost 5,000 won. Located near exit 3 of Gyeongbokgung Station on subway line 3. For more information, call (02) 720-0667.

Museum Link — Art of Communication: Anri Sala, Yang Ah Ham, Philippe Parreno, Jorge Pardo
National Museum of Art, Deoksugung Annex
Through Dec. 4

This exhibition is part of “Museum Link,” a project in cooperation with Arko Art Center and the Seoul Olympic Museum of Art. Under the theme of communication, the exhibition aims to introduce four world-renowned artists’ pieces covering a wide range of genres from new media to a film, installation and design art and their aesthetic views on communication in contemporary society. Tickets cost 5,000 won. Located near exit 2 of City Hall Station on subway line 1. For more information, call (02) 2022-0600.

The Court Painters of Joseon Kingdom
Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art
Through Jan. 29

Focusing on the historical pieces of “Hwawon,” court-designated painters of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), the exhibition aims to introduce the artists involved. The exhibition is divided into two sections: “The Court Painter’s Brush: Forming Royal Authority” and “The Court Painter’s Brush: Painting Joseon.” Tickets cost 7,000 won. English translating service will be provided at 2 p.m. every weekend. Located near exit 1 of Hangangjin Station on subway line 6. For more information, call (02) 2014-6901.

Translated
Korea Foundation Cultural Center Gallery
Changdong Art Studio
Through Dec. 10

The 11 artists who participated in the 2011 International Residence Exchange Programs presented by the National Art Studio are expected to visually “translate” their thoughts and feelings gained while experiencing other countries’ culture over two months. This year’s program has been prepared in cooperation with six art institutions from New Zealand, Germany, France, and Australia and consists of works by five foreign artists. Admission is free. Located near exit 9 of City Hall Station on subway line 1 or 2 (KF Gallery) and exit 2 of Changdong Station on subway line 4. For more information, call (02) 995-0488 or 0995.

Eduardo Chillida
Sinsegae Gallery
Through Dec. 12

Spanish Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida, born in San Sebastian in 1924, has built his artistic realm based on localism, covering a variety of subjects from philosophy to literature, music and art. He has explored the theme of “Space” throughout his life as an artist, looking for aesthetic values from stone, steel, clay and paper in terms of reality and emptiness. This exhibition is his first in Korea in cooperation with Chillida-Leku Museum, and displays 61 pieces. Located near exit 7 of Hoehyeon Station on subway line 4. Admission is free. For more information, call (02) 310-1924.

The News after the News
Total Museum
Through Dec. 4

As the second project for the MOG Culture Project, the museum is holding an exhibition of work by Romanian visual artist Dan Perjovschi, nicknamed the “world drawing genius.” Perjovschi has become famous through drawing satirical cartoons and graffiti pieces. This exhibition will be a chance to explore how the artist reinterprets the Korean news with his own satirical and distinctive drawing and illustrations. Tickets cost 9,000 won. Located near exit 3 of Gyeongbokgung Station on subway line 3.

TV Commune
Nam June Paik Art Center
Through Jan. 24

Considering the upcoming rapid changes in the media environment with the termination of analog broadcasting in 2012, this exhibition introduces works showing the influence of television in our lives and the concept of “interaction” that TV has been holding.” Including historical works by famous video artist Nam June Paik (1932-2006), those of his contemporaries such as Dara Birnbaum and David Cronenberg will also be on display. In addition to these, today’s artists focusing on media art, such as Martin Arnold, Ha Tae-bum and Im Heung-soon will be part of the exhibit. Tickets cost 4,000 won. Located near exit 6 of Sinnonhyeon Station on subway line 9 (using bus number 5001, 5003). For more information, call (031) 201-8500.

Kids

Bubble Pop Magic Show
Howon Art Hall
Through Nov. 27

Commemorating its grand opening last July, the art center has been holding a special show especially for kids to provide family audiences with an opportunity to enjoy magic and bubble shows together. The performance, divided into two sections, consists of magic shows using pigeons, newspapers and rings during the first part, and bubble shows with bare hands and ropes follow. Tickets cost 20,000 won. Located near exit 3 of Gangdong-gu Office Station on subway line 8. For more information, call (02) 470-9191.

Sports games

Basketball
Saturday Nov. 26

Busan KT Sonicboom vs. Seoul Samsung Thunders
Busan Sajik Indoor Gymnasium at 3 p.m.

Ulsan Mobis Fevers vs. Incheon ET Land Elephants
Ulsan Dongcheon Gymnasium at 3 p.m.

Goyang Orions vs. Anyang KGC
Goyang Gymnasium at 5 p.m.