Jon Dunbar is a copy editor at The Korea Times, as well as editor of the Foreign Community page and curator of the Korea Times Archive. If you have suggestions for possible articles, or wish to contribute articles yourself, contact jdunbar@koreatimes.co.kr.
Gwangju's Nirvana prepares to enter cycle of rebirth
People drink together inside the first Nirvana bar in Gwangju. Courtesy of Caleb Sekeres
By Jon Dunbar
Another landmark pub is closing down in Gwangju. Nirvana, located near the Asia Culture Center, will have one final live music event featuring local band Malarkey Saturday at 10 p.m. before shutting its doors for good on June 20.
"There are many reasons we are closing. I suppose if Nirvana had been very successful financially, we might be staying," Caleb Sekeres, the American co-owner, told The Korea Times.
Nirvana was primarily a cocktail bar, but it also had a good selection of beers and whiskies. The focus was affordability rather than a wide selection, with the Moscow mule as its signature cocktail. It also hosted events and offered food specials from time to time.
The bar takes its name both from the Buddhist concept of salvation and the Seattle grunge band, although the vibe fits more closely with the peacefulness of the former.
"Nirvana’s name comes from both Buddhism and rock music," Sekeres said. "(My wife and business partner) Yunoo was a DJ for many years and has a strong love of world music. I grew up playing classical music and fed on classic rock and the pianists of my era — Billy Joel, Elton John — as well as some indie rock artists. We both enjoy the basic ideas of Buddhism and a peaceful, gentle life with respect for others and nature. Kindness, music, coming together — these are good descriptions for Nirvana. A stress-free life."
Gwangju has had a number of great bars, and it was at one of these, Speakeasy, that Sekeres met his wife, Kim Yunoo.
Caleb Sekeres, left, and his wife and business partner Kim Yunoo / Courtesy of Caleb Sekeres
The two of them opened Nirvana at a location near the back gate of Chosun University on Jan. 24, 2020, shortly before the pandemic began.
"With the help of some very loyal friends and customers, and with lowered expectations regarding weekly business, we survived — barely," Sekeres said. "Many nights we had to close at 9 p.m., which is ridiculous for a bar. We tried to increase business with take-out cocktails (not so successful), music and other events (frowned upon by the government and restricted for nearly three years), and 'sticktoitiveness.' A basic tenet of ours — be consistent with your opening and closing hours — which to this day we have maintained, has helped us develop a loyal following."
After a year and a half struggling to survive, they moved to their current location, a second-floor space that had previously been a Japanese restaurant.
"We put a lot more effort into the interior. With a theater and arts background, I love the idea of creating space and offering an experience," Sekeres said.
The interior of Nirvana bar in Gwangju / Courtesy of Caleb Sekeres
The move was good for the bar, but evidently not good enough.
"Our move from the Chosun University area to downtown Gwangju was a good move, but downtown Gwangju has not recovered from COVID," Sekeres said. "Downtown Gwangju also faces challenges because of planned neighborhoods like Sangmujigu and Cheomdahm in Gwangju. ... There are not enough customers coming downtown willing to spend hard-earned won."
Sekeres, who comes from an acting and theater background, first came to Korea in 2008. Initially he worked in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, before moving to Gwangju for a job as a professor at Chosun University, where he worked from 2009 to 2016.
After a few years living in the U.S., they returned to Korea with plans to open the bar.
The pair plans to relocate to Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, where they hope to set up a similar business.
"We have some specific parameters in mind," he said. "The menu is almost all set, so look out for a premium single malt whisky bar opening in August or September. The name will most likely be different, but we will continue to provide about a dozen kinds of world beer as well as craft brews like Nomadic and White Crow, a number of fantastic cocktails, great side dishes and one of the best single-malt whisky selections (over 60 kinds, some most will rarely, if ever, have been seen in Korea) you can find. We will continue to offer nice music, a friendly, welcoming atmosphere and an East-meets-West vibe to our Korea community."
Sekeres says he will miss Gwangju. "I already miss the people," he said. "My friends and family. I will miss the food. Gwangju food is fantastic, especially the kimchi. I will miss the familiarity of a place I’ve developed a relationship with for over 15 years now. And I will miss, to some degree, the hard spirit of the people in South Jeolla Province."
Follow @nirvanagwangju on Instagram for more information.