Seoul (서울), the massive capital of Korea, and its trendy Gangnam (강남) neighborhood, is more (and better) than PSY galloping through it. The city hosts some of Korea’s best universities and has a large expatriate community, not to mention nighttime roaming from the contentious American military presence. So there is no shortage of people looking to party. On top of that, the bars and clubs typically close when the last person leaves or the sun rises, whichever comes first.  One of the most highly-ranked clubs internationally is Octagon and MASS.  (Just go; no explanation.)  You could also go to Club A, but I am leaving it off the list just because Justin Beiber went there.  (We don’t have the same, well, taste–or anything.)  If the Korean pop culture wave brings you to Seoul, there are a few places you shouldn’t miss.

(NOTE: This is a selected list, and by no means a “best of” or comprehensive list.  This is also based off my last experience living in Korea, which was 2012.  Comments and suggestions are appreciated.  I will even update with your suggestions, if valid.)

Club Ellui

Truly one of the wildest nights in all of Korea can be had at Club Ellui, located in Chungdam-dong. Whether it is the popular DJs, Korean celebrities, or the bartenders pouring straight from the bottle on stage, this had to be the Gangnam Style that PSY was talking about. The cover charge on the weekends can be pricey, but this club has multiple levels and is one of the largest on the continent. It’s not uncommon to be blindsided by a giant bouncing ball while dancing to the beats. If you go to Seoul and didn’t part at Club Ellui, you didn’t party.

Sk@

Whether you are coming in for a street food meal or grabbing a quick drink before heading to the packed clubs, SK@ (pronounced “Ska”) is one of the hot spots in Seoul’s best party neighborhood, Hongdae (홍대학교).

The walls and decor looks like it could have been decorated by years of frat boys. However, the loads of different money taped to the walls, from Tanzania to Canada, is a testament to the kind of crowd that SK@ draws, all ages and nations. College kids to older professionals crowd the third floor bar, and the makeshift dance floor gets messy.

If you’re a regular, chances are you humiliated yourself and your friends with a drunk photo on the wall, which is filled with Polaroids and notes written in Korean, English, Japanese and other languages. If the original SK@ is too crowded, the owners have a second store nearby called, well, SK@2.

Chin Chin

When the loud music and crowds get old, it’s time to sit back and enjoy Korea’s oldest alcoholic beverage, Makgeolli (막걸리), a traditional Korean drink processed from rice and grain, and has a milk color and texture. Since the drink is roughly 1,000won (원) at stores and 3,000won at restaurants, it’s one of the most popular drinks for young professionals, especially those partying in the Hongdae area. Chin Chin is one of Korea’s first upscale Makgeolli place, nearly three to five times more expensive. But it is worth it. It draws in the crowd that is ready to start the night right.  However, it is only open until 1am, giving you enough time to head back to the loud scene. These kind of places rarely have anything more than crowd chatter and sizzling Korean dishes from the kitchen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1jk57ruxoU