Elian Toapanta Sanchez
Provider: ISA
Seoul, South Korea
Fall Semester 2022

It’s safe to say that South Korea lives by a mantra: “Work hard, party harder.” Education is paramount to success in the eyes of Koreans and thus, many students work themselves to exhaustion or worse. Life after university isn’t any easier as South Korea is well known for its brutal working hours. Thus, it’s hardly surprising that when they finally do get some well-deserved time off, they use that time to the fullest. The nightlife, especially in Seoul, is one of the most dynamic and intense in the entirety of Asia, and you’ll never be lacking for a place to go, no matter the day of the week.

Hongdae, Seoul’s most famous party district, is situated near Hongik University and thus is popular with the younger, university-aged crowd. Roughly a thirty-minute subway ride from Korea University, its home to shops, restaurants, bars, and clubs galore. Entertainers line the streets, from dance groups to magicians, rock-bands to rappers, the variety is endless but the quality makes them always worth watching, if not for a second.

In my time here, I’ve stuck to a few favorite places, particularly NB2 (Noise Basement) and La Bamba, a Latin-American themed club.

If you’re lucky enough, like I was a couple weeks back, you might even see some celebrities. (more realistically, you’ll notice a huge, tightly packed crowd slowly making its way towards you, with film lights and professional cameras just barely poking out the middle) On a whim, I went out to Hongdae for churros and some light shopping and once I saw the avalanche of people slowly making its way towards me, I managed to find a good vantage point.