Even though this is extremely easy to google, I figured I’d copy and paste and compile a list of some of the live music venues in Seoul that if you wanted, you could obviously use as legitimate place where your muse could / does perform. ( I don’t know if it’ll be just me, but finally finding a spot where I think my muse could fit in best really gave me some inspiration / motivation. )
La Clé -- Translated as “The Key” in French, this cozy bar offers a low-key, informal venue for high-quality jazz. Old wooden panels, antique clocks, and telephones offer a warm, vintage glow. Mismatched but comfortable chairs, vintage posters, and a large album collection, displayed on shelves that spanned the width of the stage, round out the intimate ambiance.
Club FF -- Club FF opened its doors in 2004, and is a cool place to discover local indie bands. The modest, club is located in indie-music mecca, Hongdae. The scene there is eclectic, with a mish-mash of rock, grunge, punk and hardcore metal bands. It’s a popular spot for foreigners and locals to rock out while sipping a beer or cocktail. Early in the night, live bands play loud and get the audience going; later on FF transforms into a dance club.
DOJO Lounge -- DOJO is a unique venue in the heart of Kyungnidan. DOJO features live bands every Friday and an open mic night every Tuesday. The owners are two true lovers of music, and DOJO is known for showcasing quality acts across many genres. It is the perfect place for anyone trying to find live music at a slightly more upscale venue, especially Itaewon residents who do not want to trek to Hongdae for shows.
Salon Badabie -- Many up-and-coming indie bands have performed on the compact stage of this unassuming little club in Hongdae. Since its inception Salon Badabie has been viewed as an indie band incubator, and it hosts a range of creative performance artists. The club almost closed down due to a lack of funds but musicians and fans joined forces to save it by hosting a number of fundraising concerts.
GBN Live House -- GBN Live House is run by punks, for punks. The circle pits can get rowdy, but overall everyone is very friendly and this is a great place to not only hear the best in Seoul punk and hardcore, but to meet new friends and cop a feel of the city’s DIY side. Beer is self-serve from cans in the fridge—anything else you want, you’ll have to smuggle in yourself.
Thunderhorse Tavern -- Thunderhorse Tavern is one of Seoul’s premiere destinations for all manner of live rock: blues, heavy metal, acoustic, or punk. The bar itself gets a great mix of Koreans and foreigners, all of them music fans.
Faust -- From the window behind the DJ booth, you can peer out at the lights of Itaewon while listening to the pumping music flowing from the DJ—the combination of which makes for a chill atmosphere. The music is most often house and the club hosts DJs from all over the world. The regular Der Faustian parties are a “local nights” series where you can hear tunes from resident DJs and DJs new to the club scene. If you love house music, Club Faust is the go-to for hearing the latest tunes.
Rocky Mountain Tavern -- Opened in August 2004, Rocky Mountain Tavern has been a popular spot on the Itaewon main street for nearly a decade. Not only does the pub have excellent food and drink, it also hosts bands every Saturday, and it is the largest live music venue in the neighborhood. Last year’s makeover left the second floor where the bands play more open and accommodating. The venue has held many band parties and fundraisers over the years, and the live shows are always a good time.
Club Ta -- Club Ta is a live concert venue located in Hongdae, home to many of Seoul’s indie bands and music artists. Owned by a member of the Korean band, Why Not?, for a little bit of extra music and street credibility, this small club only hosts about 50 to 100 people at a time. But by doing so, this club manages to avoid the loud, and more aggressive rock’n’roll vibe of many larger venues. You won’t find any mosh pits or crowd surfing here; the atmosphere is very laid-back, with a moody ambiance — perfect for enjoying the quiet, thoughtful bands often entertained at Club Ta.
Woodstock Itaewon -- Woodstock Itaewon is one of the oldest bars on the main street, and the oldest live music venue in the neighborhood. It has hosted bands for the past 20 years. Nearly every band looking to play in the Itaewon area has set foot on their stage, and four bands perform there every Friday and Saturday.
All That Jazz -- Often called the “granddaddy of jazz bars in Korea,” All That Jazz is a local legend that opened in 1976. The venue has hosted many big names, such as saxophone player Jung Sungjo and drummer Ryu Boksung, before they became famous. These days, however, the venue mixes up their set list with hot contemporary jazz bands such as Kuma Park and JHG. Located in the trendy Itaewon district in a stylish lounge behind the Hamilton Hotel, All That Jazz offers spacious, earthy interiors and seating for its customers.
Platoon Kunsthalle -- A uniquely designed building located in the middle of upscale Gangnam, Platoon Kunsthalle is an art hall that attracts people from around the city. Platoon is a hub for Seoul’s creative set, attracting those interested in street art, graphic design, video art, music, club culture, and political activism.
Club Steel Face -- Club Steel Face is one of the newest live music clubs in Hongdae, the premiere party neighborhood in Seoul. Located six floors up, Steel Face is a small joint that is highly polished for a place that caters to indie and punk rock. Steel Face is small and intimate, with no stage—the bands play amongst the crowd, and it’s unlikely there will be more than 100 people in there. All sorts of fascinating acts pass through: shoegaze bands, noise rockers from Japan, hardcore outfits.
Prism Live Hall -- Opened in 2012, this is a spacious venue with great acoustics. It is a subterranean club, dimly lit by neon lights emanating from the well-stocked bar. The live hall is equipped with a kicking sound system and can house more than 330 people. Popular Korean bands such as Crying Nut and Love X Stereo play here. ( music: psychedelic, rock, metal, indie, rockabilly, electro-punk. )
Cafe & Bar DDDa -- Not to be confused with Bar Da or Café DDDa, Cafe & Bar DDDa is perhaps the most chilled-out location in Seoul. Dimly lit with a brick wall and Beatnik motif, this is no place to throw yourself around. Rather, it’s a place to sit at a table, relax, and sip a glass of wine from their very extensive list. And of course, there’s the music. DDDa (pronounced Dee-Dee-Da) features a rotating line of performers playing all kinds of mellow music, especially jazz and blues.
Radio Kitchen -- The nostalgic mood the radio brings + delicious food from the kitchen that unleashes inner piges within us. Also, the interior of the live stage makes you feel like you are in a cozy, little theatre. Radiokitchen is a down-to-earth music venue where you can basically bring anyone and everyone. ( music: soft rock, pop, acoustic, jazz. )
Acoustic Holic -- The circular shaped stage of Acousticholic is what really sets this acoustic music venue apart from others. The stage allows for viewers to have an intimate experience with musicians. You can sit around the stage and watch performers in such a close proximity that you might feel awkward from making frequent eyecontacts. ( music: acoustic, soft rock. )
Café BBang -- This small basement club boasts a bohemian and non-judgmental atmosphere where up-and-coming performers can express themselves freely to an audience seated on small benches. The lighting adds to the free, whimsical atmosphere; cardboard cut-outs and colored plastics offer mood lighting in unique shapes. In short, Café BBang considers itself a “safe space” of sorts for performers and audiences alike. It’s a place where musicians are “liberated from the constraints of society…to express anything — any emotion, any idea they want.” Café BBang claims that both performers and listeners can enjoy a mental and spiritual catharsis.
Venue/ -- This dive-y basement club attracts a fun-loving, unpretentious crowd for quality DJs spinning hip hop and electronica. There's no cover charge, but there's a queue after midnight.
Cakeshop -- Head underground to Itaewon's hippest club for electronic beats spun by international and top local DJs. Its attracts a lively, mixed crowd and is very popular so expect long queues.
Cafe Unplugged -- You can think of Cafe Unplugged more as a coffee & tea shop that holds open-mic nights. During daytime, the warm ray of sunshine pours through the large windows. At night, the cafe turns into a live music cafe where local musicians come and play. Cafe Unplugged is a homey place where you can come in and enjoy music while sipping on your favorite drink. ( music: acoustic, soft, jazz. )
Bitter Sweet Sound Café -- BSSF is an intimate and cozy cafe in the quieter streets of Hongdae that hosts live performances on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. BSSF is a great spot to study, read, and hang out with friends. Don’t be surprised if the person next to you gets up and plays on stage. Many musicians hang out at the cafe before and after their performance.
I like what you're doing here, and I hope you get more folks involved. I just want to say that my muse is someone who is quite "known" but she works with underground artists often-- specifically in that she produces for them and promotes their work on her social media. so anyone looking for those type of plots I'm here for that.
Thank you so much! We really appreciate your support, and honestly pray that having this listing inspires others to create some more lowkey type of artists. I hope it’s alright that we publish this, perhaps it’ll catch the eyes of future members and give a good opportunity or reasoning for them to reach out and plot.
On a sidenote: I would just like to say that we’re really open to taking ideas or suggestions to make this place be considered even more of a resource. Maybe, if we get enough people interested in signing up, we’ll be able to post plot calls or something similar to this every so often. That’d be useful, right?
kianamaiart
dailybridgerton
jacobvanloon
ellievsbear
romaincrisis
pixelskylines