The popularity of K-pop worldwide has exploded over the last few years and so has the desire of many fans to visit Seoul. As the birthplace and home of K-Pop music, the South Korean capital is nothing short of ways to awaken every fan’s inner superstar and I’m talking from experience. How? Well, this is where I have to confess something: K-Pop was initially my main motivation to learn the Korean language and culture! Even though my interests greatly expanded as I learned, I always made sure to dedicate a significant proportion of my trips to Korea to K-Pop culture. In this way, I gathered a lot of experience on how to treat myself like an idol when visiting this beautiful city and I’m ready to share it with you!
By the way, you don’t have to be a huge fan to benefit from this guide. Neither do you have to be a certain age, gender, or ethnicity to enjoy k-pop culture. I strongly believe that everybody has an inner superstar and it’s healthy to let it out sometimes. And which time is better for that than a trip to Seoul?
So, don’t shy away and check out these 5 ways to be your own superstar when visiting Seoul!
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SM Coexartium
Address:
513 Yeongdong-daero, Samseong 1(il)-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Located in the famous Gangnam District, the SM Coexartium is a multi-story building dedicated to South Korea’s biggest music label and its artists. It’s part of a large complex owned by SM Entertainment that includes COEX Mall, event halls, and Starfield Library. Over the building’s six floors, you can get closer to your idols in many different ways. In the SM studio, you can get behind the scenes of music and video production and even book experiences to become an idol for a day! In the SM Theater, you can watch hologram concerts and take photos “with” your favorite celebrities in photo booths. And of course, there’s a (quite overpriced) cafe and merchandise shop as well. Be careful, it’s easy to spend your entire travel budget on cashews with idol faces on the packaging but at least they can make great presents for k-pop fans.
If all this wasn’t already enough, the SM Coexartium even gives you the chance every weekend to become an idol for real! The SM Weekly Audition is open for anyone (although generally age 10-18 is preferred) and you can audition for singing, dancing, modeling, and acting. However, don’t set your hopes too high. Only seven people ever have passed this notoriously strict weekly audition!
I once participated in the Weekly Audition myself. The experience was very interesting but that’s another story.
Idol Cafes And Pop-Up Stores In Seoul
Generally, what I call “idol cafes” are cafes (or restaurants) owned or frequently visited by K-pop idols. Idol cafes tend to be well-known among fans and recognizable by the postcards on the walls. One idol-run restaurant that I always wanted to visit but never had the chance to is Ossu Seiromushi. Run by BTS’ Jin and his brother, Ossu Seiromushi is a Japanese restaurant located next to Seokchon Lake (Songpa District). It’s easily accessible by taking the metro to Jamsil Station and a quick stroll around Seokchon lake but the real struggle is getting inside. I tried to dine at this restaurant three times but every time the lines were way too long. Hopefully, they have gotten a bit shorter two years later.
Address:
Ossu Seiromushi (BTS Jin’s restaurant)
30 Baekjegobun-ro 45-gil, Songpa 1(il)-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul
Another thing you can look out for are pop-up stores. As their name implies, pop-up stores are temporary shops, in this case with specific idol or k-pop group themes. I once walked into a WannaOne pop-up store in Lotte World Mall. Although most of the merchandise sold in these stores is very pricey, the short opening period of the shops makes it very tempting for k-pop fans to shop there.
K-Pop Dance And Vocal Classes In Seoul
A great way to let out your inner superstar is to learn some of the skills k-pop idols need in order to succeed. This eventually boils down to mainly singing and dancing. So what better ways are there for k-pop fans to feel closer to being an idol than taking vocal and dancing classes in Seoul?
K-Pop Dance Classes In Seoul
Seoul is full of amazing street dance studios but the most famous one is without a doubt 1Million Dance. Despite having not just one but over 20 million subscribers on Youtube, the classes at 1Million Dance are surprisingly accessible. For 25,000 won (~$20 USD) per class, anyone can attend one of the famous choreographers’ workshops, from beginner to advanced level. The only big problem you may face when trying to attend a workshop is getting a spot. For safety reasons, the size of each class is capped at 60 participants. However, due to the studio’s soaring popularity, you must arrive up to an hour in advance to secure a spot. But don’t stress out about the crowds. The classes at 1Million are perfect for making new friends from across the world while moving to catchy k-pop beats.
As many of the other places mentioned in this post, 1Million Dance Studio is also located in Gangnam District. Their address is:
1Million Dance Studio
33, Ttukseom-ro 13-gil,
Gangnam-gu, Seoul
For more information about their schedule and pricing, visit their official website: https://www.1milliondance.com/.
Unfortunately, the studio does not allow you to publish footage from their classes online. Otherwise, I’d be showing you some of the most incredible dance clips you’ll ever see!
K-Pop Vocal Classes In Seoul
The best way to find vocal classes in Seoul is through Airbnb experiences. On the platform you can find various former k-pop trainees offering voice training and even recording for fans visiting Seoul. Unfortunately, I’ve never had the chance to book such an experience, but you can use the reviews on Airbnb as a guide.
Noraebang
While reading until here you’ve probably noticed that k-pop can be a very expensive hobby and fans are at risk of going broke when visiting Seoul. Luckily, there are much simpler ways to feel like a k-pop star in Seoul, without all the official merchandise. And I’m talking about noraebang! Koreans love to sing. In fact, many Koreans of all ages I’ve talked to told me they often go to noraebang (karaoke) after a long day of work to relieve stress. And this is quite understandable, considering the affordability and availability of noraebangs in Korea.
There are two main types of noraebang: Renting a room and coin noraebang. Karaoke rooms are much more common as they can be found in literally every corner of Seoul. You usually rent out a room with multiple microphones for ~6,000 won per hour and can have food and drinks delivered to your room. The drawback of renting out karaoke rooms is that you’re generally expected to bring friends. If you don’t, that’s very awkward and perhaps a little expensive.
Usually, if people are alone they go to a coin noraebang. Coin noraebangs are karaoke machines in small capsules made for no more than one person where you use coins to pay per song. The problem with coin noraebangs is that there are way fewer of them and they can be hard to find. I remember having to google “코인 노래방” every time I was in the mood of singing by myself. And even if you do find a nice place, avoid the hours from 7 pm to 10 pm if you hate long lines.
K-Pop Concerts And Fan Meets In Seoul
It looks like we’re back at the high end of the price spectrum again! This experience requires slightly more preparation but can be very rewarding for k-pop fans. Many k-pop fans dream of seeing their favorite idols in person and luckily, there are plenty of opportunities to see celebrities live in Seoul. Simply do some research about which groups are having concerts or fan-meets in Seoul during the dates you’re there. SM Entertainment even offers package tours for foreigners traveling to attend one of their concerts! However, whatever your plan is, make sure to book the tickets months in advance since popular events can sell out very quickly. Also, keep in mind that concert tickets can get very expensive.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a die-hard k-pop fan or just want to relax and try out something new, I hope this guide will help you awaken your inner superstar when in Seoul. Although many k-pop-related activities easily seduce you into spending lots of money, you can always hit a coin noraebang to feel like an idol yourself. The most important part is to have fun and there are plenty of opportunities for this in this bustling k-pop capital!
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I been to korea. Very nice country. You will never see old/ damaged car, bus, building, road, garden and even women and man.
Yes, it’s an amazingly clean and organized place and full of kind people.