Treat yourself with the best bang for your 20,000 won

Attending a jazz show in Seoul may sound like rather fancy activity, but there are ways to find a pure jazz spirit without spending a lot. Take, for example, the monumental All That Jazz, where you can enjoy a show and a cocktail at only 16,000 won. Step into the alley by the Hamilton Hotel to bask in the lively atmosphere of All That Jazz. Founded in 1976, All That Jazz is the oldest jazz bar in Korea. Despite its long history, All That Jazz continues to be one of the hottest jazz clubs in town, with a constant flow of visitors even on weeknights. If you'd rather head yourself to Hongdae, there is Club Evans which has been staying in the area for almost a decade now offering quality jazz shows. Cocktail prices range between 5,000 won and 9,000 won, with 7,000 won - 15,000 won admissions, it's a great place to enjoy music and booze without draining your wallet. In the Daehangno area, there is Chunnyundongando. It might not seem like much from the outside, but Chunnyundongando is one of Seoul’s well-established jazz bars that began its story in 1996. Feast on the live jazz music split into 2 sections with the first starting at around 7pm and the second at around 9pm. The admission during weekdays is 6,000 won and 8,000 won for the weekends.

The area behind Hannam Ogeori’s Richensia building is quite an interesting one—while filled with unique shops, bars and restaurants, it is usually quiet and peaceful. One of the newest additions of the alleys, which we’re welcoming with both arms, is Ox Bar. Living up to its name, the bar serves up quality beef (hanwoo) menus (even the welcome drink is genuine seolleongtang (Korean ox bone soup)), along with great cocktails. Exclusively on Mondays, the kitchen serves up burgers (18,000 won), which is another reason to find this bar. Wrapped in the skillful service and attractive atmosphere, what Ox Bar serves every day is a special type of authenticity. 

This “water culture resort” encompasses a vast 13,000 square meters on the 3rd and 4th floor. It includes different types of saunas, jjimjilbang (Korean dry sauna) and a water park. Outdoor baths, therapy spa, aroma spa, you name it—the spa section will have it, open all four seasons long. Salt room, intense heat room, charcoal room, a room that oozes in mist like a cloud coming through, media room (360 panoramic video plus light heat spa), a wood room resembling a forest, are just some of the ‘rooms’ you can relax in. 

The team of ultra-technologists made of programmers, mathematicians, architects, animators, designers and artists from Japan who call themselves teamLab have brought their grand scale, interactive digital installations to Seoul. Unlike some of the previous interactive installations we've seen in Seoul, viewer participation is not limited to a touch screen—the works go beyond to “making the viewer's whole body immersed in the art and even encouraging participants to reflect on their own position relative to the world and other people.” From start to end, your body will be surrounded by digitized images that respond to your motion. If you touch the walls, flowers will blossom creating an environment for butterflies; when you hit one of the big balls, it will not only change the color but also compose different sounds, orchestrating vibrant music.