As soon as the sun dips below the horizon, the lights of Seoul flicker on and the city is abuzz with vivacious energy. This capital city of South Korea is exceptionally renowned for its diverse range of nightlife activities. Both locals and foreigners are no strangers to the nightlife in Seoul, where there are 24-hour cafes, bars, clubs, and many more places to visit.
So, instead of retiring for the night in your themed hotel or capsule hotel, you should explore the city and discover all the beauty it has to offer. Curious what activities you must do? Here’s a list of the best things to do in Seoul, South Korea, at night.
1. Go on a night tour and admire the city lights (from USD 170.0)
Seoul is undeniably a bright and lively city, and what better way to experience this place than going on a tour at night?
You’ll begin your tour with a traditional Korean-style dinner, and then a guide will join you as you explore the city for the remainder of the night. Enjoy the city lights on the Hangang River as you ride a cruise from Yeouido to the Banpo Bridge and back. Then, head to the North Seoul Tower and cherish the breathtaking views of the city from the roof terrace. Visiting this landmark is even more meaningful if you’re vacationing in Seoul with your partner because the North Seoul Tower is a popular spot among couples.
This tour lasts about five and a half hours, so you’ll definitely get your money’s worth with this one.
Seoul by Night with fantastic view
Duration 5 hours 30 minutes
2. Shop till you drop at the famous Dongdaemun Market (108,843.30 KRW (90 USD))
The Dongdaemun Market is the iconic nightspot for fashion retailers and wholesalers as it is home to the largest clothing supplier in South Korea. Here, you can get your hands on every fashion item imaginable such as fabric, handicraft materials, footwear, accessories, clothes, wedding garments, sportswear; you name it, and they have it. Established from a traditional market in 1905, this food market has since been designated as a ‘Special Tourism Zone’ in 2002.
Dongdaemun Market
Address: Euljiro 6(yuk)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Hours: 6:45am – 3:15am (Monday to Saturday)
Phone: +82 3213444888
Website: Dongdaemun Market
Night Shopping Tour in Seoul
Price: 108,843.30 KRW (90 USD)
Duration: 4.5 hours
3. Enjoy the night view at N Seoul Tower (158,729.81 KRW (131.25 USD))
Standing impressively tall at 774 feet (236 meters), N Seoul Tower is situated at the highest point in Seoul on the Namsan Mountain. This communications and observation tower is officially known as the YTN Seoul Tower and more commonly referred to as the Namsan Tower or Seoul Tower. For an admission fee of 10,000 KRW (9 USD) for an adult and 8,000 KRW (7 USD) for children and the elderly, you will be able to catch a sight of the mesmerizing night lights of the beautiful city skyline.
For that reason, N Seoul Tower is one of the top places to visit in Seoul at night. You can appreciate the views a whole lot more if it’s nighttime and all the city lights are painting the landscape.
N Seoul Tower
Address: 105 Namsangongwon-gil, Yongsan 2(i)ga-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Hours: Sunday to Friday (10am – 11pm), Saturday (10am – 12am)
Phone: +82 234559277
Website: N Seoul Tower
Night Views of Seoul including N Seoul Tower and Han River Cruise
Price: 158,729.81 KRW (131.25 USD)
Duration: 5 hours
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4. Sing your heart out at karaoke (Noraebang) (from USD 57.85)
What to do in Seoul — that’s the question you might always ask yourself the moment you arrive in the city. There are many answers to this question, and one that you should definitely try is participating in noraebang.
Noraebang literally translates to song (norae) and room (bang). Hence, noraebang refers to a singing venue where people go to belt out their favorite Korean pop songs and international chart-toppers. In Luxury Su Noraebang in Hongdae, the average rate for a room is 20,000 KRW (18 USD) per hour and you can get a free flow of drinks, ice-cream and popcorn for an additional 1,000 KRW (less than 1 USD) per person. There are many noraebang venues around Seoul and do keep in mind that rates have the tendency to increase from noon, and the most expensive period ranges from 8pm to the wee hours of the morning.
Luxury Su Noraebang
Address: 16, Apgujeong-ro 50-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Hours: Monday to Saturday (7pm – 2am) Sunday (7pm – 1am)
Phone: +82 25189334
K-Pop Recording Experience at KING STUDIO on a trip to Korea
5. Participate in a multi-bang session
There is a more evolved version and modern take on noraebang known as the multi-bang (or multi-room), which offers more than just singing. It is literally a rented room where you get to sing karaoke, watch movies and television shows, have a go on the gaming systems such as Nintendo Wii or Sony PlayStation, and enjoy free snacks and drinks. In Seoul, you can find a multi-bang at almost every corner of the city and prices range from 10,000 KRW to 20,000 KRW (9 USD to 18 USD) for an hour. Multi Plus in Hongdae, Seoul is one such venue that operates for 24 hours and even offers board games.
Multi Plus, Hongdae
Address: 355-2 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Phone: +82 23337799
6. Pamper yourself at spas (jjimjilbang) (93,121.49 KRW (77 USD))
Traditional and public bathhouses such as jjimjilbangs are fundamental to the modern Korean culture. Jjimjilbang which literally means ‘heated room’ is a public spa and bathhouse where people go to relax and unwind. The typical jjimjilbang will offer shower and bath rooms, hot tubs and sauna rooms. However, the more sophisticated jjimjilbangs have ice rooms, exercise rooms, gaming arcades, noraebang, hot spring swimming pools, restaurants, hair and nail salons, and much more. At Siloam Spa, you will even get to experience different rooms that vary in minerals such as jade, salt, crystals, and charcoal which will provide different therapeutic benefits, whereas at Dragon Hill Spa, you can indulge in a traditional Thai massage session.
Siloam Spa
Address: 49 Jungnim-ro, Jungnim-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Phone: +82 23643944
Dragon Hill Spa
Address: 40-712 Hangangno 3(sam)-ga, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Phone: +82 27920001
South Korean Half-Day Spa Experience
Price: 93,121.49 KRW (77 USD)
Duration: 3 hours
7. Have a drink at sports clubs and pubs (from USD 20.0)
Seoul has played host to some of the world’s largest sports competitions such as the 1986 Asian Games, 1988 Olympic Games, Paralympic Games and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. It is no wonder that sports clubs and bars have mushroomed across the city that is known as the major sports centre in South Korea. These sports clubs and pubs have their own sport specialty, ranging from basketball to football to hockey to rugby. Even if you’re not a sports fan, you can guzzle a pint of beer or a shot of soju and cheer along with the crowd in front of the humongous television screen at Sam Ryan’s Sports Bar and Grill in Itaewon or Phillies Pub in Haebangchon.
Seoul Pub Crawl by Absolute
Duration 4 to 5 hours
8. Grab a bite at 24-hour cafes
Here in Seoul, you will be delighted to find cafes that operate around the clock at almost every corner of the city. Hang out at one of the popular Korean coffee chain cafes such as dal.komm for a cup of coffee after a noraebang session. One of the Incheon outlets was featured in the celebrated Korean TV drama series “Descendants of the Sun” and had since garnered tonnes of attention from Korean pop culture fans.
However, if you are into reading instead of watching television, Culcom Book Cafe will be deemed more suitable for you. Bookworms of all walks of life will be pleased to find shelves of books lined up for reading at no cost. This cafe sells food and beverages and even rents out iPads and paying patrons can borrow an iPad for two hours for free.
dal.komm Coffee
Address: 76 Sejong-daero, Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Phone: +82 316971319
Website: dal.komm Coffee
Culcom Book Cafe
Address: 40 Jongno 2-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Phone: +82 27440553
9. Go on a Hangang River ferry cruise
The Hangang River is one of the most beautiful places in Seoul at night. And the best way to enjoy the famous Hangang River is by taking a ferry cruise and enjoying the scenic view and fresh air.
There are approximately seven different docks to board from and these cruises have different themes. On the cruise, you can enjoy views of a number of iconic landmarks such as N Seoul Tower, and famous tourist attractions such as Jeoldusan Park and 63 City Building. FunKo offers enlivening cruise packages such as the Dinner Buffet Cruise, with a fireworks show on Saturdays for 92,000 KRW (81 USD) per adult.
FunKo (Funtastic Korea)
Website: FunKo
Han River Evening Cruise and Gwangjang Night Market Tour
Price: 139,077.55 KRW (115 USD)
Duration: 4 hours
Seoul Eland Hangang River Cruise
10. Visit Lotte World, the largest indoor theme park in the world (74,980.94 KRW (62 USD))
For a fun-filled night, head over to Seoul’s biggest recreation complex and tourist attraction, which features a Guinness World record for the world’s largest indoor theme park. It opens all year round and is made up of the indoor theme park “Adventure” and the outdoor amusement park “Magic Island”. You can take a fun ride on the Camelot Carousel or take an exhilarating ride on the French Revolution roller coaster. You can even learn about Korea’s people and history at the Folk Museum or watch grand parades, live magic performances, and mesmerizing laser shows.
Lotte World, Seoul
Address: 240 Olympic-ro, Jamsil 3(sam)-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Hours: 9.30am – 10pm (Closing time may vary each day. Please refer to the official website)
Website: Lotte World
Lotte World Theme Park Admission with Guide
Price: 74,980.94 KRW (62 USD)
Duration: Half day - 3.5 hours; Full day - 8 hours
Family Tour of Lotte World Amusement Park
Price: 90,702.75 KRW (75 USD)
Duration: 5 hours
11. Go clubbing in Gangnam
It is definitely indisputable that clubs dominate the Seoul nightlife scene, as even Korean celebrities and artists have been known to frequent clubs in Seoul. Therefore, party the night away at some of the most exclusive clubs in Gangnam. It is the main district and known as the trendiest nightlife hub, which houses Seoul’s luxurious and superior nightclubs such as Club Octagon (which is currently the biggest club in town) and Club Bugatti Syndrome (which has mini pools in the club). For a clubbing experience that is easier on the wallet, head over to Hongdae and Sincheon for more affordable clubs that do not burn a hole in your pocket.
Club Octagon
Address: 645 Nonhyeon-ro, Nonhyeon 1(il)-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Hours: Thursday to Saturday (10pm – 6am)
Contact: +82 25780855
Facebook: Club Octagon
Club Bugatti Syndrome
Address: 587-1 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Hours: Sunday to Thursday (8pm – 6am), Friday and Saturday (2am – 12pm)
Contact: +82-1085411278 (WhatsApp), For enquiries or reservations: bananahyeon (KakaoTalk)
Facebook: Club Bugatti Syndrome
[Klook Exclusive] Club Octagon Admission Ticket in Seoul, South Korea - Klook
Duration 8hrsDuration
12. Watch a theatrical performance (from USD 40.0)
This may sound strange but some of the best theatrical performances in Seoul are actually non-verbal performance shows and one of them is the NANTA cooking performance. Ever since NANTA received its first award for best performance at the Edinburg Fringe Festival in 1997, it has drawn the largest audiences in Korean history. In 2004, NANTA debuted its performance on New York’s Broadway. This non-verbal performance relies solely on cooking utensils for percussions and interjects the plot with comedy.
Another entertaining non-verbal performance is the Original Drawing Show which showcases a mixture of artistic talent, music, and humor. The artists portray exceptional drawing skills and special effects such as making water cascade from a painting of a waterfall as well as perfecting a drawing on top of water. Furthermore, the actors’ hilarious interactions with the audience make the show even more entertaining and spectacular.
Myeongdong NANTA Theatre
Address: Unesco Building 3F, 50-14, Myeongdong-gil, Myeongdong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Phone: +82 27398288
Website: NANTA
Original Drawing Show, Myungbo Arthall Theatre
Address: 47 Mareunnae-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Phone: +82 7040708339
Website: Original Drawing Show
Seoul: NANTA Show Ticket
Price: 57,590.20 KRW (47.62 USD)
Duration: 100 minutes
Seoul: Myeongdong Nanta Theater Show Ticket
Duration 1.5 hour
13. Walk along the man-made Cheonggyecheon Stream (from USD 145.0)
Cheonggyecheon Stream is a 10. 9 kilometre-long stream that was created as part of an urban restoration project. The existence of this very stream was neglected prior to its restoration in 2005. Today, you can enjoy a serene walk along the quiet river even though it is located along the busiest boulevard in the city. This is because the stream is conveniently situated at more than 15 feet (4.6 metres) below street level.
Cheonggyecheon Stream
Address: Cheonggyecheon-ro, Sangwangsimni-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Phone: +82 2-2290-7111
Read more about our detailed guide to Cheonggyecheon Stream here >>
Cheonggyecheon Bicycle Tour: Twilight in Seoul
Duration 270 to 300 minutes
Have a night to remember in Seoul
The next time you make a visit to Seoul, try a hand at singing at a noraebang, indulge in a de-stress session at a jjimjilbang, or enjoy the awesome theme park rides at Lotte World. Just be prepared to cross off some of these nightlife activities from this exciting bucket list as the city never seems to sleep.