Spend Saturday Night Like A True Korean

Grab some friends and head out for a barbeque dinner

Start the night off right with a hearty meal of Korean barbeque. Koreans tend to eat early (between 5.00 PM and 6.00 PM), so eat a light lunch. Korean barbeque restaurants can be found all over the place and they’re the perfect spot to meet up with friends.

When you order, you’ll receive a huge platter of raw meat (typically Samgyeopsal, which is marinated pork belly) that you cook right at your table. The serving size is based on the number of guests, with each person receiving about 200 grams (7.05 ounces) of meat. According to Korean tradition, the youngest person is in charge of grilling. The meal is also served with rice and assorted vegetable side dishes (banchan) such as kimchi, bean sprouts, and marinated cucumbers. Finally, you’ll receive lettuce and other assorted greenery to accompany the grilled meat. Simply place some meat and vegetables inside the lettuce, wrap and enjoy. If you’re still hungry, you can request extra banchan at no additional fee or order more meat.

A Korean barbeque is not complete without libations, notably soju (rice alcohol) and beer. Soju is usually served neat and can be drunk as a shot or sipped. If you want to follow Korean tradition, you must not pour your own drink, but rather serve others and pass the bottle around the table. Domestic lager beers such as Hite and Cass are often served as well. Typically, the bill will come to 11,000 SKW (9.50 USD) for each person with the meat and alcohol included.

Head to a hof

Step two of the night often leads to a hof. Hofs are western-style bars that serve up beer. Most places require customers to order side dishes (an ju in Korean) such as fried chicken, grilled squid, or fruit. There is usually music playing and some places have pool tables so it’s a great place to pause a little bit before proceeding to the next location.

Sing the night away at norebang

Once you have a bit of liquid courage, head to a singing room, called norebang in Korean. These establishments can be found all over Korea, even in the smallest towns. The concept is similar to karaoke, but much less nerve-wracking. This is a favorite activity among Koreans because they’re open very late (as late as 4.00 AM) so it’s a great place to end the night.

Upon entering, you pay to rent a room for a designated period of time (usually an hour or two). Prices vary, but usually stay around 15,000 SKW (13.05 USD) for an hour. Most places will provide “service” meaning they’ll add an extra 20 minutes for free at the end of your purchased time. Rooms come in different sizes, with some accommodating four people and others accommodating up to 20. Each room is equipped with a television and microphones. The rooms also usually have disco lights and musical instruments such as tambourines to set the mood.

Browse through the song catalogue, add it to your queue and get ready to sing when your turn comes. This experience is great because you don’t have the pressure of embarrassing yourself in front of an entire bar, just your small group of friends. Another great aspect of norebang is that you can order drinks and snacks for affordable prices.

Socialize over drinks at the convenience store

After singing your heart out, you’ll probably need a break. Head for some cheap drinks and snacks at one of the many convenience stores (7-11, GS 25, or CU), purchase a bottle of soju or beer and drink it outside the store. Most stores encourage customers to hang around by setting up plastic tables and chairs outside. It’s a great budget-friendly way to enjoy the local offerings. Usually, most stores have a variety of soju flavors from plain to blueberry to pomegranate. There is also a selection of domestic and imported beers.