[Queer Movie Festival] Let's Queer!

New movie theatre 'CQN' presents a series of queer movies collected global wide. This 1 week movie festival ends tomorrow(22 Jul) so if you want to check up with one of those movies, better hurry up to visit CQN theatre.

Theatre info : www.cqn.co.kr
Programme info : http://blog.naver.com/cqn_cinema
Ticket : 7000 Korean Won.
(* note that no English translation is provided.)

Summer night out with bunch of queers

Summer night out with bunch of queers
Originally uploaded by queerseoul

Doesn't look hygienic to have a drinks and snacks on the street? Some say Yes and some say No.

Whatever they say, dominant gay gathering scenes are being found at (so called) tent bars on the street like this. There could be a couple of reasons for that; First, its seasonal atmosphere attracts gays out of buildings to enjoy summer nights on a cool breeze. Second, a tent bar provides an easy atmosphere for any gays and straights who enjoy drinking. That's a quite convenient option for those who gathered for social drinking.

BTW, night time drinking is just a part of gay scenes in Seoul. Korea society is now much opening up its door to social minorities and consequently many other kinds of gay cultures are being COMING OUT, from queer movie productions to lovely gay choir concert. Exciting, isn't it?

Barcode

Barcode
Originally uploaded by queerseoul

A cocktail bar quite a few foreigners enjoy visiting. Good cocktails reasonably priced. Located in Jongno-3-ga. If you look for a bar that's not too exotic nor strange, this is a place you may try. Another good thing here is that you may have free WIFI connection if you're at some urgent e-mailing.

Lethe

Lethe
Originally uploaded by queerseoul

One of the karaokes in Jongro area, which has been known well among gays in their late 20s/30s. Quite typical karaoke atmosphere and not very special.

But it's always fun if you're with your friends, wherever you are. Enjoy

Gilsalon

Gilsalon
Originally uploaded by queerseoul.

There are many street food vendors in Seoul. You can eat as various foods as you imagine such as Chicken barbecue stick, Kimchi pan cake, Japanese Tako-yaki, fruits and Etc. Alcoholic beverage like Soju and beer is one of them. Pojangmacha (sometimes called 'Tent Bar') which is a place you can have light dish and Soju and beer is very common in Seoul. This used to be a working class people's hang out place and to provide food and drinks at a low price. But nowadays, this is a sort of symbol of nostalgia.

Gilsalon is a famous queer Pojangmacha among gays in Jong-ro. The owner is a straight woman but she is keeping a very good relationship with gays and lesbians, which is why this place is crowded with Gays and the hostess is sometimes called 'Aunt' among regular goers. For your information, 'Gilsalon' means 'Gil'(meaning 'Street') + 'Salon'(Salon used to mean a place where you can have luxurious liquors).

Located near Jongro-3-ga and will cost less than 15,000 Won to have 1 dish + a bottle of Soju. It's early Summer in Seoul when the night air is fresh and the breeze is sweet. Perfect season to try outdoor Pojangmacha(Tent Bar) ;)

* Tent Bar(Sort of Bistro)
* Mid. 20s-40s
* Busy 10 pm - 2 am

The 7th Korea Queer Culture Festival

Here's the Queer Festival you must not miss in Seoul. Korea is not very open to homosexuals as other countries usualy arent. However, people here have been keeping trying to come out into the light and to let people hear the voices of social minority with diferrent sexual orientation.

For years, gay people in Seoul holding a festival named "Korea Queer Culture Festival" in the early summer. 5/27 - 6/9 this year, visit Seoul to meet local gays and take glimpse of their culture for Seoul is more crowded with gays during this period than any other season of a year. Queer Film Festival, Parties, Street Parade will be held over jongro, Itaewon and Shinchon area.

Follow the link above for more information. CU in Seoul! :)

Mino

Mino
Originally uploaded by queerseoul.

As I stated before, there are several places in Jongro for your-local liquor-Soju experience. Mino-I'd rather call this type of place 'Bistro'-is one of them.

In bistro type of gay bars, you are required to pick up one of menu to have with Soju. In Korean traditional culture, rice wines and liquors are served with dishes of foods. But if you don't want to order any food, beer might be your next choice.

If you want to try Soju, it might be a better idea to bring one or two of your friend since the dish served with Soju is (generally) too much for one person to finish; One dish with 2 bottles of Soju would cost around a bit more than 20,000 won.

Mino is within 10 minutes' walk distance from Jongro-3-ga station and you may speak to him in English( I heard he spent some time staying in america). The structure of this place is like many other places; counter + tables.

* Bistro
* 30s-40s
* 7 pm - 4 am(or earlier)

The Box

The Box
Originally uploaded by queerseoul.

Personally, I think The Box is a bar where you can have good cocktails at a good price in Jongro Area.

Compared to Itaewon which is another famous gay street in Seoul, Jongro has been crowded with (sort of) aged people who don't like sipping cocktails that much and consequently there haven't been many western style bars. But Jongro is changing lately and now you can find many cocktail places which serve good cocktail. The Box is one the new places like that and I recommend you should come here if you are a gay cocktail lover staying near Jongro(If you choose to visit Itaewon, you will have more options than in Jongro).

Other than cocktails, you may enjoy hip musics and groove atmosphere.

* Bar
* 20s-30s(or higher)
* 7 pm - 4 am

Bar Friends

Bar Friends, originally uploaded by queerseoul.

This is one of my favorite bars, located near Jongro-3-ga station(May take less than 5 minutes on foot from exit No.5 mentioned in the the post below).

People are friendly as its name represents and you have options of bottles of wine, cocktails and bottles of liquor as well as beer. No Soju here. Good music and comfortable atmosphere. It's good for drinking alone and also good for taking tons of your friends. Click on the Picture to view more photos of Bar Friends.

* Bar
* 20s-30s(or higher)
* 7 pm - 4 am
* gofriends.co.kr

National Drink, Soju

National Drink, Soju, originally uploaded by queerseoul.

What do gays drink in Seoul?

It depends on which style of place you go to and usually they'd drink beer or cocktails. But as an old center of Korean gay culture, Jongro has a lot of gay places where you can try Soju which has been a good company of poor working class people and now is changing its product identity as a pure and premium alcoholic beverage. Owing to these efforts, Soju is still the majority of Korean liquor industry.

For your information, it contains 21-22% of alcohol and (some say) tastes like Greek Ouzo. There are several kinds of Soju varying from 21% to more than 40% of alcohol. Traditional Soju is made of vaporized rice wine. If you possibly get a chance to try traditional Soju ilke 'Andong Soju', you must not miss it ;)

Starting point

Starting point, originally uploaded by queerseoul.

This might be called as a 'Gate' of Jongro queer journey. To get here, take subway No.5 line come to Jongro-3-ga(avenue) station and find exit No.5(You may take No.1 line and No.3 line since three of those lines meet at this station).

Jongro is the center of Seoul and easily accessible from any part of Seoul.

Your Guide for Queer Night Out in Seoul

Guys,welcome! I'm Jun.

This blog is for helping visitors to taste gay culture in Seoul-especially places where you might have some drinks and meet local people. Feel free to enjoy information here ready for you ;-)

Drop your comments here or at my email(queerseoul@yahoo.com) for more information. C ya!