KSU (KyungSung University area) – Busan Nights part 2

 

By Cat Warrener

Located between three Universities, this is Busan’s lively answer to Hongdae. There are more bars, restaurants, hofs and mart-patio areas filled with foreigners and Koreans than you can imagine. To get to KSU you can take the subway (Kyungsung University subway stop) or from Busan station or Haeundae station it is around 10,000 in a cab. Buses 1001 or 1003 from both stations will run to KSU.

 

Fully Booked (Second hand book store and bar)

 

Fully booked is off the main section and is a great place to start the night. It manages to be a book shop, games café and bar all at the same time. Open on weekends from 2pm, many people head here to stock up on new books (and trade in old ones) while sampling teas from the large selection offered. Seriously Yummy Panini’s are served day and night, and cookies are available. Grown up beverages include bottled and tap beers, wines and Sangria (or mulled wine in the winter months). The bar is both modern and light while maintaining a cosy and friendly atmosphere. The bar has a large collection of games you can borrow, and on Sundays the board game club meets here.

 

Go out of exit 1, walk straight for a couple of blocks, when you get to the Black Yak shop turn right and Fully Booked is one block down on your left. It’s on the second floor.

 

Main bar area:

 

To get to the main bar area walk out of exit one and u-turn on yourself so that the road is on your right. Take your first turning left and you will find nearly all the bars on this road or on one of the roads leading off of it.

 

HQ

 

An American style bar with an American food menu and hookah. I imagine if you were North American this would feel like a home from home. The bar staff are friendly and the bar is usually pretty busy. It’s a good place to start or finish a night or catch an American sporting game.

 

It’s on the main strip of bars on your right (if walking away from the main road) on the second floor.

 

Evas

 

A popular bar, which often has live DJs at weekends. It offers a good selection of food, drink and hookahs. Sporting events are often shown on TV and they will usually put the footie on if you ask.

 

It’s on the main strip of bars, second floor on your left (if walking away from the main road) almost directly opposite HQ.

 

Blue Monkey

 

Blue Monkey is a Hip Hop style bar / club playing hip hop and chart music with live DJs on a weekend. It’s a good place to head late on if you want to end the night dancing.

 

It’s on the main strip on your right in a basement (steps lead down from the main road)

 

Ho Bar

 

If you have ever been to a Ho bar in Seoul this one will seem very familiar. It doesn’t attract many foreigners, although it is usually busy. It’s a loud, lively bar with dance-floor and long cocktail menu.

 

Again it’s on the main strip one block down on your right (walking away from the main road).

 

Kino Eye

 

Cool looking cocktail bar decorated with indie movie posters and obscure movies showing on the big screen. It sometimes hosts live music on a weekend. Some good deals on drinks are available so look carefully at the menu. My favourite start (or end) to the night is the Jager shot and draught beer combo for 5,000.

 

To get there walk down the main strip for one block and turn left, it’s a few doors down on your left on the second floor, easily found by looking for the Che Guevera sign.

 

Vinyl Underground

 

Great for live music and dance parties that usually take place there on a weekend. Sometimes there is a cover charge depending on the event although this often includes a free drink. It’s a spacious venue it’s well worth keeping an eye out for who will be playing here. Recent bands have included Japandroids, Dan Deacon and The Rock Tigers.

 

Easy to find, walk down the main strip (away from the main road) and look for the giant banana sign on your right after two blocks.

 

Ol’55

 

This classic rock bar is popular with the expat community. Open Mic nights on Wednesdays are packed, and live music is often played on a weekend. When there is no live music, you can request songs from the computer or the extensive vinyl collection. Weekly quizzes are held at 8pm on a Sunday.

 

To get here walk straight down the main strip (away from the main road) and its 3 blocks on your right down the steps at the side of the CU mart and easily identified by the Yellow Submarine sign.

 

Ghetto

 

1,000 won tequila shots, do I need to say anymore? Just in case I do, this is a hip hop bar with an open front overlooking the street. Most drinks are cheap and, not surprisingly, it gets packed on a weekend.

 

To get here, walk straight down the strip (away from the main road) for two blocks and turn right, it’s a few doors down on the second floor on your left (opposite Thursday Party)

 

Thursday Party

 

One of many in the city Thursday Party is popular for it’s cocktails (Long Islands are 5,000) and lively atmosphere. It has beer pong and dart boards and attracts a large crowd of expats and foreigners alike.

 

To get here walk down the main strip (away from the main road) and turn right after two blocks (at the big CU mart), the bar is on your right.

 

Club Realize

 

If you like metal music this is a good place to check out, although live music of all genres is played here. The bar has its own drum kit, which you may be allowed to play on quieter nights. It often has good drink specials and a large selection of shots. It’s usually busy when live music is on; other nights you may get the bar to yourselves.

 

This is off the main strip, to get there walk down the main strip (away from the main road) and take the first left, it’s about half a block down on your left on the fifth floor.

 

Monk

 

This is a popular Jazz club with live music on a weekend. It is dark and atmospheric and a nice place to enjoy a few drinks listening to Jazz music.

 

To get there walk down the main strip (away from the main road) for three blocks, it’s on the corner on your right opposite the CU mart and Ol’55.

 

Almost Famous

 

Despite looking like an 80’s joint, this is a dance and techno bar complete with dance-floor. There are usually live DJ’s on a weekend, and the place gets busy. The atmosphere is funky and the bar staff are friendly. There are often events taking place on Friday and Saturday nights. Heads up to the girls – the toilet situation isn’t great, you may find yourself paddling in there.

 

To get there walk down the main strip (away from the main road) and it is a few doors down on your left downstairs.

 

Eva’s Ticket

 

This brand-spanking-new super bar is a joint venture between the owner of Eva’s and former owner of HQ. It’s huge, has a dance-floor, pool table, beer pong and darts, along with poles if you feel the need to pole dance. It’s well air conditioned and easily fits several hundred people comfortably.

 

The menu offers Western food and there are daily specials. Over 10 beers are available and there is an extensive cocktail menu and hookahs.

 

To get there walk out of exit 5, u-turn back on yourself and follow the round until you hit Paris Baguette, turn right and it’s half a block on your right on the third floor.

 

Food:

 

O’Taco

 

This is a popular restaurant serving cheap and delicious Mexican food. The menu includes burritos, fajitas, enchiladas and Tacos. There is indoor and outdoor patio seating in the summer.

 

To get there walk down the main strip (away from the main road) and it’s 3 blocks down on the left just after Ol’55.

 

Shabana

 

This popular Indian restaurant has a reasonably priced menu offering good food. On Friday nights there is a buffet option, which works out to be a good deal,

including 3 curries, rice, naan bread and soft drinks for 15,000 won.

 

To get there walk down the main strip (away from the main road) and it is on the first corner on your right above Ho bar.