Best bars in Hongdae

While you sip one of their “Zombie shots,” all of the lights go out all of the sudden and a group of zombies appear out of nowhere at a nerve wrecking sound of siren. They grab you, force you a long eye contact, dance to a Big Bang song then pour you a shot while you’re probably shivering with fear. Who doesn’t want that, right? While I consider there’s enough in my life that makes me fearful (which comes for free), if you enjoy horror and don’t mind being grabbed by creepy looking zombies, Noneun Zombie might be an alright place to visit, perhaps once. As the zombies don’t hang around in the bar, you need to sit at a table for a while—they’ll come out when you least expect it. While one downside is the fact that you need to order food with your drinks, the drinks here are pretty cheap, and their Bloody Zombie Chicken is actually not bad as fried chicken. All in all, and perhaps as expected, it’s a place that’s definitely for the gimmicks rather than a quality menu. Accordingly, you’ll go through a thorough I.D. check when you enter, on a level that’s unusual in Seoul. There is usually a pretty long line outside the bar around midnight, so if you want to avoid waiting in line you might want to visit before 10pm or after 1am. Would I go back? I'll just say that I had to get many more drinks (at a different bar) afterwards to learn to laugh again.

There is no question about the pairing of well-aged whisky and quality chocolate—this doesn’t only apply to wine. Suprisingly located in the midst of the raucous Hongdae university district (more specifically, the notorious alleyway near hookup hotspot Between Night n Music), d.still is staffed with skilled (and attractive) bartenders to boot. The menu exhibits their attention to detail, and paired with their quality cocktails sets the mood for fine dining. Miyeok seaweed in the winter, dureup shoots in the spring—d.still utilizes seasonal ingredients paired with the perfect cocktail. Audible treats include the likes of Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden.

Limix Lab has white walls, silver tables and silver chairs in a space that would look almost clinical if not for the shelves on the back wall full of glowing, multi-colored glass jars. These jars contain the centerpiece of Limix Lab’s menu: an array of infused vodkas including mint, grapefruit, yuza and Korean plum. Co-founder Ryu Joo-hyun was working at a traditional Korean alcohol company when he decided to try vodka in place of soju while making alcoholic infusions. He loved the result (the fruit flavors came through better), and later started Limix Lab with a friend. In addition to infused cocktails, you can also buy jars to take home. Not a fan of vodka? There’s a vanilla rum cocktail on the menu, as well as a selection of craft beer they made with their friends at Itaewon pub Pyrus.

Jam sessions among musicians don’t happen only in New York City. It can also be easily seen at Le Salon du Lapin, located in Hapjeong. Although it’s not a live club, you’ll see random performances by musicians who come to just hang out with the owner. Performance genres vary between blues, jazz and rock. There are a variety of drinks, including whiskey, cocktails, beer at relatively affordable prices while the bar also offers non-alcoholic cocktails and coffee for those who are not drinkers.

If you’re looking for a wine bar with a nice, homey atmosphere for a romantic dinner, Le Mere is the perfect candidate. Located in Mangwon-dong, this new bistro is already gaining popularity among hip couples, with its modern and chic interior: dim glow of lights, dark grey interior, plants hanging on the wall, flower decorations. The most important part: you can taste about 30 different wines, including natural wines (made without chemical and minimum technological intervention) selected by the owner, who has won the 2015 Korea Sommelier of The Year awarded by the world's best master sommeliers. Among the selections, we recommend the La Cuisine de ma Mere, a biodynamic wine made from 100% Cabernet Franc in Loire region priced at 60,000 won.

Banana scented makgeolli?  Shindong Makgeolli was different from any other makgeolli I’ve had before, it had a hint of bananas in it. The restaurant gets its alcohol from Shindong Brewery, a small brewery in the Chilgok County of North Gyeongsang Province that the owner stumbled upon. In this timeworn brewery, one master brewer makes the alcohol by himself, deciding on the length of fermentation and the amount of water to infuse by relying on his years of experience. That’s why you may feel a slight difference in the taste of the makgeolli every time you go. The menu is updated daily with seasonal Gyeongsang Province-style dishes. The jeon (Korean-style pancakes) is made from fresh ingredients and the pork, which is brought over from Gyeongsang Province, are bothgreat choices.

The heart of Sangsu-ri is its eccentric, warm-hearted owner, a graying artistic soul with a passion for whisky and a penchant for chess. He takes his drinks seriously, spending three months biking through Scotland in search of top-notch whiskies. Back in Seoul, he sometimes hosts informal chess tournaments, as well as the occasional jazz concert (“whenever they drop by and feel like it”). The half-basement room is dark and a little cave-like, scattered with memorabilia, lit by candles and Christmas lights. Order a drink from the menu (handwritten ink on cardboard), preferably a whisky (there are many), and settle in (it’s affordable).

Books and alcohol, it’s a beautiful pairing, really. And Book by Book, located in Sangam-dong near Digital Media City Station, is a perfect place for it. Once you step into this spacious 2 story venue filled with novels, essays, comic books and used books, you’ll get right into the mood for “books and beers.” This bar/bookstore is also known for its guerrilla meetup events, where readers get to meet authors and casually talk, all the while nursing that all important beer in their hands. The cover for the event is only 10,000 won, and it includes one free beer or soft drink. This month, in November, Book by Book will be welcoming the writer Kim Eun-hee (who has written the scripts of the Korean drama Signal). You can find more details on the event and author schedules on its continuously updated blog. Solo drinking tip: Read responsibly. I mean... yeah.