Underground blissing out

Best dive bar I've EVER EVER been too is in the basement of Ann's apartment in Hyundae. Up from the neon, past the park, down a dark alley, step over the puddles of puke, down two flights of cement stairs and you're there.
Glass vendor fridges stocked with Cass, Budweiser, Heineken that you serve yourself like Barcelona tapas toothpicks- you're charged at the end of the night by the amount of bottles accumulated at your table.

The albums and poster paraphernalia of the Velvet Underground, Neil Young, the Pixies, Fugazi, Kings of Convenience, and Elliot Smith adorned the cranberry cement walls. Scratch paper and thick black drawing pens neatly placed at each table for sketching and thumb tacked pieces from previous patrons fluttered like moths beside the humidifier blowing in the distance as the music gets louder and louder and LOUDER until you have to drink more to drown out the noise.




Ann and her man sat chain smoking under a desk lamp along the wall of music where she played the most amazing set from her personal library. Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Rolling Stones, Pixies, Gorillaz remixes I'd never heard before, Radiohead... it was in-fucking-credible!
I decided to slide through the chairs and trailing cigarette smoke to the music library and check out her next selection- write it down for Ann and if she's feeling it, maybe just maybe your musical taste will flavor the room.



I love that good music can cross any language barrier and you can swap cds (I'm making her a mix of The Airborne Toxic Event and some Rodrigo y Gabriela in exchange for what love my ears feasted upon).

So needless to say, I enjoyed the Hite, I mean night... being underground, undercover.

I came home and researched one of the bands that I got turned on and in to from last night and found a youtube blip with a live performance of the song. The Liars' "The Visit From the Drum" won't leave my blood, it just keeps tapping in my brain and i want to make my way back to the best little piece of underground, really underground bliss.

Please enjoy:

on the corner, all needs can be met

Ahhhh, convenience!

This city is completely built, structured and explained by the subway stops so you only need to know what exit is your's of the 12 there are per station- a bit tricky at first like Dick, Nixon people, I'm talking President Nixon "Tricky Dick" - get your minds outta the gutter!
Seriously though, how can I explain a city with no street signs and no addresses? You can't even hop in a cab with a hope in the world of getting anywhere if you don't know your Seoul Metro. You must explain what station and what exit to your driver and he will drop you there, yogiyo! Right here! The metro is where it is at though, clean and quick and well-lit for a lovely price of 1000 won each ride (or 900 won if you've got the nifty T-money card). Plus no nasty starts and stops like on the bus, they trains don't ride on a clutch in 1st gear my friends and is in fact so smooth, it's like butter or hmm maybe more udon noodle?






So ask yoursellf can my night get any better riding on the oh-so-awesome organizer of the city, the Metro-o-o? My T-card for the subway?- never leave home without it!














No! But maybe you're craving something a bit more as you come up above into the air?
I know! You want jeans?

No problem!

Hmm now that you're stylin' - what's next on the list?

You're still in the mood for maybe something more?

Something to quench your thirst or midnight snack craving?
Well, conveniently located on every block is Family Mart, where you can pick up a beverage, sausage, tofu, candy or 2000 won priced cigs (not that I'm smoking)!



















Every Family Mart comes equipped with joy!
You can experience the joys of milk, OJ, or a personal local fave...

Pre-packaged dried fish or squid jerky (ew!)












and for that time when you're in a pinch, throw down 7500 won for ....

"Soft cafe"- cotton/spandex sexiness in a box!