Entertainment

There are many forms of popular entertainment in Korea. Groups of young people may choose to meet at a cafe or a movie theater. It may be necessary to purchase movie tickets in advance if the show is particularly in demand; otherwise, it's fine to just show up at the theater (the early show is a bit less expensive).

A currently trendy pastime is karioke. At a karioke place people can drink and sing. They can also rent private rooms just for their friends to sing (no drinking or eating in the private rooms). The fee is by the hour and there is no cover charge. Another activity enjoyed by young people is going to so-called sticker booths with friends. Pictures are taken in these booths and printed out as stickers.

The night club scene in Korea is unique. Be aware that some clubs draw an ethnic mix while others are predominantly Korean. Everyone is asked at the door, before entering, how old they are. Carding is customary. Generally males have to pay more and buy their drinks while females do not have to pay. The club procedure follows roughly the same pattern. Guys arrive at the club and rent a room. The waiters go throughout the club "hooking" young women (grabbing them by the arm gently) and escorting them to the guys' room. Everyone mixes and socializes. If a young female adamantly does not want to be "hooked," she can make her wishes known to the waiter, but it is generally understood that she is at the club to meet guys and socialize. Traditions in the male-female relationship in Korea do not encourage males to approach females they don't know, so this club routine allows everyone to socialize.

Foreigners should be wary of bar staff who may try to get them intoxicated. The ploy is to then convince the customer the next day or later that night that their consumption was much higher than it actually was to run up the bar tab. Foreigners should never go out alone; they should always be in groups.