Noraebang (노래방) in South Korea and why you should go to one!
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From my first step in South Korea off the plane, I knew I needed to go to a noraebang at least once. It turns out I have been way more than once so far, so my checklist has been completed for that one!
Jokes aside, I have always wanted to go to one ever since seeing them in movies and K-dramas. As I watched the characters proudly and confidently sing along to their favorite songs, shaking colorful tambourines and swaying along to the music, I knew that I needed to have that experience! Even though I am in no way a singer or a good one at that, I still love going to noraebangs as an outlet to release all my emotions and have a good time with my friends! In fact, noraebangs have been a great way for me to make new friendships! If you are ever thinking of a fun activity to do with your newly made friends or a way to get to know new classmates, I highly recommend going to a noraebang.
It’s important to note that if you do go to a noraebang (which I highly recommend), be sure to go one with reputable reviews such as checking it on Naver Map, KakaoMap, or just a quick search on Naver/Google just to make sure that you know what you’re getting into! There are hundreds of noraebangs all over Seoul, but to ensure you get the best experience possible, I recommend going to popular and well-known ones!
I tend to enjoy going to noraebangs that are owned by a particular chain, such as Aksseuneun Hama Coin Karaoke Training Center or Awesome Coin Karaoke Training Center. These chains tend to be quite consistent all over Seoul, with clean private rooms, shiny and disco-like aesthetic lights, and a good choice of songs that are consistently updated. In fact, they have songs from different languages, such as Japanese, English, Bahasa Indonesia, Tagalog, and Chinese. Unfortunately, I have seen none in Spanish so far, except for Despacito.
With a wide selection of songs to choose from, my jam sessions definitely last longer than two hours, so be expected to keep putting in money in the machine slots if you need more time! Pricing and methods of payment will vary depending on the noraebang. Still, if you do go to Akksseuneun Hama or Awesome Coin, for example, their pricing is usually 6,000-8,000 won for one hour.
Lastly, although it is enjoyable to go with friends, don’t be pressured to always have some company to go to a noraebang! There are times when I have gone by myself and have had just as much fun!
I hope you consider going to a noraebang and I hope you have as much fun as I do!
Happy singing!
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