First Night in Downtown Seoul

So it's almost Friday, and I have no idea what I'm going to do this weekend, but I'm sure I will come up with something while I'm at work tomorrow, teaching my one class. Last Friday night was my first visit to downtown Seoul's nightlife scene. I didn't know what to expect because around my house there are no clubs, no foreigners, no shirts, no shoes and no problems. It's just not the going out type of place. Apparently the area is a poorer part of Seoul; I've heard it referred to as "Old Seoul", and a blue-collar type of area. I'm not totally sure how true that is, but I think it seems to fit. It really is safe though, or seems that way. No one seems to break the law, and it is amazing how nice a feeling that is. Not having to worry about being pick-pocketed, or beaten up, or bombed by terrorist (if you wanna go extreme) it really is the way life is supposed to be.
So last Friday Rachel came over and we drank "Soju" while watching Borat on my computer. Soju is the national Korean drink, well I'm not sure they have that type of classification, but if they did it would be #1, #2, and #3 on the list. That is because there are three types of it, 19%, 20%, and 21% alcohol. It's basically a beer bottle sized bottle of weak vodka that sells for about one dollar, and they sell it everywhere. EVERYWHERE, like at 7-11, pizza shops, rice huts, E-Mart (the Korean Wal-Mart), candy stores and basically any place that sells stuff that you put in your mouth. Don't take that the wrong way, but yes I'm sure they sell it there too. So we pregammed here a lil, mixing our Soju with Fanta, yup you heard me right, Fanta... now don't YOU wanna Fanta? Don't you? That add is genius. I'm gonna drink a glass of Fanta right now. I just have to take it out of my fridge behind the purple stuff, and Sunny D (I watched too much TV as a child). Mmmm so sugary...Okay where was I, oh yes, going out.
It's only about a 5-minute walk to the subway, then about a half hour trip with one transfer on the subway to the place to be. I can honestly say that's exactly what it was...the place to be. There were a ton of foreigners, tons of young people, and tons of bars. Of course most of them are Karaoke bars, but they probably heard about my hot EMENEM renditions from the teachers party. Just kidding, they aren't mostly Karaoke bars, but they are mixed in there. We ended up going to a bar with a live band and it was a really good time. Nothing spectacular, but a good night out in a new area. It’s not too cheap, about $4 a beer (because I know that's what you all were really wondering), and the bands were okay. It was the first trip of many but it was a success. A cab ride back to my school cost about 7 bucks at 3:30 in the morning. I think this is going to work out just fine. P.S. - Yes, Karl there are strong bottles of alcohol here for less then a dollar, and Fanta, but it's not heaven. Please stop calling me, and no you can't crash here "indefinitely".