The Seoulite

Sweet heavens… this place can get LOUD! This watering hole for the foreign expat community seems to beckon everyone back to those college days of yelling while you’re drinking. If you’re in the mood to remember why you left the western world or want to save an airplane ticket back there… go to the Wolfhound in Itaewon. When they say it’s an Irish pub, it truly is an Irish pub… right down to the drinks, food and environment.

If you’re in the mood for a good burger, apple crumble, mozzerella sticks, caesar salad or any other type of western food done authentically and expertly… the Wolfhound is the best. If you can slip in for an early dinner before the bar crowd arrives, it is awesome. Otherwise, it’s a toss-up of whether you enjoy the juicy burger more… or if you’d rather be saved from a bunch of nuts playing quarters and screaming two feet away from you.

Chicken Caesar Burger

Mozzerella Sticks

Native Koreans come here for the exoticism of a ‘real western’ environment. Gyopos have said ‘Wow, this reminds me of what it feels like to be an outsider.’ And white expats have said, ‘Ah, here is home.’ For whatever it’s worth, the staff here did a great job in creating an authentic venue. The biggest surprise is that the food is sooooo good!

Hours:
Weekdays from 3pm
Saturday & Sunday and Holidays from 11am

Contact:
02-749-7971
http://www.wolfhoundpub.com/

Classical Concerts
Goyang City Choir’s Subscription Concert
Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Center
June 9
Under the baton of conductor Ham Shin-ik, Goyang City Choir will hold its 17th subscription concert. They will deliver Verdi’s “Requiem” with soprano Kim Young-mee, alto Lee Ah-kyung, tenor Na Seung-Seo and bass Yang Hee-jun. Tickets cost from 20,000 won to 60,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (031) 967-9155~7. Connected to exit Aramnuri of Jeongbalsan Station on subway line 3.

Kim Jung-eun Piano Recital
Hoam Art Hall
June 20
Pianist Kim Jung-eun will hold a recital. She will play works of Beethoven, Liszt and Brahms. Tickets are 30,000 won. For more information, visit www.credia.co.kr or call (02) 751-9609~10. Located near exit 9 of City Hall station on subway line 1 and 2.

Cellist Song Young-hoon’s “Original Tango”
Seoul Arts Center
June 21
Cellist Song Young-hoon will hold a concert titled “Original Tango” with pianist Pablo Zinger and clarinetist Jose Franch-Ballester. They will perform “A Concagua,” “Milonga Para Tres,” “Tango Callejero” and “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” among others. Tickets cost from 22,000 won to 88,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 2658-3546. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

Novus Quartet Concert
LG Arts Center
June 21
Novus Quartet, award-winning musicians from Korea National University of Arts, will hold a concert titled “The Truly Novus.” They will perform Wolf’s “Italian Serenade in G major,” Ravel’s “String Quartet in F major” and Beethoven’s “String Quartet No.15 in A minor Op.132.” Tickets cost from 20,000 won to 50,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 6372-3242. Located near exit 7 of Yeoksam Station on subway line 2.

Martin Stadtfeld Showcase
DS Hall
June 3
German pianist Martin Stadtfeld will visit Korea to promote his music. During the showcase, he will play various Bach works and sign autographs for fans. It’s free of charge and admission will be offered on a first come, first served basis. For more information, e-mail pr@vincero.co.kr or call (02) 599-5743. Located near exit 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal Station on subway line 3.

Takacs Quartet & Son Yeol-eum Concert
LG Arts Center
June 18
Takacs Quartet visits for a concert with pianist Son Yeol-eum joining as a special guest. The program includes “Haydn String Quartet Op. 77 No.2,” “Bartok String Quartet No. 4, Sz91” and “Schumann Piano Quintet Op. 44.” Tickets cost from 30,000 to 70,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 2005-0114. Located near exit 7 of Yeoksam Station on subway line 2.

Opera `Carmen’ Gala Concert
Seoul Arts Center
June 22
Prominent singers of Novosibirsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater perform famous arias from Bizet’s opera “Carmen” to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the construction of CBS. Tickets cost from 30,000 to 100,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 2650-7480~2. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

Jerry Jae-il Chae’s Clarinet Recital
Hoam Art Hall
June 17
Clarinetist Jerry Jae-il Chae, winner of the 2008 Dos Hermanas International Clarinet Competition, will hold a recital. The program includes Henri Rabaud’s “Solo de Concours,” Schumann’s “Fantasiestucke for Clarinet and Piano, Op.73” and Brahms’ “Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano in A minor, Op. 114.” All tickets are 20,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. Located near exit 9 of City Hall station on subway line 1 and 2.

Kim Jun-hee’s Piano Recital
Hoam Art Hall
June 19
Pianist Kim Jun-hee, a prize winner of 2007 Concours Long-Thibaud, will hold a recital. He will offer various works including Bartok’s “Two Rumanian Dances for Piano, Op.8/a” and Chopin’s “Barcarolle in F flat Major, Op.60.” All tickets are 20,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. Located near exit 9 of City Hall Station on subway line 1 and 2.

Pipe Organ Meets Handel
Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
June 27
rganist David Sanger will deliver a variety of Handel’s works including “Arrival of the Queen of Sheba,” “Zadok the Priest,” “Oboe Concerto in B flat, HWV 301″ and “Organ Concerto, Opus 7 No.5 in G minor” with the Seoul Metropolitan Youth Orchestra and the Grande Opera Choir. Oboist Lee Yun-jung and cembalo player Lee Seung-hee will appear as special guests. Tickets cost from 10,000 to 50,000 won. For more, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 399-1618. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

Lendvay & Friends’ Concert
Seoul Arts Center
June 1
Hungarian gypsy violinist Jozsef Lendvay and his quintet will return to Korea. The program includes Leo Weiner’s Divertimento” and Vittorio Monti’s “Csardas,” among others. Tickets range from 33,000 to 88,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

Ditto’s Ditto Carnival
Seoul Arts Center
June 27
Chamber ensemble Ditto greets its third season with “Ditto Carnival” as a part of “Ditto Festival.” Popular young artists, including violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill, violinist Johnny Lee, double bassist Daxun Zhang and cellist Patrick Jee, will perform Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” Suite, Op. 71a and Saint-Saens’ “The Carnival Of Animals.” Tickets range from 20,000 to 50,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

Big Tickets
Shim Su-bong’s “Beautiful Day”
Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
June 17-18
Famous singer Shim Su-bong will hold a concert titled “Beautiful Day” to celebrate her 30th anniversary of debut. Tickets cost from 33,000 won to 120,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 522-9933. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

Encore Opera `My Cup of Flours’
National Theater of Korea
May 30-31
Under the direction of filmmaker Park Su-gil, the original domestic opera “My Cup of Flours” will be on stage again from May 30 to 31. Tickets cost from 20,000 to 100,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 586-0945. Located near Dongguk Univ. Station on subway line 3.

Opera `Norma’
Seoul Arts Center
June 25-28
The National Opera Company will perform “Norma.” This will be a rare chance to see Vincenzo Bellini’s work in Korea. Tickets cost from 10,000 to 100,000 won. For more information, visit www.nationalopera.org or call (02) 586-5282. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

The Pussycat Dolls Live in Seoul
Olympic Cycling Stadium, Olympic Park
June 6
American pop group Pussycat Dolls will hold their first concert in Seoul, as part of their “Doll Domination” world tour. Tickets cost from 80,000 to 150,000 won. For more information, call CP Entertainment (02) 545-5395 or email cp.ent.mail@gmail.com. Located near exit 3 of Olympic Park Station on subway line 5.

Opera `La Boheme’
Seoul Arts Center
Through May 30
Under the direction of Yang Soo-hwa and Bang Jeong-ug, Gloria Opera Group will perform “La Boheme” with the Gangnam Symphony Orchestra, the Operaphil Chorus and the Song-pa Children’s Chorus. Tickets cost from 30,000 to 200,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 543-2351. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

Opera `Tosca’
Sejong Center for the Performing Arts
June 4-7
The Korea Opera Group will perform “Tosca” under the direction of Pier Luigi Pizzi and Massimo Gasparon. Tickets cost from 30,000 to 310,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 587-1950~2. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

Ennio Morricone’s `Cinema Concerto Part II’
Gymnastics Stadium, Olympic Park
Through 27
Legendary Italian composer-conductor Ennio Morricone returns to offer more of his film scores from beloved movies such as “Cinema Paradiso.” Tickets cost from 50,000 to 160,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.auction.co.kr or call (02) 3444-9969. Located near exit 3 of Olympic Park Station on subway line 5.

Russian National Orchestra
Seoul Arts Center
June 30
Internationally renowned conductor Mikhail Pletnev and the Russian National Orchestra will visit Korea from June 29 to July 1. They will perform in three cities including Seoul. Tickets cost from 50,000 to 180,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 541-6235. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

Museums
Egypt, the Great Civilization
National Museum of Korea
Through Aug. 30
The National Museum of Korea presents 231 artifacts chosen from `Egypt-Oriental Collection” from Kunsthistorisches Museum of Austria, covering 300 years of Egyptian civilization. Tickets cost from 10,000 won for adults and 8,000 won for children. For more information, call (02) 2077-9199. Located near exit 2 of Ichon Station on subway line 4.

Special Exhibition for Donated Cultural Assets
National Museum of Korea
Through July 12
The National Museum of Korea presents 200 valuable cultural assets donated by various collectors worldwide. Autographed music by composer Ahn Eak-tai will also be displayed. Located near exit 2 of Ichon Station on subway line 4.

Dance
2009 World Ballet Star Festival
Seoul Arts Center
June 4-5
International ballet stars from around the world will appear at the 2009 World Ballet Star Festival. This will be a rare chance to see the finest dancers, such as Polina Semionova of the Staatsballet Berlin, Friedemann Vogel of the Stuttgart Ballet, Yekaterina Osmolkina of the Kirov Ballet and Viengsay Valdes of the Cuban National Ballet. Tickets cost from 30,000 to 200,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 751-9630. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

Lena Park Concert
LG Arts Center
July 1-5

As a part of Adiologie concert series, R&B singer Lena Park will hold a concert. She will entertain fans with beautiful vocals. Tickets cost from 44,000 won to 88,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 3485-8700. Located near exit 7 of Yeoksam station on subway line 2.

Wheesung Live Concert
LG Arts Center
June 4-7
Singer Wheesung will hold a concert titled “The Man.” He will entertain fans with his rhythmical music. Tickets cost from 70,000 to 99,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 517-0394. Located near exit 7 of Yeoksam station on subway line 2.

Mocca Live in Seoul
Mapo Arts Center
June 21
Indonesian group Mocca will visit Korea with Peppertones and Lee Han-cheol joining as special guests. Tickets cost from 44,000 won to 66,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 322-0014. Located near exit 2 of Daeheung station on subway line 6.

George Winston’s Summer Concert
Seoul Arts Center
June 23
Jazz pianist George Winston will hold a concert titled “Summer Concert.” He will play “New Orleans Rise Again #4,” “Cat & Mouse,” “Urban Lullaby” and “Pixie” among others. Tickets cost from 30,000 to 120,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 548-4480. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

Bobby Kim’s Encore Concert
Auditorium, Yonsei University
May 30-31
Soul vocalist Bobby Kim will perform his hit songs including “Mama” and “Only you,” among others. Tickets cost from 66,000 to 77,000 won. Visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 512-9496. Located near exits 2 and 3 of Sinchon Station on subway line 2.

European Jazz Trio Live in Seoul
LG Arts Center
June 20
The European Jazz Trio will host a concert here after a nine-year absence, entertaining fans with their romantic sounds. Tickets cost from 22,000 to 88,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call (02) 720-3933. Located near exit 7 of Yeoksam Station on subway line 2.

Plays & Musicals

Grease
Dongsoong Art Center
Open Run
The musical tells the love story of high school students Danny and Sandy. Enjoy the rock and roll performance. Tickets cost from 40,000 to 60,000 won. Visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. Located near exit 1 of Hyehwa Station on subway line 4.

Dreamgirls
Charlotte Theater
Through July 26
The Broadway musical “Dreamgirls” makes its big debut in Korea. The musical tells the story of a young female singing trio, called “The Dreams,” who become music superstars. Tickets cost from 40,000 to 130,000 won. Visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. Located near exit 3 of Jamsil Station on subway lines 2 and 8.

My Scary Girl
The Stage
Through July 19
“My Scary Girl,” based on the Korean film of the same title, is now on stage at The Stage. All tickets are 45,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. Located near exit 3 of Sinchon Station on subway line 2.

Chicago
Seongnam Arts Center
June 5-29
Based on a 1926 play of the same name, the hit musical “Chicago” will be put on stage at Seongnam Arts Center June 5-29. Veteran musical actor Choi Jung-won, singers Insooni and Ock Ju-hyun star in the musical. Tickets cost from 40,000 won to 110,000 won. For more information, visit www.musicalchicago.co.kr or call 1544-8117 or 1544-1555. Located near exit 1 of Imae Station on the Bundang subway line.

Mamma Mia!
National Theater of Korea
June 21 - July 23
Musical “Mamma Mia!,” based on hit songs of ABBA, such as “Dancing Queen” and “Waterloo,” is currently in Korean production. Tickets cost from 40,000 won to 120,000 won. For more information, visit ticket.interpark.com or call 1544-1555. Located near Dongguk Univ. Station on subway line 3.

Romeo & Juliette
Seoul Arts Center
July 4- August 2
Musical “Romeo & Juliette” will be put on stage at Seoul Arts Center July 4- Aug.2. It will be adapted into Korean language. Musical actors Shin Sung-rok, Im Tae-kyung, Kim So-hyun and Park So-yeon star in the musical. Tickets cost from 55,000 won to 150,000 won. For more information, visit www.romeonjuliette.com or call 1588-5212. Located near exits 4 and 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal on subway line 3.

* Info from the Korea Times

The Seoulite is expanding his online offerings… now all kpop fans can unite… and date each other! Tired of so-gae-ting? Want to find someone new? Need to just waste some time online by flirting with fellow kpop fans? Well, well, well… go to my new website: www.kpopsingles.com.

Everything is free. You can chat, send messages, do video conferencing and even browse through the kpop zone. We’re just getting started so if anyone wants to volunteer to update the kpop pages with more recent stars, let me know. I only put up my favorites from back in the day…!

A love like this... how romantic.

If you’re walking along Sinsa-dong behind the Ferrari dealership on your way to Dos Tacos… you may stumble upon this cafe that looks like it’s part of someone’s patio of a mid-century house in West Germany. It is indeed South Korea… but the cafe is part of a duplex if you take a close look. No matter… it’s the inside (and the cute outside) that counts. This place has ‘new favorite secret spot’ written all over it.

There are specials listed... but many don't change. If you go for lunch... get the green chicken curry. It's what the servers are always eating too. There are real bay leaves in the dish.

From certain angles, it looks like you tripped into a friend's apartment in the Czech Republic. The art here changes every monthly and it's for sale as well.

Sturdy furniture for lots of reading, writing and people watching.

In the afternoons, you may even be able to meet the artists and share a cup of tea while you see them work.

Hungry? Have a four-cheese pizza. The food here has the homey taste of a bed and breakfast.

Here is an assortment of sausages, carrots and broccoli.

Shin Seung Hun filmed music jams over at OPP. This is definitely a celebrity dive type of place. The espresso here is quite amazing.

To get there all you need to do is take along a seeing-eye dog because you will swear your sense of direction has become blind. Go to the Ferrari dealership. If you don’t know where that is… stand in front of Benihana and look across the street.

Once you find the Ferraris go into the alley and then make a left at the second alley. OPP will be on your right. Closest subway? Apgujong Station exit 3. But from there you will be coming from a completely different direction. Get a homing piegeon. Or consult this map if you can read Korean.

Food: 4/5
Ambiance: 5/5
Service: 5/5

Phone: (02)2238-3437

Where can you find the warm afternoon sunshine of a Provence afternoon or the cozy glow of a French wine cellar? At Les Baux right here in Seoul. This restaurant is located across the street from Zen Hideaway in Apgujeong, but you would think you are a world away once you step inside.

Find a bright spot by the window upstairs.

Or find a rustic table in the wine cellar downstairs.

Due to the economic crisis and the lateness of the hour the Seoulite and his friends just had drinks. But here's a sampling of the food. A tomato frittata. I'll post updates if and when I taste the glorious food.

Here is the Filet au Boeuf from another fan.

Provence is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. The cuisine of Provence is the result of the warm, dry Mediterranean climate; the rugged landscape, good for grazing sheep and goats. The basic ingredients are olives and olive oil; garlic; sardines, rockfish, sea urchins and octopus; lamb and goat; chickpeas; local fruits, such as grapes, peaches, apricots, strawberries, cherries, and the famous melons of Cavaillon.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, many of the most famous painters in the world converged on Provence, drawn by the climate and the clarity of the light. The special quality of the light is partly a result of the Mistral wind, which removes dust from the atmosphere, greatly increasing visibility. Artists included Paul Cézanne, Vincent Van Gogh, Auguste Renoir, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso.

The Romans complained about the competition from and poor quality of the wines of Provence. In the First Century A.D. the Roman poet Martial, condemned the wines of Marseille as 'terrible poisons, and never sold at a good price.' Sounds like the wine in Seoul due to heavy import taxes! Vote for the EU-SK free trade agreement please!

Pastis is the traditional liqueur of Provence, flavored with anise and typically containing 40–45% alcohol by volume. When absinthe was banned in France in 1915, the major absinthe producers (then Pernod Fils and Ricard, who have since merged as Pernod Ricard) reformulated their drink without the banned wormwood and with more aniseed flavor, coming from star anise, sugar and a lower alcohol content, creating pastis. It is usually drunk diluted with water, which it turns a cloudy color. It is especially popular in and around Marseille.

Les Baux
Food: Je ne sais pas. Cal domage!
Drinks: 5/5 You can find Stella Artois and not to mention wonderful capuccinos and extensive wine list.
Ambiance: 5/5

Phone: 02-3444-4226
Location: Apgujeong
Go straight from the Cine City Alley
Make a left a Milk Bar and the restaurant will be on your right
Hours: 11AM - 2AM

In Korean:
위치: 압구정 씨네시티골목에서 직진
밀크바에서 좌회전해 쭉 들어가다 오른쪽 위치
전화번호: 02-3444-4226
영업시간: AM11:00~ AM 02:00

A good martini is hard to find anywhere… but especially a dirrrrrrrty martini in Seoul. Where’s a Seoulite to go when martinis beckon to drown out sorrows and lift spirits to another dimension? Look up in the sky… it’s not a bird and it ain’t Superman… but all you Supergirls come with me to Skybar Chang in Gangnam.

The bar sits on two levels on the upper floors of the building.

While the standard martini may call for a four to one ratio of distilled spirits to vermouth, aficionados of the dry martini may reduce the proportion of vermouth drastically for a drier martini. Connoisseurs boast of sweetening the cocktail by merely coating the glass with vermouth (such a Martini is traditionally known as an ‘In-and-Out’)

You can opt for indoor patio seating and enjoy the view.

Although it started with olive as a garnish, olive juice can be added to a martini to make it a dirty martini. The taste of olive distracts from the taste of straight gin and vermouth, easing the stiffness of the drink.

Or you can join the serious martini lovers right at the bar.

It is said that a “Churchill martini” contains no vermouth, just British gin. The legend holds that Churchill would get as close to the vermouth bottle as to “look at it from across the room.” On the other hand, some experts strongly object to this practice, arguing that a cocktail with one predominant ingredient is no cocktail at all, and furthermore, that the term “dry” has nothing to do with the gin-to-vermouth ratio, but with the use of dry, white, French vermouth instead of sweet, red, Italian vermouth.

The martini is an American invention. It's so. American. Yes. It. is. so.

While variations are many, a standard modern martini is an approximate four to one ratio, made by combining approximately two ounces (or 55ml) of gin and half an ounce (or 15ml) of dry vermouth. Some prefer somewhat less vermouth—about a five or six to one proportion of gin to vermouth.

The martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth. Sometimes, vodka is substituted for gin, although this is properly called a vodka martini. The drink is almost always garnished with an olive or, less commonly, a sliver of lemon peel. It is often described as being 'crisp' or 'astringent.'

Many bartending schools insist that a cocktail shaker tends to dull the taste of the vermouth, and some argue that it sharpens the taste of gin by “bruising” the liquid. However, it is relatively common to see a bartender mix a martini with a shaker due in part to the influence of popular cultural figures such as the fictional super-spy James Bond, who asked for his vodka martinis “shaken, not stirred” (such a martini is traditionally referred to as a “Bradford”). The ingredients are mixed then strained and served “straight up” (without ice) in a chilled cocktail glass, and garnished with either an olive or a twist of lemon (a strip of the peel, usually squeezed or twisted to express volatile oils onto the surface of the drink).

We told the bartender that these were the best martinis in Seoul and she gave us a free round.

Skybar Chang

Drinks: 5/5
Food: 3/5
Ambiance: 4/5

To get to Skybar Chang, get off at Gangnam Station exit number 7 and find the Paris Baguette. Go up the street (uphill). You’ll see a German beer garden with outdoor patio lighting when you’re close to the building. Look up and you’ll see a red sign that says Skybar… the Chang part is in Korean: 창.

Upon no particular request, the Seoulite is going to beef up the entertainment content on this blog with help from a few good friends who will supply him the juicy gossip of the Kpop underworld.

First up!~ Seotaiji. One of the original icons of Kpop is still alive and roaring strong in his comeback years. You remember him from the 1992-1996 era of Seo Taiji and the Boys, right? Here are two brief reminders:

So back to 2009… Seo Taiji has postponed his national tour a few weeks. He was going to start it off in Seoul on January 30th… but decided to delay the tour until mid-February due to preparations. Guess they want to put more work into creating ‘the best show ever’ according to promoters. Venues and dates have yet to be finalized. Better get on it and not disappoint your fans… especially for the ones too young to even know who you are!

Case in point? Seo Taiji pokes fun at himself in this latest commercial for the ‘Seo Taiji’ phone. The girl is awestruck by the phone and says she’s a fan, but doesn’t even recognize Seo Taiji in the flesh. Meanwhile, Seo Taiji is said to be wrapping up the production of the 2nd single for his 8th album expected to be released next month. Work it on out buddy!

Here’s the maestro’s website: http://www.seotaiji.com

And of course the comeback song released last year:

Hubris is the most potent and constant threat to success. It brings down many a great man (or woman)… great nations… and of course great bars. Apparently Brix in Itaewon was roaring hot two years ago when it first opened. But now it seems to be running off of the fumes of its former self.

The Seoulite never even heard of Brix but apparently it is a popular establishment for the expat crowd, especially because of its hookah - that’s probably what catapulted it to stardom two years ago. But hookah… is soooo two years ago for Seoul and like so late 90s if you’re from the States. And isn’t it so first millennium AD if you’re from Turkey?

See the hookah smoke reflecting the strange spirits circling about? Actually that's cigarette smoke... but I think the ghosts are trying to tell Matt that flashing signs for the Midwest isn't gonna fly in here. These entities flew in from the westside! Note the upside down W makes the M.

It sure feels like America in here though... and as I found this photo... I was about to say that it had a very San Francisco vibe in particular. Do I have to say any more?

There's a dance floor. It's a basement club. There's something about the place that makes you feel like you've departed from the world above. Maybe that's the appeal. The drinks are weak though. That does not make hades very appealing.

We didn’t smoke hookah but The Seoulite is concerned that many netizens say they’ve gotten sick from this establishment. It seems that it’s not the most sanitary place and that the service is poor. And why should it be? If customers come back regardless of quality… who but saints would try harder. But that’s hurbis. Right when you think you’re so high above the rules… you can’t see how much your foundation has eroded. And down goes the elephant in the room.

Brix in Itaewon
It is located in the alley with all the new restaurants and bars including 3 Alley Pub, Gecko’s Garden and Buddha’s Belly. The door is nondescript and you take a few steps to descend down to its deep dark depths.
I have no phone number. I would never go back there.
It’s one of those places that I can’t understand why people return to over and over again.
There’s no denying that there’s something there there… but not for the Seoulite.

A new president cannot have too much good advice, so BBC World News America is asking personalities from various walks of life to tell president-elect Barack Obama what they think he should do when he takes up his new job on 20 January.

But where is PRESIDENT LEE MYUNG BAK’s invitation! Well, after seeing other people give their comments on theseoulite.com blog right here… he decided to send us his special message for Obama! Here are the other two dudes thoughts…. as if they can hold a light to the honorable President of South Korea!

Notes to Obama: Jorge Ramos

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/7820540.stm

Jorge Ramos
Mexican-born anchor for Spanish-language Univision News
Author of several books, including The Latino Wave
One of the most influential Hispanics in the US

Notes to Obama: Joseph O’Neill

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/world_news_america/7821443.stm

Joseph O’Neill is the author of three novels Netherland (2008), The Breezes (1996), This Is The Life (1991), a number of short stories and a non-fiction book, Blood-Dark Track: A Family History, which was a New York Times Notable Book for 2002 and a book of the year for the Economist.

President Lee Myung Bak

Leader of a $1 Trillion Dollar a Year Economy
Military Head of the longest war conflict in modern history.
Mayor of Seoul
Hyundai CEO
Poor peasant boy
He is one tough bad ass mofo..!!!

Below is his ‘Note to Obama’ exclusively given to theseoulite.com.

It is almost Christmas and the streets of Seoul are buzzing. So what do some Seoulites do the weekend before? Call up their old wedding photographers to take ‘friend’ pictures. After a two hour photo shoot and hundred of shots to choose from… you get the perfect memorabilia to celebrate the holidays.

Seoulites love taking pictures of themselves... this is so beyond the sticker pic!

You can look like the Wonder Girls on an album cover.

Or on a concert poster!

Who takes these photos? One of the more popular wedding photographers in Seoul… Wonkyu Noblesse. If you get married in Seoul… you should definitely check out this photographer. He does magazine shoots, music videos and is very much at the top of his game.

Click here to see sample wedding photos from the studio.

Wonkyu Photo Studio
16-11 B1, Chungdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
Phone: 02-518-6232

Hi, I’m Sean Lim, an American expat living in South Korea.  This is my blog about becoming a Seoulite.

What is a Seoulite?
A ‘Seoulite’ (서울깍쟁이) is a citizen of Seoul, just as a ‘New Yorker’ is a citizen of New York. Of course the label ‘Seoulite’ doesn’t simply denote a place of residence [...]