07 Feb
It’s no secret that Korea has some of the best nightlife in the world. If going to crowded clubs or bars is not something that you enjoy, I would recommend checking out a place called a Noraebang!
Noraebang (노래방) can be directly translated to “song room” in English. I’m sure you’ve heard of karaoke before, but Noraebangs take karaoke to a different level. Instead of performing in front of a crowd of people at a pub or restaurant, Noraebangs allow you to sing karaoke in your own private room!
As someone who loves to sing with friends, but is too scared to sing in front of strangers, Noraebangs are amazing! I’m able to scream-sing songs that I love with my closest friends and not have to worry about what anyone else thinks. You can find Noraebangs almost everywhere in Korea, so I am here to tell you how to use an average Noraebang on the street!
STEP 1: What Type Of Noraebang Are You At?
The most common Noraebang in Korea is something called a “Coin Noraebang.” In the past, you would need to use coins to pay per song. Nowadays, coin Noraebangs just mean that you pay per song and not per hour! I highly recommend coin Noraebangs because you don’t need to keep an eye on the clock the entire time.
STEP 2: Pay For Songs At The Front Desk
Almost all Noraebangs have a front-desk receptionist, and they will have a menu that shows how much each song costs. Most Noraebangs offer packages, so the more songs you sing the cheaper each song will be! The most standard package is a 10-song package. Noraebangs charge about 500 KRW per song or 35 cents a song ($1USD= 1460 KRW). Sometimes you can get unlimited songs for 1 hour for 5,000 KRW or about $3.50. No matter how you slice it, the cost is usually about $3-$5 per hour, so it’s a super affordable activity!
STEP 3: Grab A Microphone Cover
To help keep things more sanitary, many Noraebangs offer microphone covers. Make sure you grab a cover and use it on the microphone during your private concert. The receptionist will then take you to your room, and you will have free reign to search for any song that you like!
STEP 4: Search For Your Favorite Songs!
Most Noraebangs have a huge remote control that you can use to search for your favorite songs. Each one is different, but the most important function to remember is switching the languages. There will be a button to change the language from Korean to English, Japanese, Chinese, and even Vietnamese!
If you wish to sing a Korean song, make sure you know how to type the title of the song in Hangul (the Korean alphabet)! Depending on the Noraebang, there will be both new and old songs. Make sure you have a wide variety of songs to search for, so you can thoroughly enjoy your time singing the night away.
Noraebangs are one of the best activities to do when you are out with friends at night, or wanting to kill some extra time during the day. They are a shameless place where you can scream-sing songs from all over the world! Here’s a listing to some popular Noraebangs you can check out while in Korea!
Gabriel White, Marketing Assistant
Gabriel (Gabe) White is an English teacher in South Korea. He is a Korean, Puerto Rican-American from the Richmond, Virginia area and received a bachelor’s degree in English from Virginia Commonwealth University. Being involved in student organizations like Filipino Americans Coming Together at VCU (FACT@VCU) and VCU Globe during his college years, Gabe learned just how much he enjoys experiencing new cultures. In his free time, Gabe loves teaching local dance classes, spending quality time with his loved ones, exploring new cities, and watching nostalgic movies.
