Seoul is the largest and capital city of South Korea. It’s also one of the world’s largest cities. The city is located on the basin of the Han River in the country’s north-west. An important settlement for over two millennia, Seoul’s history dates back to 18 BC. In the last 50 years, Seoul has grown to be one of the world’s most fascinating cities. The Itaewon area is home to most of the Western bars and there’s plenty going on in Hongdae and Gangnam.

The Korean society is extremely conservative, and although there is no law about homosexuality, tolerance here is very mixed. There are more and more homosexual Koreans coming out of the closet. Schools are beginning to educate the children about homosexuality, and all this helps in the long run to a more tolerant culture. There is a small and active gay scene here. Itaewon is probably where you will find the most welcoming of the bars, as it’s the most foreigner-friendly area. This area is nicknamed ‘Homo Hill’. Most of the gay bars are located on the opposite side of the street from Gwangja Bank Tower. There are some small gay bars in the centre of Seoul, but these are usually harder to find. Usually frequented by older Koreans, who do not speak English. Also, after midnight, these bars may look closed, with doors locked and outside lights switched off. They will probably be open, but if you don’t know how to get in, then how do you get in? These bars – if you really want to try them – are best explored with Korean friends in the know!  We did not find gay bars who advertised with websites, so the information we could find was very limited. However, please feel free to contact us if you find a venue you think should be listed here. Seoul has both an annual LGBT Film Festival and a Queer Culture Festival.