Relax in music bar with 70s vibe, take your kids for some screen-free fun with wooden toys, and indulge in affordable high culture
Indulge in nostalgia this weekend. In Euljiro, travel back in time at a cozy bar-restaurant that takes music requests. For good old-fashioned family fun, head to a playground set up inside a department store in where kids and adults alike can play with toys that are made with all-natural materials. Finally, over at Mapo, high culture comes with very affordable tickets. From music of the great romantic composers to indie music, dance and culture talks, there is a wide range from which to choose.
| (Sunset Records) |
Vinyl, vintage decor and cocktails
Euljiro, in the heart of Seoul, has recently acquired a reputation as "hipjiro" because of its maze of hip hangouts. Among them, bar-restaurant Sunset Records provides a healthy dose of analog nostalgia.
The venue is lined with thousands of LPs, retro furniture — from lamps to sofas — and even a central fountain loaded with dry ice. A number of old televisions, blasting music, also decorate the walls, while a DJ booth presides over the space.
The menu leans into its music theme, offering signature cocktails that nod to music icons, such as Tupac’s California Love and Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit.
Guests can also hand in a handwritten request to the staff, who will cue up the music video and play it across the space, transforming the bar into a live concert floor. There’s no cap on requests, allowing guests to take in the retro setting with a cocktail in hand while the soundtrack of their choosing fills the room.
Sunset Records operates daily from 4 p.m. to midnight, with extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Seating can be reserved exclusively via Naver; phone or text reservations are not accepted.
Sunset Records
11 Eulji-ro 12-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
| Sunset Records (Lee Yoon-seo/The Korea Herald) |
| Sunset Records (Lee Yoon-seo/The Korea Herald) |
Wooden playground for kids
Families with young kids may want to head out to Hyundai Department Store's Cheongho branch in Gangdong-gu, Seoul. An entire floor of the Hyundai Department Store has been transformed into a wooden playground for children, offering a rare chance to experience the warmth and scent of nature indoors.
Located on the 13th floor, this experiential space is themed around wood, giving children a chance to engage in hands-on play rooted in natural materials, inspired by Japan’s Tokyo Toy Museum in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district.
| Tokyo Toy Museum at Hyundai Department Store (Hyundai Department Store) |
The department store has teamed up exclusively with Japan’s Art and Play Creation Association to bring the Tokyo Toy Museum concept to Korea. The original museum, established in 2008, was built by remodeling a 100-year-old closed school and has since become both a local landmark and a hub of community activity.
Spanning 396 square meters, the Seoul pop-up follows the philosophy of “a place where wood and people connect.” It invites children to engage in hands-on play with natural materials. Beyond just fun, it will be an opportunity to take a healthy break from screen, fostering family bonding through old-style play.
Admission is by reservation only, with bookings opening on the first day of each month for the following month. Children up to 12 years old can join, accompanied by one guardian. Tickets cost 13,000 won ($9) on weekdays and 15,000 won on weekends for kids, while adults pay 4,000 won.
Tokyo Toy Museum Seoul Pop-up
13th floor, Hyundai Department Store Cheongho branch
1005 Cheonhodaero, Gangdong-gu, Seoul
Excellence made accessible
Mapo Arts Center in western Seoul has emerged as one of the city’s most thoughtfully programmed cultural hubs, striking a rare balance between artistic excellence and community accessibility. Known for bringing world-class performances to local audiences at affordable prices, the center has carved out a reputation for making culture both inclusive and inspiring.
| Mapo Arts Center's outdoor classical music concert featuring its first artist-in-residence pianist Kim Do-hyun in August 2023 (Mapo Arts Center) |
At the center of its calendar is the M Classical Festival, which marks its 10th anniversary this year. Running from Aug. 22 to Dec. 6, the festival celebrates the golden age of Romantic music through 22 concerts. The spotlight falls on enduring masterpieces by Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Chopin and Dvorak, brought to life by a stellar lineup of artists. These include Korea's renowned musicians like violinist Kang Dong-suk, pianist Paik Hae-sun, cellist Yang Sung-won, sopranos Lim Sun-hae and Park Hye-sang.
With tickets priced at 20,000–30,000 won, the festival makes classical music widely accessible.
| Mapo Arts Center's M Dance Festival features "Swing The Last Dance" in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on Sept. 4.. (Mapo Arts Center) |
Beyond classical music, the center presents Indie-scovery, a series spotlighting indie musicians, and the M Dance Festival, which reintroduces diverse dance genres. In October, it will present "Tango, Fascination 2025," dedicated to tango.
Complementing these performances is a Culture Talks series from Sept. 23 to Nov. 18, offering conversational humanities-and-arts programs on visual art, music, and local culture. Speakers include art critic Lee Jin-sook, music critic Bae Soon-tak, and Yoon Sun-hae of Fuji Royal Korea, whose talk explores coffee culture. Tickets are 1,000 won.
Mapo Arts Center
28 Daeheung-ro 20-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
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