Friday, May 22, 2009

What the BANG? Part I

I'm starting the K-Culture section with a series I'm calling "What the Bang?".

Bang (방): means room in Korean. There are many different types of rooms, which are used for entertainment and other leisure. These rooms have a variety of themes.

Norae Bang
Noraebang or 노래방 is the "song" (norae) room (bang). So what do you do in the song room? You sing of course! It's KARAOKE!! Karaoke is a well-loved, well-known, and fun activity in Korea. Unlike western karaoke venues where most individuals expose themselves to an audience, noraebangs consist of individual rooms which can be rented without having to sing in front of people you don't know. These rooms vary in size and are equipped for comfort with sofas. They contain everything you need to have a wonderful karaoke experience. It's complete with microphones, screens for music videos, and large song selections (subtitles are also provided). Many provide refreshments too. Now, what more could you need?

Check out the video below for a glimpse into Korean Noraebangs:

*Vid. credit:simonandmartina*