Seoul - Seoul KangNamGu YukSamDong (Travel & Play)

Discussion in 'Japan / Korea' started by hermie.g, Aug 24, 2009.

  1. hermie.g

    hermie.g Regular Member

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    I will be in Seoul in mid to late September. I would like to know if there is any badminton clubs I can visit. I would like to meet up with some good badminton players.

    City: Seoul KangNamGu YukSamDong (prefer walking distance from here, subway with 20 min okay)
    Skill: Average
    Game: prefer singles, okay doubles
    Duration: 2~3 weeks

    Please help me identify a place I can play. Or, can meet with me there. Please msg me. Thanks.
     
  2. event

    event Regular Member

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    Likely the place closest to you is the Jinsun Club. They play at the Jinsun Girls' High/Middle School gym, which is just southwest of Sunneung Stn on the #2 line. They apparently play in the evenings from 6 to 10PM and there are 6 courts.

    There are others in Gangnam. If you or someone you know reads Korean, you can take a look at this list. Most of them would be a short subway or taxi ride away but some will be in public facilities. Some of those only play in the morning, but there may be unlisted clubs that play there in the evenings.

    You can mostly forget about singles. It's very rare in clubs here. Once in a while, if you wait until the end of the evening and no one is waiting for a court and there is someone young and energetic enough, you'll get a singles game in.

    Also, try contacting Taehyeon in this thread. His group seems to play in a variety of places and he is very kind and knowledgeable and there are some very skilled and fit players in that club.
     
  3. hermie.g

    hermie.g Regular Member

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    Thanks for your reply Event. My wife read Korean. I am sure she can tell me where to go. I understand the situations with Singles games, it is kind of like that here in the States. We do reserve some nights specifically for Singles matches though. Hope I am lucky to meet up with some good players. Thanks again for the info.

    H!
     
  4. hermie.g

    hermie.g Regular Member

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    Thanks for the links. I can't read Korean, but my wife told me I have to meet the club organizer in person before I am allowed to join. That'd be a bit challenging to do given that I am here in the States.

    I did email Taehyeon and got a positive response. I will meet up with him iif I can. Thanks for the info though.

    Hermie.
     
  5. event

    event Regular Member

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    Yes, it's true that the clubs that play in schools tend to pay a lot of money to rent the gyms and members cover that through a monthly fee. No surprise there. What I and several other BC members have found is that even if you show up at such a club, they will let you play a few times before you start getting pressure to join the club and if you explain that you are just there on vacation, I would be extremely surprised if they made you pay, even if you were to offer.

    The other option would be to find a public facility. Outside of Seoul, there are many such facilities. They are subsidized by the municipality and charge a small admission fee, usually under 1000-2000won. It's nice because you don't feel like you are imposing. All such gyms have clubs operating within them and these can get cliquey, with good players refusing to play with people from outside the club, but again, there is often a welcoming attitude toward first-timers. The only such gym I know of in Seoul is over in the west end but Taehyeon might know of others. There are public facilities in the list above but I don't know if they are the kind that charge admission or whether they are cases of the club renting the public gym.

    The other option is that if you are staying right near Gangnam Stn, I can give you some options in the burbs where I play. There are three public gyms (2 cost 1000 and one costs 1500) I know of that are a 40-min bus ride from Gangnam.
     
  6. hermie.g

    hermie.g Regular Member

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    Thanks for the info. I don't mind paying a small fees. I would like to find a club with similar level players, so I can have a good game/workout. The going rate in Seattle is around $5~$10 for visitors. Several places offer free for first-time visitors.

    My wife told me that we are staying at a place where is 1 subways station from Gangnam Stn. It would be nice to meet up with you and see where you play.

    I enclosed my contact info in a private msg to you.
     
  7. pnvinh90

    pnvinh90 Regular Member

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    is there badminton place near 103-4401, YangChun-gu?
     

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