Sangsu Station solo drinking bar: Yusating vs Signature at Yusagil

My first solo drinking bar, with a coworker: why Yusagil?

Yusagil Hongdae is a reservation-only solo drinking bar near Sangsu Station, and the writer went on a weekday after work with a coworker. My favorite work buddy and I are knocking off bucket-list items one by one these days!! This was my very first solo drinking bar 💭 It's a solo bar, but I didn't want to go alone, so I met up with my coworker after work, and this is the review, haha.

Why did we go?!!! Neither of us had ever done anything like this and we wanted to try it so, so badly, haha. Making totally new friends!! When all you do is go to the office, meeting new people is really hard~

How do you get to Yusagil Hongdae?

Yusagil Hongdae is really close to Exit 1 of Sangsu Station! It's a bit hard to find, though. Come out of the exit, go into the alley next to Downtowner, and you'll see an outdoor staircase. Follow it up to the 2nd floor. The big windows make the space feel less stuffy than I expected.

Do you sit apart even if you come with a friend?

Yes, at Yusagil Hongdae you're seated apart even if you arrive with a friend. Haha, and honestly it was so, so awkward when we first walked in... I came with my friend, but they put us at different seats, so suddenly I had to survive on my own... lol Still, almost everyone had come alone, so I could tell everyone felt about equally awkward.

How do reservations and the deposit work at Yusagil?

Yusagil is reservation-only, and the Hongdae branch has a different program on different dates, so be sure to check the schedule! There's a deposit, and you order food and drinks freely within that amount (anything extra is paid separately). Nobody ordered any anju (food to go with drinks), though T.T

How does the Yusagil program run?

The program at Yusagil Hongdae ran on self-introductions, simple conversation games and seat swaps in between. They don't just leave you to talk on your own; the hosts keep things moving, so there was hardly any room for silence!

I was shy at first, but there were lots of bright, talkative people around,,, and somehow I was chatting away too. I'm so glad the people that day were fun... haha

What's the difference between Yusasting and the Signature gathering?

Yusagil's Yusasting runs a program with a stronger romantic purpose than the Signature gathering.

For example, in Yusasting you can pick someone and swap seats, send an anonymous text, and there were rounds where you could show your interest. The hosts rearrange seats so nobody can tell who picked whom, so that part wasn't very embarrassing. The Signature gathering has a program too, but it doesn't seem to pair up men and women quite like this!

Honest take on Yusasting: it feels like a dating show

Personally, Yusasting felt a lot like a dating show... a bit of mood-making~~~ Still, I went to hang out with new people with a friend after work, so I think the Signature gathering would have felt less pressure! That doesn't mean it wasn't fun!!!!

When Yusasting ended and we were leaving, some people were going to a second round together, haha. If you click, well~ you can swap texts like this, haha. It's fun, I'll say that..

Is a solo drinking bar okay to visit with a friend?

The writer says going to Yusagil with a coworker made it more fun. Anyway!!! It's less embarrassing, and watching someone take an interest in your friend is just so fun, haha. My very own dating show

How does Yusagil compare with Solo Party?

For the fun of chatting comfortably with people, Yusagil beat the Solo Party I'd been to before!!! Of course, on looks alone, Solo Party, which screens people by appearance, comes out ahead... haha

Which program would I pick next time?

If you go to a solo drinking bar like Yusagil with the mindset of talking to new people and spending an out-of-the-ordinary evening after work, I think you can have a really great time!! So if I go again, I'd try the Signature gathering rather than Yusasting.. haha