Hip hop DJ bar in Sindang, Seoul after a musical date: CMS Soundbar

On our date in Sindang, after a musical and dinner, I wasn't sure where to go for the last stop. We wanted to keep talking over a light drink, so we headed to CMS inside Seoul Jungang Market.

The music, which the owner DJs himself, was great, and there was a surprisingly wide range of whisky too. We only meant to have a quick drink, but ended up really enjoying this bar near Sindang Station.

Where is CMS Soundbar near Sindang Station?

CMS is inside Seoul Jungang Market, close to Sindang Station, up a narrow staircase beside a cheap fried chicken shop, on the second floor. Sindang's Jungang Market has a retro charm, like stepping back in time. As you walk deeper into the market, you start spotting trendy little shops between the old restaurants and friendly local stores.

Climb the narrow stairs next to the cheap fried chicken shop and you reach a dark, hip sound bar that feels completely different from the market outside. That made it feel even more unique, somehow? It was totally my style.

CMS stands for Central Market Seoul, so the name carries the character of Seoul Jungang Market itself. Rather than an ordinary market pub, it's closer to a vintage sound bar where you enjoy music and whisky together.

An old market and a hip music bar sounds like an odd pairing, but it somehow works. It's a vibe you could probably only find in Sindang, and the moment I walked in I thought, we picked the right place tonight.

What are the seats and restroom like at CMS?

CMS isn't big like a large pub, but it has bar seats, regular tables and sofa seats. When I looked up photos before visiting, it looked really cramped? But in person it wasn't! It had more room than I expected from the photos.

About 6 groups seemed able to sit at once, so it looks cozy enough for a two-person date or a small gathering. The lighting is dim, a mix of red and warm tones, which is a great mood for drinking.

We sat at the bar table, and I'm really glad we did. We could watch the owner make drinks and DJ up close, which made it even more fun.

The restroom is inside the bar, with separate spaces for men and women, which was convenient. Since it's in a market, I worried the restroom might be outside or inconvenient. When you're drinking, a restroom really matters, and this one even has a mirror, so I loved it. Highly recommended as a date course! Between the atmosphere, the music and basics like this, it's an easy Sindang bar to visit for a date or a solo drink.

What music plays at CMS?

The best thing about CMS was, hands down, the music. On the day we visited, it was mostly old-school hip hop. One familiar track after another came on, and as someone from the old days, I was so happy I found myself bobbing along the whole time.

The owner picks the tracks and DJs himself, so it felt clearly different from a bar that just plays background music. The genre seems to change a bit depending on the day you visit.

Can you talk at CMS?

Being a sound bar, though, CMS is loud. It suited listening to good music together and chatting briefly in between more than having a deep conversation somewhere quiet. A blind-date-style setting where you need to keep talking could be tough, but with a partner who shares your music taste, you can whisper in each other's ears and get closer *^^*

CMS drink menu: from whisky to non-alcoholic

The CMS menu centers on whisky, with highballs, cocktails, beer and non-alcoholic drinks too. Looking through it, there was a much wider variety of whisky than I expected, and it's a good bar to visit even if everyone in your group likes different drinks!

When ordering whisky, the owner first asked whether we wanted it neat or on the rocks. Neat means no ice or water, so you enjoy the whisky's true taste and aroma; on the rocks comes with ice and is a bit smoother.

If you don't know much about whisky, you can tell the owner the aromas you like or how smooth you want it and ask for a recommendation. I was also told that adding a surcharge to a whisky shot lets you order it as a highball, so that's worth knowing if straight spirits feel like too much.

How were Monkey Shoulder and Laphroaig different?

That day at CMS we ordered just one glass each of Monkey Shoulder and Laphroaig. There are simple snacks too, but we'd had a big dinner. The two whiskies have very different personalities, so it was fun to compare them sip by sip.

Maybe because it was on the rocks, the Monkey Shoulder went down fairly smoothly. If whisky's strong aroma is too much for you, or you're looking for a beginner whisky, Monkey Shoulder will probably feel easier.

Laphroaig, on the other hand, had a clearly smoky, peaty character from the very first whiff. Its rich aroma, reminiscent of charred wood and the sea, lingers for a long time. It can be hit or miss, but once you like it, you keep coming back!

One more round: the Irish car bomb

The glasses piled up and the mood got deeper..!! I was debating one more drink, and my companion had an Irish car bomb. You drop a whole shot glass of whiskey and Baileys into a glass of Guinness and drink it right away, a fun way to do it.

But it can get you drunk fast, so be careful!

Would I go back to CMS in Sindang?

Next time I have dinner in Sindang, I want to stop by CMS again. After a tasty dinner, we stumbled into a sound bar, enjoyed music and whisky we love, and made another special memory together. I didn't know I liked whisky, I didn't know I'd enjoy the music this much, and yet here we are, haha. I'm looking forward to what music will be playing next time.

I'd recommend CMS to these people.

• Anyone looking for a second-round bar in Sindang
• People who love old-school hip hop and LP music
• Anyone who wants to taste a variety of whiskies one glass at a time
• People who want to sit at the bar and watch the DJ up close
• Anyone looking for a date spot with more personality than an ordinary pub