I'm going to APPT Seoul, just booked my hotel room in Hongdae for a week. I'm going to try and go to the DMZ for a daytrip, is there anything else I should do? What are good bar areas around there?

DMZ is a good place to go. Seoul Tower is worth a trip as well. Once your here everyone is going to tell you to party in Itaewon. In my personal experience i would stay away as its trashy and lots of annoying ppl there. But I may be biased as I'm a soldier and hate being around drunk soldiers on my weekend lol hongdae has good places to drinkif ur looking for something near your place it shouldnt be hard to find.

The cash games at Walker Hill are a big ripoff just to let you all know. They rake 10% of every pot up to $17 a hand. Its terrible. I wouldnt even be suprised if they jacked it up more for the APPT week. Not only that but some of the dealers are really bad. There is one that flashes the burn card to the whole left side of the table trying to deal fancy. She has to be told and it mentioned to the floor men almost every time im out there its bad. Tourneys are pretty good except Walker Hill is all about pleasing there most loyal customers at any expense.

Example would be last weekend in the $500 20k gar tourney they had 2 day 1's and decided on the second day 1 that it was now a re-entry tourney for those who busted on the first day 1. This was because the regulars who busted wanted another chance to win it. The floor men have no problem adhering to what the regulars want as they back or have a piece of most of them in the bigger buy in tourneys. It was a pretty big issue and the floor men act as if they had no hand in it.

does anyone know if preregistration is necessary (going in early to register/buyin)? I read on the site that the ME is 250players max and the high rollers is 2 tables max. I assume ill have to get there early for the high rollers event? any input is appreciated, thanks

Came here pretty much to post this. Looking forward to this trip and starting to read this thread now. sounds like a really cool place.

If you're going by yourself, I am as well and would love someone to drink with.

You're wrong about the 2nd chance. The JPK club told Walker Hill they would have 55 players pre reg for Day 2, but it turns out they thought it was going to be a 2nd chance tournament. The JPK pre-paid and reserved 65 seats in two days, so the owner had to allow them to re-buy.

How does she expose the burn card trying to deal fancy? the card falls like 4 inches max from the deck to the felt.

I work at WH poker - so if it is true, I'd like to know and make changes.

Rake will not be changed - and the rake is up 15 bucks, (standard for asia) and you forgot to mention the other 2 dollars (1 for each 100 in the pot) is in the Bad Beat Jackpot - which no customer seems to mind when they are a part of it.

of course your average customer won't mind, they don't know how badly they're getting shafted on the rake, whether it's the bad beat jackpot or the "lol standard asia rake." If they knew, they wouldn't be trying to beat those games, they'd play online instead or at a more competitive place, which unfortunately doesn't seem to exist in Korea.

Fun thread. got about half way through, going to read the rest tomorrow.

A bit worried about going as I have very little winter clothing. So excited to see Seoul.

Would you say it's fair to say that the rake can't be beaten at that level? I mean I plan on doing touristy type stuff anyway but if I'm going to get raped by rake in cash games there - I might stick purely to being a tourist when I'm not playing in the main event.

I'm going to have to have a look through this thread again I think to remind myself of everything before I go, less than 6 days to go before my flight.

that rake is absurdly high. Why bother? Do you really want to go to another country and gamble? If I'm in Seoul, I'd much rather party it up hard and hit on beautiful beautiful Korean women...you can do that or pay $15 a hand.

Really a great thread. Just finished it start to finish. Skimmed over some of the politard stuff in the middle, but this has been one of the best threads I've read. Really incredible.

Well my goal is to find some quiet venues for the nights that I'm playing. Would really like to hit up a jazz bar, and one of the sexy bars to see what these hot hostesses are like.

Once I'm done, if I can make some friends at the APPT I'd really like to go to a booking club. That sounds like too much fun. I have some experience with not speaking the language after moving to China, but I picked up a good deal of conversational Chinese pretty quickly so it's been awhile. Should be interesting.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good tower/pagoda to go see? You've convinced me that once I'm out of the tournament to get out of the gambling areas as quickly as possible. I saw Namsan tower mentioned. I have no idea what that is, but I'm going to see what it's like and if there's anything else close by.

Two questions I had: Can I use my American credit card in bars? What is the weather like currently? I am trying to pack as light as possible.

Edit: if anyone is interested in meeting up for any of this please let me know, would love the company.

Namsan tower is lame, more of a date place imo.

I'd imagine you can use your cc at bars. Think it's still winter there.

I'm not really good w/the touristy stuff but there some palaces to see which are ok. Gyeongbokgung is the big one (there's a really awesome samgyetang restaurant near it) and dok su goong I think.

Hopefully someone else chimes in, otherwise wikitravel seoul and see what there is.

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Jazz bar: If you don't mind shelling out, I really really liked Once in a Blue Moon. Also there's another restaurant I like called Top Cloud, but I've only seen a live jazz performance there once - I'd also try to bring a girl to this. It's at the top of Samsung's building in jong-no.

Sounds awesome. Thanks again for the tips.

Pretty unlikely that I'll find a date to either of these things because I'd like to do them during the week before going out on the weekend, but I'll give it a shot. Never know.

I haven't been to Hong Kong in awhile, so I haven't seen any type of jazz in a long time. Really excited for that. I'll try to check out Once in a Blue Moon.

Ok you got me convinced... not that it'd would take too much convincing

Yip it's a great thread. When are you arriving bluegrass. I'm going to be arriving Monday afternoon. I'd be on for checking out a Jazz bar and checking out Seoul in general. I'm 41 btw - thought best mention that as although I'm up for partying - my student years are long behind me so usually mix better with people 25+

Still haven't decided where exactly I'm going to stay for the first couple nights. Possibly Gangnam.

Going to have to get reading this thread again. Looking forward to this tourney and Seoul now.

In response to cjacksallin, the dealer I'm referring to holds up the bOttom of the deck to the left side of the table when burning and pushes it out with her thumb before burning and the whole left half of the table can see it. Hard to explain in writing but it happens frequently with her. The rest of the dealers r fine just the one in particular.

There is no issue with a re entry tourney but almost no one knew if this until the second day 1. Even those who played the first day one were oblivious until they arrived the next day to hear it was re-entry. It was never put out on the website or email...or anywhere. People would have tried to play both days or more aggressive on day 1. I'm a fan on the tournaments walker has it just looked weird that the only ppl who knew of re entry were regulars who busted the first day 1. It was probably an honest mistake but that's how it looked to many who played. I can understand confusion with the JPK but like I said not even day 1 players knew as they were playing.

The rake will not change as there is no serious competition in Seoul which is fine I would choose walker anyways cause overall it's solid, friendly and fun. I'm just saying the rake is absurdly high and makes the game pretty hard to beat. But as you said that is standard for Asian poker rooms.

As I have pointed out negatives leg me point out a few good things of walker for those coming to appt. games on weekends are almost always juicy. Free alcohol is a big plus and they are extremely generous on liquor. You have to specify if u want a shot, but I'm not kidding when I say they will fill the glass 2/3 with it. Free food is bought by the poker room for players at night as well. The floor men and Kevin song r all very good people. You will feel welcome even as a foreigner the first time u arrive. They r leaps n bounds above the rest Seoul has to offer.

Hope this helps those coming.

Being looking at the Seoul metro map trying to match it up with the areas mentioned in this thread. Obviously when I arrive at Incheon Airport on Monday afternoon I'm going to be pretty whacked and will be pretty keen to get into the city centre as quick as I can, find a love motel and rest up before going out. It looks like Hongdae is the nearest happening area to the airport. Is that correct?
Which metro stop do I get off at - Hongik University?
Or would I be better off continuing on for the longer journey to Gangnam?

Edit: Also just reading I could get the Arex which gets into the city centre in 42 mins. Possibly the better option?

http://visitkorea.or.kr/ena/GK/GK_EN_2_2_2_3.jsp

The rake is beatable; I had a 20bb/hr winrate over close to 200hours at 1/2 (not sure of exact amount cause the iphone with Pokerjournal was stolen). There are decent number of regs making 10-20bb/hr at 1/2 cause the game plays huge (you can buy in for 500 and after losing your first buyin it's uncapped; so plenty of ppl buyin for the min and intentionally bust so they can rebuy for 2k) and there are loads of megafish.

That said, the rake is absurd and the highest in the world of any casino afaik. It's way higher than rake in Cambodia/Macau/Philippines which are the other Asian countries that have poker.

It's a good rate for Korea, where undeground games have 10% uncapped/$40 cap. The rake is just absurd and one of the reasons why I'm not doing the live pro/online player thing there.


Yeah I know what you're talking about. I complained to the floor manager a couple times but nothing got done (first complained last summer saw her do it again in the Winter).

Yea she is the only one they does it. Others I have no complaints with and the one male(that's been there longest) is actually quite good. You can definitely still make money on weekends. After 32 sessions(145 hrs) I'm up just over 1300(sick brag I know lol) but when u think how much more u would have if rake was even as low as $8-$10 u see how much absurdly high rakes cost. But I get what ur saying yes the game is still beatable most the time. Tables with the better players there are tougher obv as everyone is going after 1 or 2 players money at the table. If you can get on a table with no one you know, your likely in for a good night

so over 200 hours, you have about a 20bb winrate over (200hrs x 25 hands/hr) = 5k hands. Yeah, sustainable :P

Unless people are shipping it in with top pair any kicker for 300bbs, I highly doubt this will be beatable in the long run.

Playing live poker in Korea instead of going out or playing online if you really want to work is a bizarre concept to me.

hey I'm getting in on the 7th. Probably just staying 7-12 at the moment, not sure if I want to extend my time there yet. I really want to obviously, but really busy next month.

I'd love to hit that jazz club up with you, I'll send you a pm soon.

That hourly is actually pretty standard for 1/2 ($8-12/hr for very good players). I'm on a trip now in Cambodia where I've been playing 1/2...if it had been in Korea I would've paid like $2-300 more in rake which is just insane. The game does play a lot smaller tbf.

Syous: Yea I doubt that winrate is sustainable and I know it's not a big enough sample size. But I would game select and play at really crazy hours/optimal times during the week. Also most of the regs are bad and the fish will ship 200bb+ very light. It's not a game you can grind for a living and I ran good. Play online and get drunk during the week! Bars are open till 6am.

Typical fun story: I sit down, 20-something Asian guy announces I'm the tightest guy ever/huge nit (thanks sir), first hand I play I open to $25 that guy calls, 4 other people call. Flop comes Queen high and dry, he raises and we get it in for 500bb my aces v. his QTx.

lol wtf

lol wtf, am i the only one who thinks youre always drawing dead in that spot? some dude calls you a nit and you stack off to that guy for 1k bb pot? wp sir

he was tilting/history/terrible player/live reads *shrug*. he also just open-shoved over my cbet. same guy has c-jammed 88sd vs me on KQxhh for 200bb because "i know i have lots of fold equity vs you". lots of terrible LAGs at walker.

seen people get it in much worse, usually older guys.

Can anyone recommend a website or a place (agency in canada maybe?) that I can look into for teaching english in Korea?? I wanted to know how I would go about getting a job like that to live in a korea for a 6 months to a year. Thanks to anyone who can give any advice!