Where to Find Your Gangnam Style
Until recently, few people outside of South Korea had heard of Gangnam, an upscale neighborhood in Seoul's southeast that houses roughly 5% of the capital's population.
Then came Psy.
More specifically, the K-pop musician's 'Gangnam Style,' which went viral on YouTube over the summer. Most of us know what happened next: An Internet-wide slurry of video imitations; 'Gangnam Style' flash mobs from Australia to Peru; a U.S. record deal sealed in soju, chased with domination of American primetime television; and even chin-stroking analyses of that horsey-dance clip.
But for many, the question still remains: What goes on in Gangnam, anyway?
We have five suggestions, loosely inspired by Psy's lyrics. For good measure, we've pided them up so you can see what he means when the singer calls Gangnam 'noble' during the day and 'crazy' after dark.
Noble by Day
1. Get the 'Gangnam Style' look
There's no shortage of brand names in Gangnam, but for a range of upscale, niche boutiques, head to the subdistricts of Cheongdam and Shinsa. This is where you'll find fashion-forward international concept stores like Milan's 10 Corso Como alongside home-grown havens of chic such as Jardin de Chouette and Johnny Hates Jazz.
Stores here aren't cheap, but that's the price you pay to 'dress classy, and dance cheesy,' as Psy puts it.
While you're here, whip that coif into shape at one of several hair salons that cater to celebrities such as nine-piece K-pop group Girls' Generation. Try Soonsoo, Ra Beauty Core and Jenny House, to name a few.
2. Glimpse the future of technology (before everyone else)
Gangnam-daero, a road in Gangnam's outskirts, houses corporate heavyweights like Samsung Electronics, the world's largest technology firm by revenue. Pay a visit to the company's flagship store, Samsung D'light, a three-floor palace of consumer electronics located at its Seoul headquarters.
Dedicated to selling, and simply showing, Samsung's newly released products, this is where you can buy its latest tablets and Galaxy smartphones, as well as witness the latest Samsung technology (think solar-powered handsets and fridges with see-through liquid-crystal display doors) long before it hits the broader market.
Interactivity is encouraged you're welcome to sit down and play videogames岸and a host of staff is on hand to field questions in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish.
3. Delve deep into South Korea's Buddhist history
Bongeunsa, also known as Bong-eun Temple, was originally founded in 794 A.D. Though Buddhism was suppressed in favor
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of Confucianism during the early Chosun dynasty, Bongeunsa began to flourish as one of Korea's main centers for Seon (Zen) Buddhism in the mid-1500s under the guidance of a monk known as Master Bowoo.Now located on the slopes of Gangnam's Sudo Mountain, it's one of the country's most traditional temples and stands as a symbol of Buddhist aspiration. Looking to attain enlightenment? You can enroll in a two-day Temple Stay program (about $63 per adult), held once a month for up to 30 participants, and featuring mind-healing activities such as monastic meals, a tea ceremony and meditation.
crazy after dark
4. Strike a pose in front of an explosive backdrop, no special effects necessary
Named the world's 'longest bridge fountain' in 2008 by the Guinness World Records, the Moonlight Rainbow Fountain is 1,140 meters of cascading water illuminated with LED lights. Running along the Banpo Bridge, it draws couples and workers looking to unwind after-hours with a view of the Han River, which cuts across Seoul from east to west.
The fountain operates three times a day during weekdays, and six times a day on weekends, shooting tons of water per minute. For maximum atmosphere, get there after sunsetif you're lucky, you might see fireworks from one of the river's cruise boats.
5. Let your hair down while rubbing elbows with K-pop's finest
If you, like Psy, are looking for 'a girl who puts her hair down when the nighttime comes,' then you might want to make like a pony and trot to one of Gangnam's many lavish nightclubs (either way, they're a good place to practice that lasso move).
One of the top clubs in the country, if not Asia, is the massive Club Ellui, which hosts hot-shot K-pop stars like JYP (Park Jin-young), 2PM and GD & Top, and invites international names by teaming up with overseas clubs such as Space Ibiza and Ministry of Sound. Head there on a Friday or Saturday, the club's official operation days, and prepare to brave a c
rowd岸revelers gather here by the thousands and stay until the wee hours.
直到不久前，韩国以外还很少有人知道“江南”(Gangnam)这个位于首尔东南部的一个上流社区，这里的居民数量约占首尔人口总数的5%。
然后，朴载相(Psy)横空出世。
更具体地说，应该是这位韩国流行歌手的单曲《江南Style》横空出世，这首歌今年夏季在YouTube上红透半边天。我们大多数人都知道接下来发生的事情：整个互联网到处都是模仿它的视频；从澳大利亚到秘鲁都有以《江南Style》为主题的快闪活动；喝着烧酒签下美国唱片合约，占据美国电视黄金时段；甚至还有人深入分析骑马舞。
但对于很多人来说，那个老问题仍然存在：“江南”到底是什么样的？
我们对此有五种意见，基本上是受朴载相的歌词启发。另外，我们还将它们分了类，这样你就可以了解，当这位歌手说“江南”白天“高贵”、夜晚“疯狂”时，他想表达的是什么。
白天高贵
1.“江南Style”的装扮
江南区不乏知名品牌，但要想找到高端、小众的精品时装店，可以去Cheongdam和Shinsa等街区。在这里你会找到前卫的国际品牌概念商店，比如米兰的10 Corso Como，还有本土时装大牌如Jardin de Chouette和Johnny Hates Jazz。
这里的商店都价格不菲，但要像朴载相所说的那样“穿得优雅、舞得奔放”，就得花这个代价。
在江南区，你可以去专为名人──比如有九名成员的流行乐团“少女时代”(Girls’Generation)──服务的几家美发沙龙之一打理发型。Soonsoo、Ra Beauty Core和Jenny House都可以一试
2. 抢先领略未来科技
江南区外围的江南大道上坐落着三星电子(Samsung Electronics)等企业巨头。以营收计，三星电子是世界最大的科技公司。可以去逛逛该公司的旗舰店Samsung D’light，这座三层建筑位于三星电子首尔总部，犹如电子消费产品的殿堂。
这家旗舰店专门销售以及展示三星最新发布的产品。在这里你可以买到最新款的三星平板电脑以及Galaxy智能手机，同时，在最新的三星科技进入大众市场之前，你就可以亲眼见证（想想太阳能手机，还有带透明液晶显示屏的冰箱）。
在这里，工作人员鼓励顾客参与互动，你可以坐下来玩视频游戏──有大量的工作人员在现场用韩语、英语、汉语、日语和西班牙语回答游客的提问。
3. 钻研韩国的佛教历史
奉恩寺(Bongeunsa)始建于公元794年。尽管在李氏王朝初期，儒家思想受到的推崇超过了佛教，但在16世纪中叶，在普雨(Bowoo)大禅师的指导下，奉恩寺作为韩国主要的禅宗佛教中心开始兴旺起来
奉恩寺现在位于首尔江南区修道山上，是韩国历史最悠久的寺庙之一，也成为了韩国的佛教圣地。如果你想获得一些点化，可以参加一个为其两天的住寺活动（成人参加一次的价格大约是63美元），该活动每月举行一次，每次有30个名额，主要是一些修身养性的活动，比如斋饭、茶道和冥想等。
夜晚疯狂
4.在华丽的背景下摆个造型，无需特效
2008年，月光彩虹喷泉被吉尼斯世界纪录(Guinness World Records)认定为全球最长的大桥喷泉。整个喷泉全长1,140米，带有LED灯光照明。喷泉凌驾于盘浦大桥之上，吸引了很多想在工作之余放松身心的情侣和工人。在这里还可以一览横贯首尔的汉江的美景。
这个喷泉每分钟要喷出几吨的水。在平时的工作日，喷泉每天开三次，而在周末则每天开六次。若要体验这里的最佳氛围，最好是在日落之后来这里。如果你足够幸运的话，还能看到河上游船燃放的烟花。
5. 披散头发，与大牌明星同乐
如果你像朴载相一样想要找一个“夜幕降临的时候就把头发披散下来的女孩”，那么也许你应该抓住机会到江南区形形色色的奢华夜店里碰碰运气（不管怎么说，夜店里都是练习骑马舞的好去处）。
Club Ellui是韩国甚至是亚洲最顶级的夜店之一，这里经常有韩国大牌流行音乐人出没，比如朴振英(Park Jin-young, 即JYP)、2PM和GD & Top。这家夜店也经常与Space Ibiza和Ministry of Sound等国外知名夜店联合举办活动，邀请国际巨星助兴。周五或是周六的时候来这里吧，这是这家夜店的“官方”营业时间，在这里你会体会到什么是人山人海──数以千计的狂欢者聚集到此地，流连至凌晨仍不肯散去。