Noraebang Guide: Korean Karaoke Prices, Coin Rooms, Karaoke Bars with Beer & Anju (For Tourists)
If you want to see how Koreans actually unwind, skip the clubs for one night and go to a noraebang (노래방), a private karaoke room you rent with your friends. I am Jin, I live in Korea, and a noraebang is where many of my nights out end. You do not need to sing well or speak Korean. This guide covers the types of noraebang, prices, the remote, the karaoke bars where Koreans drink and snack while they sing, and how to find one. Prices vary by shop, so treat every number here as a range.
A karaoke bar room on a night out: beer, anju plates and a tablet for ordering. The TV screen is blurred. Photo: Jin from Korea
Noraebang at a Glance
| What it is | A private, soundproof karaoke room rented by the song or by the hour |
| Coin noraebang | Usually ₩1,000 for about 2–3 songs (anything from 1 to 4 depending on the shop) |
| Regular noraebang | Roughly ₩15,000–30,000 per hour for a small room; evenings, weekends and big rooms cost more |
| Alcohol | Not sold in a regular noraebang. Karaoke bars (노래주점) sell beer, soju and anju |
| Under 19 | Noraebang only from 09:00 to 22:00 unless with a guardian; bars are adults only |
| How to find one | Search 노래방 or 코인노래방 in Naver Map |
Three Kinds of Noraebang
Coin noraebang (코인노래방): cheap and quick
A coin noraebang is a row of small booths for one to a few people. You walk in, pick an empty booth and pay the machine. Most charge about ₩1,000 for 2 or 3 songs, though it ranges from one to four songs depending on the shop, and bigger bundles (₩5,000 or ₩10,000) usually include bonus songs. Many shops also offer time-based packages, for example around 30 minutes for ₩3,000–6,000. Older machines take ₩1,000 notes and coins, while newer shops often have a kiosk that accepts cards, so keep a few ₩1,000 notes just in case.
Regular noraebang (노래방): the classic group room
This is the classic version: a bigger room with sofas, a large screen, two or more microphones and often a tambourine. You tell the counter how many people you have and how long you want, pay (usually up front), and get a room number. A small room typically costs about ₩15,000 to ₩30,000 per hour. Weekday afternoons are cheapest, while Friday and Saturday nights and large rooms cost more. The official name on the license is 노래연습장 (norae yeonseupjang, “singing practice room”), and you will often see that word on the sign.
Karaoke bars (노래주점): singing with drinks and anju
These look like a regular noraebang inside, but they are licensed as bars, so they sell beer, soju and anju. I explain them in their own section below, because this is the part of Korean nightlife many visitors never hear about.
Look up at night in any Korean city and you will spot the word 노래방 on the signs. Photo: cityintake / Pexels (Pexels License).
How Billing Works, and the Magic of “Service” Time
In a coin noraebang you pay per song, so the counter on the screen shows how many songs you have left. Most shops also post their time-based prices on the wall or the kiosk. In a regular noraebang you pay per hour, and the screen shows the minutes you have left.
Now the best part. When your time is almost up, the owner will often add free extra minutes, called service (서비스, seobiseu). You may suddenly see your remaining time jump by 10 or 20 minutes. It is more generous on quiet nights and less likely when people are waiting. It is a kindness, not a right, so do not demand it. If you want more time, ask to extend (시간 연장) and pay for another block.
How to Use the Remote and Find English or J-pop Songs
The remote (리모컨, rimokeon) is covered in Korean buttons, but you only need a few.
- Search (검색): search by title (제목) or singer (가수). Press the Korean/English toggle (한/영) to type in English letters.
- Song number: every song has a number. Type it in, then press reserve or start.
- 예약 (yeyak), reserve: adds the song to the end of the queue.
- 우선예약 (useon yeyak), priority reserve: puts the song at the front of the queue.
- 시작 (sijak), start: plays the song right away.
- 취소 (chwiso), cancel: stops the current song or closes the menu.
For English songs, look for the pop category (팝송, papsong). For Japanese songs, look for 일본곡 (ilbon-gok). The selection of English and Japanese hits is usually large. One catch: Korea has two main karaoke machine makers, TJ Media and Kumyoung (KY), and their song numbers are different. Check which machine your room has before you look up numbers on a song-number app or website.
Karaoke Bars in Korean Culture: Drinks, Anju and the “2-cha”
A Korean night out is often counted in rounds, called cha (차). The first round (1차, il-cha) is dinner, usually with soju or beer, maybe Korean BBQ. The second round (2차, i-cha) is where the group moves on, and very often that means singing. Office dinners, club parties and birthdays often end in a karaoke room. Singing together, even badly, is how a group bonds.
There is an important legal detail. Under Korean law, a regular noraebang (노래연습장) is not allowed to sell or serve alcohol, and it may not let customers bring their own in either. Places where you can drink and sing are a different business: they are licensed as bars under the food sanitation rules, mainly selling drinks while letting customers sing. Their signs often say 노래주점 (norae jujeom, “karaoke pub”) or end in 노래타운 or 뮤직타운 (“karaoke town” or “music town”), and some list 소주 (soju) and 호프 (hof, draft beer) right on the sign.
Inside, it looks like a normal karaoke room, but you can order beer, soju and anju (안주), the Korean word for food eaten with drinks. Think fried chicken, tteokbokki, dried squid, ramyeon, or a big fruit platter. Many places now take orders through a tablet or kiosk on the wall, like in my photo above, and some bring out a few free basic snacks, a bit like free banchan at Korean restaurants.
How karaoke bars charge
Pricing works differently from a regular noraebang, and it varies a lot. Usually there is a room charge, plus whatever you order. At karaoke bars I looked up in Busan, a room charge of around ₩25,000–27,000 covered about two hours (one place gave unlimited time on weekdays), a bottle of soju or beer was about ₩6,000, and anju dishes cost extra, around ₩30,000 for a main platter at one place. Some places ask each group to order at least one main anju. Always check the menu and the room charge before you start singing.
- Bring your passport. Bars are adults only, and Korean law counts adulthood for this by birth year (19 and over). Staff may ask for ID.
- Pace yourself. Soju is stronger than it tastes, and the night is long.
- Getting home: the subway stops running around midnight, so plan a taxi or check the last train in a map app.
A classic night out in one building: Korean BBQ for round one, and a 노래타운 karaoke bar advertising soju and hof upstairs for round two. Photo: Vishnu Murali / Pexels (Pexels License; cropped).
Noraebang Etiquette
- Share the mic. Queue one or two songs at a time, then let others pick. Nobody likes a mic hog.
- Cheer for everyone. Clap, use the tambourine, sing along on the chorus. Enthusiasm matters more than talent.
- It is fine to skip. If a song is too long or too high, press cancel and move on. Nobody minds.
- No outside alcohol in a regular noraebang. If you want a drink while you sing, go to a karaoke bar instead.
- Thank the staff. If you got service time, a quick 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida) on the way out is nice.
- Minors: under-19s may use a noraebang only from 09:00 to 22:00 unless a guardian is with them.
How to Find a Noraebang Near You
Noraebang are everywhere, especially near universities, subway stations and nightlife streets. Search in Korean on Naver Map, since English searches often miss them. My Google Maps vs Naver Map vs KakaoMap comparison explains why Korean search works better. Check the reviews, hours and posted prices. You will need mobile data for this, so see my Korea eSIM guide if you have not set it up yet.
📍 Copy & Paste into Naver Map
Copy the Korean word into the Naver Map search bar, or tap a link to search near you.
- 노래방 (noraebang) — karaoke room
- 코인노래방 (koin noraebang) — coin karaoke booths
- 노래주점 (norae jujeom) — karaoke bar with drinks
Where to Sing on Your Trip
In Seoul, a noraebang is an easy evening plan after a day at Gyeongbokgung (see my Gyeongbokgung Palace guide), and my where to stay in Seoul guide shows which areas suit a night out. In Busan, eat at Haeundae Market or take the Haeundae river cruise at sunset, then finish the night singing. Get there by subway with your T-money card.
📋 Copy & Paste Korean
Copy the Korean text into Papago, or show it on your phone to the staff.
Words
- 노래방 (noraebang) — karaoke room
- 코인노래방 (koin noraebang) — coin karaoke
- 노래주점 (norae jujeom) — karaoke bar
- 리모컨 (rimokeon) — remote control
- 서비스 시간 (seobiseu sigan) — free extra time
- 맥주 (maekju) — beer
- 소주 (soju) — soju
- 안주 (anju) — food served with drinks
- 팝송 (papsong) — English pop songs
- 일본곡 (ilbon-gok) — Japanese songs
Useful phrases
- 한 시간에 얼마예요? (han sigane eolmayeyo?) — How much is it per hour?
- 두 명이에요. (du myeong-ieyo) — There are two of us.
- 한 시간 할게요. (han sigan halgeyo) — One hour, please.
- 시간 연장할 수 있어요? (sigan yeonjang hal su isseoyo?) — Can we extend our time?
- 맥주 두 병 주세요. (maekju du byeong juseyo) — Two bottles of beer, please.
- 안주 메뉴 있어요? (anju menyu isseoyo?) — Do you have an anju menu?
- 계산할게요. (gyesanhalgeyo) — I would like to pay.
FAQ
How much does a noraebang cost?
A coin noraebang usually costs about ₩1,000 for 2 or 3 songs. A regular noraebang room is roughly ₩15,000 to ₩30,000 per hour for a small room, more at weekend nights or for large rooms. Prices vary by shop and area.
Can I drink alcohol in a noraebang?
Not in a regular noraebang. By law it cannot sell alcohol or allow you to bring it in. If you want beer or soju while you sing, go to a karaoke bar (노래주점), which is licensed to sell drinks and anju.
Can I go alone?
Absolutely. Coin noraebang booths are made for solo singers and pairs, and going alone is completely normal in Korea.
Is noraebang open late?
Many are open late into the night, and some run 24 hours. Check the hours on Naver Map. Visitors under 19 must leave by 22:00 unless a guardian is with them.
Plan the Rest of Your Trip
A noraebang night is one of the most fun and most Korean things you can do, and it costs very little. To plan the rest of your days, start with my Korea trip planner for first-timers, which links every guide on this blog. Traveling between cities? My KTX booking guide for foreigners shows how to book the fast train between Seoul and Busan.
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