Huge bowling pins

Wherever you wander in Korea, it doesn’t take long to realise that space here is used very efficiently. Any busy high street can be overwhelming at night time as the bright neon signs jostle for position, revealing how every level of a building will play host to a restaurant, store, bar(or hof as they are also known).

Occasionally, in the midst of all the glitz and neon 1980s sci-fi movie glare, you may see a huge bowling pin sticking out the side of the building. Unlike in the West, there are few out-and-out bowling alleys in Korea. However tucked on one or two floors in between a pharmacy on the floor above and a seafood restaurant on the one below perhaps, you can hit the bowling lanes for a few thousand won (usually around W5000) an hour including gear hire. Sometimes the bowling alleys are located in the basement.

If you have to wait, there are usually pool and billiard tables in a waiting room. The best time to go is during the day time when most people are at work.