“Norae” means song and “bang” means room. A noraebang is a private room with a big screen, microphones and a huge catalog of songs — Korean, English, Japanese and more. After a dinner with friends or colleagues, Koreans often head to a noraebang for the “second round” (2차, i-cha). It is relaxed and friendly; everyone sings, claps and cheers each other on.
Types
- Regular noraebang — rooms rented by the hour for groups.
- Coin noraebang (코인노래방) — small booths for one or two people, paying per song. Plenty of people go alone to practice.
Tips
One well-known song is all you need. The crowd favorite? Anything everyone knows the chorus to — enthusiasm beats talent every time.