Ukulele Time!

This may come as a surprise for those that know me, but I have dabbled with a ukulele, and even had one before my quest in Korea began. However, silly me left it at home. But ho! I bought a more beautiful, better quality one in Korea and I am in love. Now I just need to name my new uke...

My beautiful baby

If you're looking for a ukuele, or pretty much any musical instrument or music related equipment in South Korea, I highly recommend going to Nagwon Arcade in Seoul. The Nagwon Arcade is pretty much a giant mall dedicated solely tp musical instruments or equipment. It has two floors and with over 200 stores in the mall you'll surely find whatever you're looking for. It is music heaven!

I initially went in set on purchasing a tenor ukulele. However, after several shop visits I realized a tenor ukulele was out of my price range and not recommended for a beginner. One shop in particular was very helpful. The guy who helped me was honest and told me his favorites. While comparing Chinese, Korean, and Indonesian ukuleles he admitted that even though it's the most expensive, the Korean made one wasn't the best. Gasp! (To Koreans, anything that is Korean made is the best.) When I finally made the commitment to a concert soprano I asked how much a case was and this clever guy responded "We are in Korea, not America. It is free!" He even included a tuner and an extra set of strings. Whatta guy! This wonderful, amazing, super helpful shop is called Acoustic Guitar. Their website is http://acousticgt.com/ and it has their exact location and phone number. All I remember was that it was on the second floor, in a corner, near an outside exit.

The Nagwon (Nakwon) Arcade can be tough to find. Getting to the correct subway exit was an adventure. The best way to get there would be to take the blue, orange or purple line (1, 3, or 5. I took the purple line) and exit at Jangno 3(sam)-ga. I looked for exit 4 and it was a maze to get through. When I got out it was the left, across for the street. Look for a bank, then look for a large staircase, then head up to the second floor and let your musical fantasies begin!

Here is another link that will help you find the building: Nagwon Arcade

Good luck my friends!