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No smoking bars...will they ever happen here?
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Kimchifart



Joined: 15 Sep 2010

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 5:23 am    Post subject: No smoking bars...will they ever happen here? Reply with quote

Just wondering if anyone has seen a non smoking bar in Seoul or god forbid, the Itaewon/Hongdae.

Coming from a country that's banned it (well, actually banned it just as I left for Korea) I've found that I really, really like not stinking of fags/watering eyes/the smell.

Sure, we'll still smell of fried food (let's face it, all the bars smell of that here) but it would be nice if one or two places decided to go non smoking.

I know a lot of English teachers love nothing better than to chuff away in a hermetically sealed, pokey basement dive along with the other 100 patrons over a 9 hour bar period, but unfortunately for me I'm not one of 'em!

Do you guys think it would be a good move for some places to offer this, or would it be commercial suicide here?
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hogwonguy1979



Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Location: the racoon den

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 5:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Craftworks and Phillies upstairs have been non-smoking for almost 2 years now.

its why i go to those places more
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Drew10



Joined: 31 Mar 2009

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I own a small bar outside of Seoul and I'm non smoking. It gets mixed reactions, but nobody has had a major problem (nobody has left).
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andrewchon



Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Location: Back in Oz. Living in ISIS Aust.

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Most of the restaurants in my area are non-smoking as well. When patrons can't find an ash-tray they go outside and smoke.
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Stan Rogers



Joined: 20 Aug 2010

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 6:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When smokers in Canada complained about not being able to smoke in bars there; the response from non smokers was smoke outside, or if you don't like it don't go to the bar.

Now I'm not a smoker, but I don't care if people smoke around me. The way I see it, the same non smokers logic should apply. If you don't like the smoke, drink outside or just don't go to the bar.
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Kimchifart



Joined: 15 Sep 2010

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stan Rogers wrote:
When smokers in Canada complained about not being able to smoke in bars there; the response from non smokers was smoke outside, or if you don't like it don't go to the bar.

Now I'm not a smoker, but I don't care if people smoke around me. The way I see it, the same non smokers logic should apply. If you don't like the smoke, drink outside or just don't go to the bar.


I'm really not trying to get into a political discussion about it. I'm just asking if there are non smoking bars as I personally think it's unpleasant.

So another option would be: go to a non smoking bar.

I actually think it's a completely doable thing to just have one room smoking one room non smoking...seems to solve the problem for both parties.


Last edited by Kimchifart on Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:08 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Kimchifart



Joined: 15 Sep 2010

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Drew10 wrote:
I own a small bar outside of Seoul and I'm non smoking. It gets mixed reactions, but nobody has had a major problem (nobody has left).


Where is it mate? If I'm near there some time I'll pop in for a pint...
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Stan Rogers



Joined: 20 Aug 2010

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kimchifart wrote:
Stan Rogers wrote:
When smokers in Canada complained about not being able to smoke in bars there; the response from non smokers was smoke outside, or if you don't like it don't go to the bar.

Now I'm not a smoker, but I don't care if people smoke around me. The way I see it, the same non smokers logic should apply. If you don't like the smoke, drink outside or just don't go to the bar.


I'm really not trying to get into a political discussion about it. I'm just asking if there are non smoking bars as I personally think it's unpleasant.

So another option would be: go to a non smoking bar.

I actually think it's a completely doable thing to just have one room smoking one room non smoking...seems to solve the problem for both parties.


Mature response. I like that.

Here is a serious suggestion. Try finding a roof top bar that is open to the outside. The smoke if there will carry up and out. The Koreans have some rather nice bars on the top floors of buildings and the air quality is much better in them.
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Drew10



Joined: 31 Mar 2009

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 8:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kimchifart wrote:
Drew10 wrote:
I own a small bar outside of Seoul and I'm non smoking. It gets mixed reactions, but nobody has had a major problem (nobody has left).


Where is it mate? If I'm near there some time I'll pop in for a pint...


It's in Songtan outside of the U.S Air Force base.
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Kimchifart



Joined: 15 Sep 2010

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 10:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Drew10 wrote:
Kimchifart wrote:
Drew10 wrote:
I own a small bar outside of Seoul and I'm non smoking. It gets mixed reactions, but nobody has had a major problem (nobody has left).


Where is it mate? If I'm near there some time I'll pop in for a pint...


It's in Songtan outside of the U.S Air Force base.


That's near me, whats the name of the bar? is it the english pub in the basement by any chance?
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Kimchifart



Joined: 15 Sep 2010

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 10:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stan Rogers wrote:
Kimchifart wrote:
Stan Rogers wrote:
When smokers in Canada complained about not being able to smoke in bars there; the response from non smokers was smoke outside, or if you don't like it don't go to the bar.

Now I'm not a smoker, but I don't care if people smoke around me. The way I see it, the same non smokers logic should apply. If you don't like the smoke, drink outside or just don't go to the bar.


I'm really not trying to get into a political discussion about it. I'm just asking if there are non smoking bars as I personally think it's unpleasant.

So another option would be: go to a non smoking bar.

I actually think it's a completely doable thing to just have one room smoking one room non smoking...seems to solve the problem for both parties.


Mature response. I like that.

Here is a serious suggestion. Try finding a roof top bar that is open to the outside. The smoke if there will carry up and out. The Koreans have some rather nice bars on the top floors of buildings and the air quality is much better in them.


Yeah good idea, I noticed a few in Itaewon actually...just would be nice to have that indoor option in a couple of places...going to make it my mission to find out which ones and do a pub crawl of them.
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Drew10



Joined: 31 Mar 2009

PostPosted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kimchifart wrote:
Drew10 wrote:
Kimchifart wrote:
Drew10 wrote:
I own a small bar outside of Seoul and I'm non smoking. It gets mixed reactions, but nobody has had a major problem (nobody has left).


Where is it mate? If I'm near there some time I'll pop in for a pint...


It's in Songtan outside of the U.S Air Force base.


That's near me, whats the name of the bar? is it the english pub in the basement by any chance?


No, but I know the owner of that place. He's a Brit and I'm American, I believe we're the only 2 foreigners with businesses in the area.

My place is more by the Vietnamese noodle place.
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saram_



Joined: 13 May 2008

PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 3:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Downstairs in the Wolf is a non smoking area..
U can really notice the difference.

Tony's bar closer to noksapyeong is a non smoking bar!
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Yaya



Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am thinking Korea will follow the world and eventually ban smoking at restaurants and bars. Enforcement is another issue, though.

That said, I really like places that ban smoking.
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Zyzyfer



Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: who, what, where, when, why, how?

PostPosted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 12:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yaya wrote:
I am thinking Korea will follow the world and eventually ban smoking at restaurants and bars. Enforcement is another issue, though.


It's already in the works for restaurants. It's supposed to be phased in based on size over the next few years. And I noticed when I was outside of Seoul that smoking in restaurants is sometimes banned. For instance, when I visited Chuncheon recently, all the restaurants had banned smoking.

Quote:
That said, I really like places that ban smoking.


I like places having the choice. As mentioned above, there are places now that ban smoking. I don't go to those places any longer but I don't fault them for their choice.

My concern is that governments want to ban it across the board. I try to be respectful when I smoke, try not to smoke on the street in crowded places, honor restaurants and bars that ban smoking by choice, etc. And I plan to quit in the next year or two. But I really wish, when it comes to bars, that the choice to ban or permit smoking is left to those bars.
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