Modern, vivacious and rich in nightlife, Gangnam is the Zhujiang New Town of Seoul – except better, because the Koreans have perfected the art of so-called ‘hybrid entertainment’ (aka combining drinking with some other activity). Hoping to combat this omission, Jiny Lee is bringing a bit of Gangnam style to the PRD.
After rocking it as a DJ for 10 years, Lee refashioned himself as a businessman and moved to South China, where he observed demand for more recreational venues. He eventually decided to create an avant-garde mash-up – half bowling alley, half bar – dubbing it GN78.
Inspired by the neon landscape of Gangnam District, the bar is housed on the fourth floor of Utopa shopping mall (next to GTLand in Liede) in a whopping 1,800-square-meter establishment. Just look for the gaint bowling pin hanging outside and follow the music.
Stepping through the jet-black, sliding glass door feels like entering a colossal, unfinished condo. Multicolored wooden tables and chairs accent the dreary concrete floor. A three-dimensional painting of a steam locomotive, seemingly bursting out of the wall, combines with the other decor to create an aura reminiscent of the industrial age.
The bowling alley is awash in Technicolor: 11 lanes are interspersed with fluorescent tubes and giant, luminous bowling pins that tower overhead. Purple lights dangle from the ceiling, turning shirts and hair a radiant white. An incandescent mural fills the far wall and depicts a gang of cartoon characters bowling in outer space. Pirate galleon sails add panache to the mise-en-scene.
The eccentricities awaiting you at GN78, however, don’t stop with retro-lit bowling. To keep you engrossed, Lee has turned every corner into a gaming area with pool tables, darts, arcade games and race car machines. Bowling for an hour costs RMB288. You can also select from various bowling sets, including one for RMB588 that covers an hour of bowling with a dozen cocktails, a plate of fruit and some snacks.
On the right of the alley is the bar, where the Chinese wait staff has picked up the habit of bowing (an obvious nod to the Korean management), as well as a stage housing live entertainment. Wolf down some Korean gimbaps (RMB48) and pair them with a ‘leisure time’ cocktail (RMB70).
Open until 4am, GN78 is primed to enrich Guangzhou’s lackluster nightlife – as long as it mixes up the background pop with some house or acid rock. But whatever tunes are on tap, once you get the ball rolling, you’re sure to be bowled over.
Price: RMB150-250
Who’s going: Fashionistas, fab bowling teams
Good for: Interactive date nights, upping your game
See listing for GN78 Bowling Bar.
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