[Well-curated] Red-hot jazz bar, LoL fanfest and Christmas market at Lotte

Live Jazz Bar in Cheongdam

Enjoy a live performance with some of the city's best food at Chungdam Nine, a jazz bar located in Cheongdam, Seoul.

Chungdam Nine is a fancy jazz bar that recently reopened after a renewal that turned it into a venue straight out of the musicals "Chicago" or "Moulin Rouge."

The red curtains, crystal chandeliers, marble tables and red dining sofas create a feeling of decadent luxury.

Formal attire is not required, but most guests do wear formal clothing.

The jazz bar is divided into two areas.

One is a dining bar for those who wish to dine only and the other is for the live performances that take place every night.

Chungdam Nine unveils its live performance lineup on its official Instagram account every week.

This weekend, the Jeremy Park Show, which consists of retro jazz, vocal and dance performances, will take place Saturday night, followed by Gritty Kitty, a pop-jazz vocalist.

Sunday will feature the multitalented musicians of Nuevo Ensemble.

The spacious stage and the sophisticated sound system allow guests to enjoy the performance to the fullest.

The jazz bar is also renowned for its food, ranging from pasta, burgers and steak to snacks and platters.

It has been selected for the Blue Ribbon Survey’s Seoul’s Restaurants 2025 gourmet list.

Live performances at Chungdam Nine take place from 6 p.m. to midnight, from Wednesday to Sunday every week.

Arcane Fanfest in Seongsu-dong

If you are a passionate League of Legends player or a fan of Netflix’s League of Legends-themed animation series “Arcane,” make a last-minute visit to Arcane Fanfest -- an offline pop-up event celebrating the release of the animation series’ second season in November. The event runs through this Sunday in Seongsu-dong, a vibrant cultural hub in eastern Seoul.

Arcane Fanfest, held in a three-story building, features games, exhibitions, concerts and more.

Visitors can try some pre-release content from Riot Games’ most popular productions -- League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics and Wild Rift. There are also several missions to complete, with the chance to take part in a lucky draw or receive online rewards.

The new Arcane-themed merchandise and collections are available at the official Riot Store as well.

Youngsters and the young at heart might want to take pictures with their favorite Arcane characters at Photoism -- a selfie studio -- featuring a limited-edition photo frame.

Fans can enjoy the Arcane Bread not only for a quick bite, but also to get their hands on the limited-edition character stickers.

The Arcane Fanfest admits those 14 years of age and older. It is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

You can make reservations via Naver Booking or buy tickets on-site.

Get ready for Christmas

With Christmas around the corner, it's time to put the tree and load the branches with baubles and tinsels. Lotte Tower and Mall has opened a Christmas market at the Jamsil World Mall Square, where you can enjoy the classic holiday vibe -- shopping and taking pictures in front of the giant Christmas tree.

More than 40 stores are taking part in this year's Christmas market, selling wooden music boxes that play Christmas tunes, mobiles for babies, trees, snow globes, Christmas ornaments and food. A carousel and a Chanel-themed ice rink add to the festive mood.

The market opens at 10:30 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. through Jan. 5. The line to get into the market can get quite long, so visitors are encouraged to purchase 10,000 won fast-pass tickets on the Lotte Department Store App. The ticket is exchanged for a voucher that can be used to purchase items at the market. Otherwise, there is a 2,000-won admission fee.