Bangkok isn’t exactly short on Korean restaurants, but Korean drinking culture is a different story. At SoolHaus Bar, the new Korean-inspired cocktail bar inside Canopy Bangkok Sukhumvit, the team is looking beyond K-pop aesthetics and bottles of flavored soju to recreate something harder to pin down: the rhythm of a night out in Korea.
The starting point is right around the corner from Bangkok’s own Koreatown, just down the road on Sukhumvit. The team began with a question: what could they create in Bangkok that felt connected to the neighborhood, but offered something different?
Their concept revolves around the experience of a night out in Korea. “A night in Korea starts with a soju bomb,” the team explains to BK. From there, the evening typically progresses to lighter drinks, followed by stronger beverages, eventually culminating in a visit to the noraebang, or karaoke room. At SoolHaus, this evening journey has been distilled into five rounds, known as “cha,” which structure the cocktail menu without dictating how you should drink.
The first round is quite straightforward: the Soju Bomb (B350), which includes draft beer and house soju, shared at the table. To make it, a shot of soju is balanced on two Korean metal chopsticks over a glass of beer, then the table is banged until the shot drops into the glass. The second round keeps things light, while the third reflects the more vibrant and boisterous part of the night, when the drinks get stronger, and the atmosphere becomes livelier. By the fourth round, it’s time for karaoke. Finally, the fifth round is alcohol-free, intended for when the night is winding down.
The idea extends beyond what’s in the glass. SoolHaus pulls from ’90s and early-2000s Korean culture without turning the bar into a nostalgia set. There are references to traditional Korean architecture and games, latticework pillars and staff uniforms inspired by the hanbok, all brought together with glossy finishes, bold reds, and a throwback edge. The result lands somewhere between old-school Seoul and a contemporary Bangkok listening bar.
That sense of intention is important. Historical Korean references are there if you know where to look, but they’re worked into the space rather than displayed as props.
More importantly, SoolHaus is intended as a “third space,” somewhere between home and work where you can actually settle in for the night. Music moves with the room, from Korean soul and rock to K-pop, with DJs dipping into house, EDM, ’90s and 2000s R&B and hip-hop. Friday and Saturday nights feature live DJs.
Then, at 10:30 pm, everyone gets involved. The bar stops for a geonbae, a communal soju shot, before dropping a popular K-pop track. It’s the kind of ritual that could easily become gimmicky, but here it fits with the broader idea of Korean drinking as a shared experience rather than simply ordering cocktails individually.
We tried our way through all five cha, starting, naturally, with the Soju Bomb (B350). From there, highlights included the crisp, green apple-forward Perilla Silk (B390); the savory SoolHaus Banchan (B450), which brings together gin, soju, kimchi brine and sesame saline; and the citrusy Yuja Jewel (B450), made with gin, yuja and Korean pear. The Seoul Standard (B420) offered an easy-drinking mix of tequila, apricot and gochugaru honey, while the karaoke-inspired drinks leaned firmly into the fun.
Yellow Frequency (B420) drinks like an adult bubble tea with vodka, banana milk and tapioca pearls, while the shareable Citrus Broadcast (B700) takes its cue from bingsu, combining vodka, mandarin, makrut lime leaf, honey and lime. We finished with the booze-free Seoul Bam (B300), a smooth mix of roasted barley tea, apple and brown sugar.
The food keeps things equally playful. We tried the Tteokbokki Burger (B260), a cheesy slider stacked with mozzarella, onion rings, pickled cucumber and gochujang ketchup, alongside the sweet-salty Golden Chicken (B220), glazed with soy and garlic. Even the complimentary snack gets the Korean treatment: crisp fried tofu dusted with kimchi seasoning that disappears dangerously quickly between drinks.
SoolHaus has more exciting events coming up. On October 10, the bar will host an R&B and hip-hop night, featuring the sounds of the '90s and 2000s that are already part of its musical identity. Although the concept is ambitious, SoolHaus maintains a relaxed atmosphere, allowing patrons the freedom to enjoy their night as they please. You can participate in all five rounds of cha, jump between them, or simply relax with a bottle of soju and some fried foods. The staff is there to keep the energy going, not to impose any strict rules.
