[Seoul, I Tried It] Review of a Solo Party Famous for Its Great Vibes: Knocker Upper’s “Soulmate Party”

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김연승

 ·  2026년 06월 30일

Before I knew it, I’d reached the one-year anniversary of being single.

Even my parents, who had never really been interested in my love life, started to worry a lot about my single status once I entered my 30s. Taking their advice to heart—“Stop hanging out with your nephew, who’s 20 months younger than you, and start hanging out with guys your own age”—I began looking for decent singles parties in Seoul to find a guy my age to hang out with.

I guess people are feeling pretty lonely these days. Solo drinking bars—which used to be popular only on Jeju Island—have started popping up all over Seoul and are becoming a trend, and various types of matchmaking events and singles parties, such as gallery matchmaking, pork trotter marathon matchmaking, and meditation matchmaking, have started to gain popularity. (If you want to know more about matchmaking and singles news, sign up for the Secret Seoul newsletter!)

Among them, I decided to check out the “Soulmate Party” at “Knocker Upper,”which is currently the hottest spot and has a reputation for having a great crowd.

👯‍♀️ “Soulmate Party” Prices and Tips for Attendees!

Since I felt too embarrassed and awkward to go alone, I looked for someone to go with—and found the perfect candidate: a coworker who had recently ended a long-term relationship and declared herself officially “single again”! Still brimming with dreams and hope because she hadn’t yet experienced the harsh reality of the singles scene firsthand, she turned out to be the perfect companion for the singles party.

The party was on June 17, and we signed up together as soon as the announcement went out on May 28. The party costs 35,000 won. The price includes snacks and two drinks.

Perhaps because of the rumor that there are many good-looking men there, the “Soulmate Party” fills up quickly, so if you don’t hurry, you’ll miss your chance to attend. Unusually, the spots for women fill up firstat this party. While most singles parties have a higher proportion of men, making it difficult to balance the gender ratio, this party seems to be more popular among women.

🎵“KnockerUpper,” the hottest music pub in Sin-Yongsan🎵

“Knocker Upper” is a standing music pub located in Sinseongsan, offering a space where people can meet and chat naturally.

The venue is divided into two floors: the first floor is a standing area, and the second floor has table seating. In addition to the “Soulmate Party,” they host various events such as “stand-up comedy shows” and “MBTI parties.”In fact, even without these parties, this is a bar I frequently visit with friends. I recommendthis spot to anyone looking for the laid-back atmosphere of a foreign-style standing party.

My enthusiastic colleague and I arrived at exactly 7:45 p.m., but since we were the first ones there, no one else was around yet. Haha.

I’m usually pretty good about being on time. Heh heh.

As 8 o’clock rolled around, people gradually started pouring in.

🎉How the Party Works

As soon as you arrive and state your name, you’ll receive a name tag with your MBTI type and two chips with numbers on them, then head to the area assigned to you—Group A through Group E.

Each group consists of 10 people, with a mix of different MBTI types. It looked like there were about 50 participantsat the party overall.

I was assigned to Group A, and my coworker was placed in Group C. As people filed in one by one, we exchanged only awkward greetings at first. For the first 20 to 30 minutes after the party started, we were given time for free conversation. The rule was that no one was allowed to reveal their age so everyone could talk comfortably, so we all participated in this informal, age-agnostic get-together.

Since I’m allergic to awkward silences, Ihad no choice but to volunteer as the MC.

Before heading out, a friend of mine urged me not to try too hard to be funny and to just act demure and keep a low profile if I wanted to attract a guy—but just two minutes into the party, I threw that heartfelt advice right out the window.

If any of you readers are thinking of going to a “Soulmate Party,” I highlyrecommend bringing a clown mask justlike I did.

But even if you don’t have a funny friend around, there’s no need to worry too much about the awkward atmosphere at the party!

…becausea stand-up comedianservesas the MC. Under the MC’s direction, guests play games like “Guess the Song in 1 Second” and “Adult-Only Trivia,” and the team that gets the answer right is treated to free drinks. Occasionally, someone who aces the trivia is called up to the front to complete a mission, such as “Bringing Someone You Like Back to Your Table.”

The party is divided into two one-hour sessions. After the first sessionends, the groups are shuffled to give you the chance to meet new people. At the end of each session, you simply give the chip you received at the beginning to the person of the opposite sex you’re interested in.

If you collect three or more chips, youcanexchange them for a free drink, but I only got two chips, so I didn’t manage to get a free drink. 🥲

Although I didn’t get any free drinks, I’d like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the men who gave me chips. I would have felt deflated if I’d put on a one-woman show and gone home empty-handed, but thanks to those who took a positive view of my efforts, I think I’ll remember this as a somewhat rewarding night after all.

I got a chip, but unfortunately, I didn’t end up connecting with anyone. 🥲

But after the party, I started messaging a woman my age who was in my group, and we quickly made plans to meet again. (So exciting!)

I’ve always been the type to make new friends wherever I go—it’s like I’m born with a “friend-only charm”—so this was actually exactly what I expected.

The party itself ends at 10 p.m., but you’re welcome tostay at “Knocker Upper” as long as you like afterward to chat with the other attendees. However, I was so exhausted from hosting the event that I headed straight home as soon as the party ended at 10 p.m.

It looks like I’ll be defying my parents’ earnest pleas to hang out with guys my own age for the time being and continue on my path as a disobedient daughter.

Ah, my final review of the “Soulmate Party” ✍️

Since this was my first-ever singles party, it’s a bit of a shame I don’t have anything to compare it to. However, just as the reviews suggested, there were plenty of really great women and men in attendance. After the party ended, we shared our ages, and most participants were in their late 20s to early 30s. Their professions ranged from marketers to barbers to developers—it was great to meet so many people from different walks of life all at once.

If you’re wondering, “Where can I meet people?” I highly recommend “Knocker Upper’s” “Soulmate Party”!