Sinchon John Frankl Jiu-Jitsu (Sinchon, Seoul, Korea)

Seoul, Korea — Before starting a new adventure, I briefly returned to Seoul. In Seoul, I had an opportunity to reconnect and return a favor to my globetrotter friend, Evan, who I met at Blows MMA in Osaka, Japan. As we were both staying near the Hongdae / Sinchon district in Seoul, we decided to visit Sinchon John Frankl Jiu-Jitsu.

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City
Seoul is the capital city of the Republic of Korea. The city is a modernized metropolis where high-tech modern skyscrapers meet K-pop culture and historical tourist attractions. It is also home to about half of the country’s population. You will never find it monotonous to be in Seoul as the city is full of various tourist attractions.

Overview
Sinchon John Frankl Jiu-Jitsu is one of the John Frankl Jiu-Jitsu affiliates in Seoul. John Frankl, a professor at Korea’s Yonsei University, was one of the first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu professors who initially introduced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to South Korea, and there are numerous John Frankl affiliated gyms all around South Korea. The instructor at Sinchon John Frankl Jiu-Jitsu, Chang-Kuk Jung, is a black belt under John Frankl.

Classes were led by Professor Jung. Although he seems like a silent type, he was humorous and engaging during the class. On the weekends, the classes were packed with 30–40 students, but the gym is spacious enough to host all of the students. As the gym is in the heart of Seoul, it is common to meet expats and BJJ Globetrotters visiting Sinchon John Frankl Jiu-Jitsu. The gym is extremely traveler-friendly with its convenient late night and weekend classes. 

Sinchon John Frankl Jiu-Jitsu is located near the Hongdae / Sinchon district, which is filled with popular restaurants and clubs. In addition, various tourist attractions in Seoul can be found in the surrounding area. I would recommend staying around these districts rather than Gangnam in Seoul. Then, with its late evening classes and weekend classes, there is no excuse not to visit Sinchon John Frankle Jiu-Jitsu while traveling South Korea. 

Location
Sinchon Jiu-Jitsu is located in Sinchon, Seoul. As Seoul is a massive city, it could be a rather long trip to the gym depending on your location. Luckily, the public transportation in Seoul is well-established, and you can easily access the gym via subway. The closest station to the gym is Sinchon Station on line 2. The gym is located above Paris Baguette bakery about a 5-minute walking distance from Sinchon Station’s exit 1. There is a staircase next to Paris Baguette, and the gym is located on the 3rd floor. (Google Map: Link)

Facility
Sinchon Jiu-Jitsu has a sizable mat space with men’s and women’s locker rooms. The gym does not have any other fitness amenities since it is a traditional Jiu-Jitsu gym. 

Schedule
Sinchon John Frankl Jiu-Jitsu’s most recent schedule is posted below:

• Morning Classes: Monday — Friday 10:30–12:00
• Evening Classes: Monday — Friday 17:30–19:00 / 19:30–21:00
• Night Classes: Tuesday & Thursday 21:30–23:00
• Open Mat: Friday 21:00–24:00
• Weekend Classes: Saturday & Sunday 13:00–15:00

Visitor Fee
The drop-in fee is ₩30,000 (~$27 USD) per class. 
<<Exchange Rate: 10,000 won =~$8.9 USD as of July 5th, 2018>>

Tourist Attractions

• Gyeongbokgung Palace — The palace built in 1395 served as the home for Kings of the Joseon Dynasty. It is one of my favorite tourist attractions to visit in Seoul for its beautiful scenery. You can rent traditional Korean attires (Hanbok) around the surrounding area which will waive your entrance fee.

• N Seoul Tower — Located on Namsan Mountain in central Seoul, the tower itself marks the second highest point in Seoul. You can either ride a cable car or hike up the mountain. The view looking down Seoul from the tower is simply remarkable.

• Myeong-dong — The district is famous for its shopping and eating packed with high-end brands and department stores. Also, you could easily locate various restaurants that suit your taste ranging from Korean dishes to international cuisines.

• Lotte World — Located in the heart of Seoul, Lotte World is a large indoor and outdoor amusement park. The theme park is filled with exciting rides, an ice rink, and parades. Foreigners can get special discount tickets for the amusement park.

• Banpo Bridge — The bridge is located on Han River, and every evening the bridge creates a spectacular show with water, music, and light. Grab yourself Korean fried chicken and beer and go near the bridge to enjoy the night in Seoul.

• Nightlife — Hongdae / Itaewon — Both areas are packed with clubs and venues that are open all night. Brace yourselves before going out in these areas!

Hyperlinks
– Google Maps
– Website (Korean)

Source
– Seoul Map