Star Box

Star Box is a K-pop bar and club on the tenth floor of a building in the centre of Yanji, the capital of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in Jilin province, north-east China. Listed by Lonely Planet, it reflects the strong Korean cultural influence of Yanji, where a large ethnic Korean population keeps up with Seoul's pop music, fashion and nightlife trends. The upper-floor location is typical of Chinese entertainment venues, which often occupy higher floors of commercial buildings, so visitors should expect to take a lift rather than enter from street level.

The crowd is young, mostly Korean-Chinese locals in their late teens to early thirties, with the busiest nights falling on weekends. The atmosphere is loud and youthful, built around K-pop and Korean and Chinese pop tracks, with music and dance as the main activity. This is a place for dancing and group socialising rather than quiet conversation. Dress is trendy casual; there is no formal dress code reported, but visitors tend to dress up a little more than at a standard pub.

The drinks programme follows common Chinese club practice. Individual drinks and bottle or drinks packages are both sold, with a general price range of CNY 80 to CNY 200 (roughly USD 12-30) and packages listed at about CNY 100 to CNY 300. Groups often order a package, which can include beer, spirits or mixers and snacks, rather than paying drink by drink. Cover charges vary and should be confirmed on arrival.

The venue is listed as operating on Friday and Saturday evenings until late, so it is primarily a weekend spot rather than a nightly one. Opening hours may change, so verify on Dianping or Amap before heading out. Tables can usually be booked for groups; asking in advance is advisable on a Saturday, when demand is highest. Visitors who do not read Chinese or Korean may find a translation app useful for ordering.

The address is only known at city-centre level, so searching Star Box on Amap helps confirm the exact building and entrance.