Under the Lazer in the Hazer: Nyapi

10 Minute Read

Art & Culture

NYAPI began as an impulsive idea between three friends, Daewon, Juheum, and ffan in Seoul. It all came together in a matter of months, almost too fast to track. One day, they were just talking; the next, they were signing leases.

At the time, ffan had an incredible amount of audio gear at home. He decided to sell it all to buy a second-hand Funktion-One system that had come on the market during COVID. With big clubs shut down, some truly powerful gear became available at rare prices.

They originally aimed to secure a large space to match the scale of the speakers, but that plan fell through at the last minute. That’s how they ended up in their current home. The ceiling was too low to fit one set of woofers—so yes, compromises were made.

We caught up with ffan about the journey so far, here’s what he said to say:

“Looking back now, maybe it was naïve—maybe even obvious—but we started NYAPI with the belief that once the pandemic ended, people would need this. That it couldn’t not work.

We asked Capablanca—someone we always knew had a visionary approach to design—to create a logo. What he came up with became, without exaggeration, the coolest logo on Earth.

At the time, for reasons we still don’t quite understand, we were obsessed with CMY color theory. Cyan, magenta, yellow. So we painted the club pink—completely and unapologetically.

Our inspiration came partly from other brilliant Asian clubs like Oppa-la and Zodiac. We wanted NYAPI to be a space that took risks like they did.

Our motto became Home of the Free. We support parties and artists across genres, always drawn to those with a distinct personal voice. We book DJs who’ve built their own sound. And more than anything, we want guests to walk through our doors without feeling any kind of pressure. Just total freedom.

People still ask us what “NYAPI” means. Back in the 1980s, ffan’s father ran an unnamed club that people eventually started calling Night Shelter. In Korean, that’s Nyagan-Pinanso. We shortened it to NYAPI. A quiet tribute.”

Opening Night:
It was chaos—in the best way. The crowd was massive, the drinks were gone in three hours, and the smoke machine kept setting off the fire alarm. A celebration… but pure madness in hindsight.

Worst Complaint We’ve Ever Received:
No comment.

Sound System Setup:
Funktion-One Dance Stack 2.

If Money Were No Object—Our Dream Lineup:
DJ Harvey, Bjørn Torske, DJ Jeno, Zip.

Our Dream Sound System:
Wooden floors are a must. We’d add another Funktion-One Dance Stack, and use Rey Audio for a rooftop stage.

Most Difficult Artist to Host:
A guy with long hair and tattoos. Enough said.

Most Surprising and Memorable Set:
Osaka’s house DJ Kaito, at our Somewhere in My Heart party. Flawless record selection, masterful flow. If you’re ever in Osaka, check him out—and his Dreaming Mix series is brilliant.

One More Time—Our Dream System Is…
Funktion-One is love. Sometimes pain, yes—but when tuned properly in the right space, the feeling is unmatched. If most high-end speakers are like being invited to a high-def cinema, Funktion-One is like being inside the movie.

Most Complicated Technical Rider:
None, thankfully.

Weirdest Artist Request:
None. We’re blessed.

Biggest Gear Malfunction:
Still holding strong—no major failures.

In the Age of Headliner Hype, Why Resident DJs Still Matter:
A local DJ with real style is a blessing. They understand the city and the crowd better than any touring act, and they’re often bolder in their choices. That raw energy creates real magic.

How We Maintain High Sound Quality:
Careful maintenance by Dr. Kyper and Ms. Lee, and DJs who respect the gear.

How the Music Scene Changed Since NYAPI Opened:
It’s shifting. We may have stirred some chaos, but the city is transforming.

What We’ve Learned About Club Culture and Community:
A good club can only exist in a good city. If the city isn’t alive, if the country isn’t inspiring, then the club can’t thrive. Sound, scale, music, vibe, people—it all reflects the spirit of the place.

If We Could Tell Our Past Selves One Thing Before Opening:
“Choose paint colors in the dark.”
Seriously. Picking interior colors in the daylight under white lights is meaningless.

Unforgettable Moments from Artists

Capablanca:
“People assume I turned to visual art because I got tired of DJing, but even before I was old enough to go to clubs, I was designing imaginary rave flyers. Club aesthetics always fascinated me. Starting a record label was just an excuse to direct the visuals myself.

NYAPI and ffan trusted that side of me completely. They gave me total creative freedom, which helped me evolve my visual style—and I felt that same freedom behind the booth. Educated yet fun crowds, diverse and harmonious residents, and a free-spirited energy you rarely find. To me, NYAPI really is ‘Home of the Free.’ Thank you.”

Odopt:
“I found a home at NYAPI—not just because of the sound system, the residents, or hwan’s curation, but because of the feeling I got when I walked in. Like I’d finally found the place I’d been searching for all along. It’s rare to be surrounded by people so uncompromising, so devoted to their tastes and desires. That means everything to me.”

Dudowook:
“NYAPI feels like a club out of a Salman Rushdie novel—or maybe what it would feel like if Agent Cooper from Twin Peaks ran a venue. The vibe, the sound, the interior—I was immediately hooked. In a city where the underground is still evolving, NYAPI opened a new door. We needed this.”

Interstellar Funk:
“NYAPI is the best club I’ve played in Asia. The scale, the Funktion-One system, the comfortable booth, the moody lighting—all of it perfectly suited my style. The crowd was open-minded, and the oolong highball was delicious.”

Telephones:
“I’ve played parties in Seoul since 2016, but the sound and setup always left something to be desired—until NYAPI. When I first played there, I finally felt like I was home. The perfectly tuned system made even messy 1989 Trax records sound incredible. The team, the crowd—so warm and cool. I’d come back anytime. Like that one after-hours track says: ‘I Love This Place.’”

Chida:
“FFAN invited me to Seoul for the first time in 2017. Until then, there wasn’t much of a connection between Tokyo and Seoul’s house/disco scenes. But that first night changed everything. The people were open-minded, warm, and full of life. I think from that point on, DJs in both cities began connecting more.

Since NYAPI opened in 2023, it’s become a vital stop in the Asian scene. For me, it’s the only overseas venue where I’ve had the freedom to regularly play open-to-close sets. It became a second home.

My last set there started with slo-mo techno and cosmic disco at 80 BPM, and ended with my favorite drum & bass track—Jhelisa – Freedom From Pity—peaking at 160 BPM. NYAPI is where I want to try new things, be experimental. The dancers, the staff, the sound, the rooftop—it’s all perfect. I hope this space continues to connect DJs and Korea for years to come.”