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Groove Korea: Tell us about your cocktail class. Lee Hong-gyu: As a bartender, I attended a variety of master classes and lectures, and I’ve always wanted to have my own class. I finally got to start one with a magazine not too long ago. I’ve held cocktail classes for employees at the bar before, but that was the first time I’ve taught students and ordinary people from other professions. The previous cocktail class was organized with the concept of “See Through,” with classes introducing cocktails to fit a variety of specific situations. One of them was a situation in which you wanted to seduce someone, and this class got a lot of eager attention. It was so popular that during the part of the class when they got to make their own cocktails, most of the partic- ipants made the seduction cocktail. If I get the chance, I want to do classes for companies or university students. What plans do you have for the class? There are no concrete plans yet. But if I were to hold more cocktail classes, I would want to do so for our loyal, supportive customers. What’s special about B1? I would say our biggest strength is our com- bination of interior design, music, cocktails and service. For one, the antique interior, which brings to mind a Middle Age castle, captivates the customers. On top of that, there is the funky, groovy music, and we serve a variety of drinks like twists to classic cocktails — breaking the stereotype that clubs usually serve two mixed drinks — along with our own exclusive signature cocktails. I think these strengths and the good service from employees are the reason we are continuously loved by our customers. You have many fans as well. What’s the secret? The key is to be friendly and to make good cocktails. To develop and sustain friendships with customers is fundamental; it is also crucial to know and do your job within that relationship. When I first started my bartending job, the man- ager once told me, “Bartenders are doctors. Do you know why? People, lonely people, people going through hard times, everyone comes to get some comfort or to share happiness; it is the bartenders that tend to them and give them the strength they need.” I still keep this in mind. “Bartenders are doctors. The cocktails we make are the drugs” – I try my best to deliver. What do you think is the Itaewon’s biggest charm? Itaewon is really very different from other ar- eas. During holidays we get an especially multi- national crowd of customers, and it feels exotic. The customers also range in age from late 20s to early 40s, rather than only those in their early 20s. Another characteristic is that there are a lot of places with their own little charms and strong personalities; there are many that have a con- cept that would only be possible in Itaewon, and items that I think would not be very competitive if they were presented in other areas. What do you think are the most critical qualities a bartender needs? Bartending is a job that involves directly fac- ing customers, so I would say your personality is the most important. It is also essential that you make good cocktails. If I order a cocktail and the bartender gives me a lousy one, I wouldn’t even regard that as a product to be sold; I would ask it to be poured down the sink at once. Bartending is a professional job, one that takes constant research, thought, new experiences, perseverance, passion and a clear goal and dream, and I find it vexing when I see someone who doesn’t take it seriously. Another important quality would be creativity. It’s important to have diverse perspectives in looking at a situation or object, and also to have the ability to materialize those diverse perspectives and points, because I think a bartender is not only someone who mix- es drinks but a performance artist using spirits. It is a job that calls for relentless change and growth; it’s definitely not an ordinary job. Lee Hong-gyu’s speciaLty drinks Shall We Sally This was created especially for the Halloween season, inspired by the movie “Nightmare Before Christmas.” Its name comes from the main female character, Sally. It’s made from Bacardi’s lemon- flavored rum, fresh lemon juice, egg whites and both raspberry and grenadine syrups. The tangy raspberry flavor covers the strong alcohol in it, and the egg white gives it its characteristic rich froth and smooth taste. Lee Mi-young’s speciaLty drinks Red Moon Red Moon is a cocktail made with strawberries, lemon, orange spritz and cranberry juice. The drink is mixed martini-style so it is relatively strong, but its fresh fruity flavor and scent make it friendly to female customers as well. Interview with Lee Hong-gyu, B1 Lounge Shall we Sally Red Moon B1 Lounge Club Prost Pub & Grill ADvERTORIAL