#dabang

The Beginning of Dabang: 

Dabang (다방) is a combination of the character ‘da’ which means ‘tea’ and ‘bang’ which means ‘room.’ It wasn’t just a place that served tea though, they sold various types of coffee as well.

It’s said that a dabang first appeared in Korea in the 1920s. It was in fact, during the Japanese colonial period. At the time, there were many coffee houses that were mainly concentrated on the streets of Myeongdong and Jongno. 

It is said that poor Korean artist during the time gathered at dabangs to discuss and write about art and hold cultural events such as poetry recital and music appreciations. You could also say that dabangs from the 1920s to the 1950s were sacred places of elite Korean art. 

The Peak of Dabang: 

From the 1960s to the 1980s, the culture of dabang was enjoyed by men and women of all ages Dabangs became a place for discussion about art, meetings, blind dates for college students, and a place to rest for the middle-aged. 

Also, since this was a time where cell phones didn’t exist, it was important to decide on a firm time and place before meeting up. So it was common for people to set the meeting location at a dabang. The first person to arrive can wait for their friends while having a drink. 

During the time, there music dabangs that were created for people to listen to the latest hit records with a DJ behind glass. Apparently, during this time, a DJ was just a popular as an idol by today’s standards. 

The Disappearance of Dabang: 

Dabangs have gradually disappeared as coffee vending machines gained popularity in the 90s, and cafes that sold espresso-based coffee were created. There were also some cases where dabangs turned into illegal prostitution establishments. 

Dabang Today: 

Cheetah pictorial "Music Only NO, I want to work in Dabang"

बंद  दरवाज़े को बंद  किस्मत भी कहते हैं अगर हौसला हो तो ये दरवाज़े ख़ुद-ब-ख़ुद खुल जाते हैं संसाधन कम हो सकते हैं लेकिन मनोबल बढ़ जाए तो फिर नहीं घटता और एक बार ठान लिया तो फिर मैं पीछे नहीं हटता

हाँ मैं अकेला हूँ इस दुनिया में लेकिन किसी ने तो मुझे है भेजा एक दिन वापस भी जाऊँगा तब तक जिंदगी का यही सच मैंने है सहेजा

मेहनत करो तो यह शरीर भी बन जाता है लोहा कोई मुझे क्या दबाएगा आसमां की तरफ मुँह करके जब दहाडूंगा तो शेर का हर बच्चा बाहर निकल आएगा