The cocktail circus (and other tricks)

In Cheonan, you can drink on the sidewalk or seated on the bus. You can buy beer and soju at three a.m. from the corner store and drink it outside around a plastic table, seated on a plastic chair. But the best place I’ve had a drink so far is a second story bar where a drink buys a ticket to the best bar show since Tom Cruise in Cocktail.

When we sat down and ordered there was a sparkler mysteriously taped to the ceiling behind the bar. With one drink down they rang the bell and the DJ cued the music. First came the flipping, as each tender took their turn tossing white bottles in a juggle.

Next came sparklers spun in wide circles, lighting up the room. Downing a shot and pulling out a lighter, the next bar tender brought heat by breathing fire. Last they stacked the cocktail glasses up and lit the glass mountain blue, shining with a flame.

The stack came down and two drinks were poured out, one for the tender and one for the front row. He passed a pink cup to her with a nod that said: this one is on the house.