Contrary to his business’ name, owner Ryu Jin Hyun’s personality of Open Karaoke is anything but open. Instead, he referred to himself as a “stone buddha” when it came to mingling with his customers. When his friends found out that he’d be overseeing a karaoke, they couldn’t believe it was true. They always imagined him as a teacher or a government official. But the cards he was dealt gave him little choice but to take the job due to his familial connections in New York.

It was only thanks to a customer, who eventually became one of his most loyal patrons, that Mr. Ryu started developing relationships with his regulars. Casually over drinks, his customer pointed out his cold demeanor. In order to be a successful owner of a karaoke, one needed to be friendly with anyone who walks through the door, a task he would occasionally fail at due to his unnatural disposition. 

But over time, Mr. Ryu grew a loyal base of patrons as he challenged himself to overcome his own personality. 

Mr. Ryu claimed that before he came to America, his life almost never crossed paths with the scenes that take place at karaokes. But today, if you were lucky, you just might catch a glimpse of Mr. Ryu singing late into the night with his patrons.

Established in 2012