How David S. Chung Built an Inclusive Nightlife Industry Within the Washington D.C. Area
The nightlife industry can be exceptionally lucrative, and one of the most unassuming yet exciting cities to explore nightlife is Washington D.C. The entire bar and nightclub industry is worth an estimated 27 billion U.S. dollars, and the nightlife industry in Washington D.C. accounts for 7.1 billion U.S. dollars in annual revenue. While there are an abundance of national landmarks and other historical sites in the nation’s capital, there are just as many enticing bars, restaurants and clubs.
One entrepreneur that has been at the forefront of the D.C. nightlife scene is David S. Chung — however, he is more than just a nightlife mogul. Chung is a former lawyer who decided to take matters into his own hands when the last Asian nightclub in D.C. closed down. Chung and his business partner are Korean American, and many years ago they wanted to bring some of their culture back to their city with their first venue, Daedalus. Chung initially planned to continue practicing law during the week and run Daedalus on the weekends, but as the club saw quick success, his schedule changed. “I quickly learned, businesses are never hobbies – businesses are life consuming endeavors,” said Chung.
After seeing how much potential there was for different and exciting nightlife venues in the D.C. area, Chung then opened the iconic K Street Lounge. This lounge was located in the very building where Chung completed his first law internship, bringing his journey full-circle. K Street Lounge garnered national recognition as it was D.C.’s first-ever Vegas-style bottle service venue. The venue brought about a new era in D.C., inspiring a culture of luxurious and high-profit table service venues.” Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” said Chung. “Bottle service venues started popping up throughout the city after I opened K Street Lounge.”
Chung’s wildly popular creations — Saint Yves (@styvesdc), and Abigail (@abigailnightclub) — are some of D.C.’s most buzzworthy spots. With Washington D.C. being such a melting pot of cultures, Chung says that the venues are sure to cater to every demographic. “Depending on the night, both clubs have the city’s best gay party, hip-hop party, industry night, international night, electronic dance party, etc. The venues represent what this great country is all about,” he explained. “What sets us apart is the level of service and attention to detail we bring each and every night we are open, no matter the demographic.”
While the last several years have been especially challenging for the nightlife industry due to the global pandemic, Chung says he is happy to see D.C. alive again. “People work hard to play hard, that’s never going to go away; it’s in our genetic make-up, we are social creatures. When D.C. opened back up this past summer, people came out in droves and everyone was so happy, it was a great thing to see. The only thing we can do is control what we can control,” said Chung. “The venues will always be ready, no matter the situation, to show people a good time and make lasting memories.”
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Saqib Malik Saqib Malik is the Director of Prestige Perfections, world-class service providers in the fields of marketing, business development, reputation and crisis management.
