Hongdae

Hongdae is the lively district that spreads around Hongik University in Seoul's Mapo District, between Hongik University, Sangsu and Hapjeong stations. The name is simply a short form of the university's name rather than an official place name, but because Korean indie music and street art grew up here in the 1990s, it is still seen as the youngest neighbourhood in the city. People come by day for the small shops and cafés and in the evening for buskers and live gigs.

History: from Zandari to Hongdae

The area used to be called Zandari (細橋里), a native Korean name meaning "small bridge". The name "Hongdae" only took hold after Hongik University Station opened in 1984. Thanks to the university's well-known art college, artists looking for cheap studios started moving in while rents were still low.

In the early 1990s distinctive cafés appeared, and by the middle of the decade live clubs such as Drug and Jammers had opened. Bands like Crying Nut and Deli Spice played these stages, which is why Korean indie music is said to have started in Hongdae. In 1993 art students decorated the walls and streets around the campus for the first Street Art Festival. When rents rose in the 2010s, shop owners and artists moved on to Yeonnam-dong, Mangwon-dong and Hapjeong-dong, so the area people call "Hongdae" has grown with them.

What to see

• Hongdae Pedestrian-Friendly Street (around Eoulmadang-ro): a street with performance stages, seating and a tourist information centre, listed among Korea's 100 top tourist attractions for 2019–2020. Bands, dance crews and singer-songwriters perform all year in 11 designated busking zones.
• Red Road: a red-painted street lined with game arcades, karaoke rooms, small shops and street food.
• Gyeongui Line Forest Park: a linear park built on the old Gyeongui railway line. Walk from Hongik University Station towards Yeonnam-dong and it leads straight into a neighbourhood full of cafés.
• Hongdae Playground: in front of the university's main gate, a free market of goods made by students and artists has been held here since 2002.
• KT&G Sangsangmadang: a three-storey cultural complex with character goods, crafts and a café on separate floors.

The streets that make Hongdae

Hongdae is not one street but a web of them. The old backbone is formed by Wausan-ro and Yanghwa-ro past the university, Hongik-ro linking the station with the main gate, and the parallel Jandari-ro. Eoulmadang-ro, home of today's pedestrian-friendly street, was laid out on the route of the old Dangin-ri railway line.

Nightlife grew along these streets too. Club culture began in late-1980s cafés and bars that played music, turned into the live clubs of the 1990s, and by the late 1990s distinctive themed cafés had appeared, the origin of today's café lanes. In March 2001 Club Day began, letting people into many clubs with one wristband; after breaks and restarts it became Live Club Day, run by live music venues, from 2015. Check whether it is running and on which dates before you go.

Today Hongdae is also known among foreign travellers for K-beauty shopping. Big cosmetics stores cluster here, and in 2024 a cosmetics chain opened its second flagship store aimed at foreign visitors in the area. Several halal restaurants have opened as well.

Did you know

• Zandari Festa, an indie music festival held over three days every autumn, takes its name from the area's old name and wants to be a bridge between artists and audiences.
• Hongdae has often been used as a filming location, for dramas such as Coffee Prince (2007) and A Gentleman's Dignity (2012) and for many TV shows.
• The major K-pop agency YG Entertainment is nearby, and trainees and new groups sometimes perform on the street.
• In 2016 Hongdae was named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world.
• The airport railway stops at Hongik University Station, so you can come straight from Incheon International Airport, which is why the area is full of guesthouses and small hotels.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: the hub is Hongik University Station on Line 2, the Gyeongui–Jungang Line and the AREX airport railway. Exit 9 is closest to the pedestrian-friendly street. You can also walk from Sangsu Station (Line 6) and Hapjeong Station (Lines 2 and 6).
• Tourist information: the Mapo Tourist Information Center (22 Hongik-ro) near Exit 9 has maps and luggage storage. Listed hours are daily 10:00–19:00, but they can change, so check before you go.
• When to go: busking is liveliest from around sunset. Friday and Saturday nights get very crowded.
• Time needed: 2–4 hours is enough for the streets and a walk along the Forest Park. Plan a separate evening if you want to catch gigs.
• Good to know: most clubs only admit people aged 19 and over, so bring ID. During street shows, stand back a little so you do not block the performers.