Myeong-dong

Myeong-dong is the busy district between Chungmu-ro, Eulji-ro and Namdaemun-ro in Jung District, Seoul. Cosmetics shops, fashion stores and big department stores are packed together here, making it one of the first shopping streets foreign visitors head for. In the evening stalls fill the lanes and it turns into a street-food district.

History: from scholars' quarter to shopping hub

In the Joseon period the area was called Myeongnyebang, a residential quarter in the south of Hanyang also known as "Namchon", where many poor scholars lived; the hill where the cathedral now stands was called Jonghyeon. In 1914, under Japanese rule, it was renamed Meiji-cho after the Japanese emperor and grew into a commercial area; after liberation, in 1946, it took its current name, Myeong-dong.

As the economy grew after the Korean War, the financial district of Namdaemun-ro and Eulji-ro spread into Myeong-dong. Before the 1970s it was a financial centre full of securities firms, and as department stores, shops and boutiques moved in it became the fashionable place for young people. In the 1980s and 1990s it was also a frequent scene of pro-democracy protests centred on Myeongdong Cathedral.

What to see

• Shopping streets: apart from early-morning and late-night delivery hours, the main street and most lanes are pedestrian-only. Korean cosmetics stores and fashion brands line the way.
• Street food stalls: in the evening stalls set up in the lanes, selling things like grilled lobster tails and hotteok pancakes drizzled with honey.
• Myeongdong Cathedral: completed in 1898, Korea's first Gothic-style church stands on the hill above the district.
• Myeongdong Theater: together with the cathedral, counted among Myeong-dong's historic buildings.
• Department stores: the flagship stores of Lotte and Shinsegae stand at the edge of Myeong-dong.
• Nearby: Namdaemun Market lies to the south and Seoul Plaza to the west, and the way up to N Seoul Tower on Namsan is close.

Myeong-dong in numbers

Myeong-dong covers only about 0.99 km², but an estimated 2 million people pass through it every day, while only some 3,400 people live here, so it is a neighbourhood with more shops than residents. In a 2011 Seoul city survey of nearly 2,000 foreign visitors, 13.4% named shopping in Myeong-dong as their favourite activity in Seoul. In 2012 a department store even recreated a Myeong-dong street in its new store in Tianjin, China.

Myeong-dong is also a main stop of the Seoul City Tour Bus, and it has a dedicated theatre for the non-verbal show Nanta. To the south towards Chungmu-ro lies Namsangol Hanok Village, and to the north towards Eulji-ro the old financial district around the Bank of Korea. During the Myeongdong Festival in spring and autumn there are parades, music and dance shows and fashion shows, and shops run sales.

Myeong-dong's older buildings

Between the shops stand buildings that tell of Myeong-dong's past. Around Myeongdong Cathedral on the hill are the offices of the Archdiocese of Seoul and the Catholic Center, and Myeongdong Theater stands on the main street. The Chinese Embassy, opened on 4 January 1949, the YWCA headquarters and UNESCO Hall are also here. In one lane a Japanese-style wooden house with a corridor has been turned into a Korean restaurant, a reminder of the area's days as a colonial-era commercial district. For travel information, the Korea Tourism Organization's Seoul Center is also in Myeong-dong.

Did you know

• In 2023 Myeong-dong was ranked the ninth most expensive shopping street in the world, and it is known for the highest land prices in Korea.
• It was designated a special tourist zone in March 2000.
• The Myeongdong Festival has been held since 1982 to support local business. In October 2012 the street parade of the Cheonan World Dance Festival also took place in Myeong-dong.
• Myeong-dong is counted as the busiest downtown area in Korea by foot traffic, and duty-free shops such as Lotte Duty Free draw many foreign shoppers.
• With the Chinese Embassy and a Chinese school nearby, there are also many Chinese restaurants.

Combine with

• Namdaemun Market: the traditional market right next to Myeong-dong to the south.
• Seoul Plaza and Deoksugung: within walking distance to the west.
• N Seoul Tower: on Namsan just south of Myeong-dong, good for night views after shopping.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: Myeong-dong Station (Line 4) is the southern entrance and Euljiro 1-ga Station (Line 2) the northern one. For the street food, Exit 8 of Myeong-dong Station is closest.
• When to go: afternoons for the shops, evenings for food. Many stalls start packing up around 22:00, so do not leave it too late.
• Time needed: 2–3 hours for shopping, food and Myeongdong Cathedral. The cathedral is closed to visitors on Mondays, so plan around that.
• Good to know: check that stall prices are displayed before you buy. The lanes get very crowded in the evening, so keep an eye on your belongings.