Staying in Hongdae: Pros, Cons and Who It Suits

In short

Best for	Nightlife, live music, younger travelers, budget stays
Not ideal for	Light sleepers, a palace-focused trip
Subway	Hongik Univ.: Line 2, AREX, Gyeongui–Jungang Line
Nearby	Yeonnam-dong, Mangwon Market, Mangwon Hangang Park

What Hongdae is like

Named after Hongik University, Hongdae is, in Visit Seoul’s words, a “live-wire district of music and art culture”. You’ll find:

• Clubs, bars and live music venues
• Street fashion, cafés and small galleries
• Street performers every evening and especially at weekends, along Mapo district’s themed street near Exit 9 and the busking street next to it

Pros

• Direct airport train: the AREX all-stop train goes straight from Incheon to Hongik Univ. in about an hour, ₩4,650 from Terminal 1 with a transit card. See Incheon Airport to Seoul.
• Nightlife and atmosphere that most of Seoul can’t match.
• Good value: lots of guesthouses and budget-to-midrange hotels.
• Great neighbors:
  • Gyeongui Line Forest Park: a 6 km park built on an old railway line. Its busiest stretch, “Yeontral Park” in Yeonnam-dong, is where people sit out on mats in the evening. It’s near Hongik Univ. Exit 3.
  • Hongdae Free Market: handmade crafts every Saturday 13:00–18:00, March to November.
  • Mangwon Market: a local food market, open 10:00–21:00, near Mangwon Station (Line 6).
  • Mangwon Hangang Park: for sunset on the Han River.

Cons

• Noise: bars and clubs run late, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Choose a hotel a few streets away from the main strip, or towards Yeonnam-dong or Mangwon.
• Further from the palaces: Gyeongbokgung and Myeongdong are a longer subway ride than from a central base.
• Crowded weekends: the main streets are packed on Saturday nights.

Getting around

To	How
Incheon Airport	AREX all-stop, no transfers
Myeongdong	Line 2 to Euljiro 1-ga
Seongsu, Gangnam	Line 2 (direct, a longer ride)
Gyeongbokgung	Subway with one transfer, or a taxi
Mangwon Market, Han River	Line 6 to Mangwon, or walk

The Mapo Shuttle Train Bus runs Thursday to Sunday (₩5,500 for adults). It links the Hongdae busking street, the Gyeongui Line Forest Park and Mangwon Market.

Who should stay somewhere else?

• First trip, mainly sightseeing: Myeongdong or Jongno
• Quiet nights: Jongno, or Seongsu on weekdays
• Shopping in the south of the city: Gangnam

Compare all the areas in where to stay in Seoul.