What to do in Hongdae, Seoul’s buzziest hangout

If you’re in Seoul, Hongdae should be one of the places at the top of your list to visit. Short for Hongik University, the area is chock-full of places where some of South Korea’s coolest students come to shop, party and hang out late into the night. Known for its thriving nightlife, it’s not unusual to walk past street performers dancing to the latest K-pop hits. It’s also an incredibly tourist-friendly neighbourhood that's easy to navigate for those who don’t speak Korean.

By day, follow Hongdae’s painted rainbow roads to the shopping street where you’ll find affordable fashion crammed into stalls and converted shipping containers. Beautifully decorated coffee shops and themed cafés ripe for Instagram snaps, endless self-service photo booths and even a Trick Eye Museum provide fun diversions before the sun goes down and the music starts pumping.

Easily accessible by metro at Hongik University Station, this vibrant neighbourhood is worth a couple of days alone to explore on your next trip to Seoul. Here’s some of the best things to do in Hongdae below.

The street: Hongdae Shopping Street

Follow the painted roads to Hongdae Shopping Street where you’ll find over-the-top phone cases, sheet masks sold in bulk and even dog clothing stores lining the street. However, your biggest priority should be exploring the world of Korean fashion, so head on over to the colourful shipping containers of M Playground where affordable men’s and women’s fashion is spread across several floors, and to Sigonggan for its floor-to-ceiling walls of accessories.

The market: Mangwon Market

Head to Hongdae’s outskirts for arguably the best budget eats in Hongdae – Mangwon Market brims with traditional street food and Instagrammable dishes. Here, you can indulge in Mangwon Handmade Croquette’s famed bites, spicy chicken cups at Kyuseu Dakgangjeong, sweet hotteok pancakes, filled with brown sugar and nuts, toasted marshmallow cubes filled with ice cream and more: be sure to come with an empty stomach.

The shop: Olive Young

Seoul is where many of the world’s biggest beauty trends originate, from luminous glass skin to cult beauty brands. Skincare-focused drugstore Olive Young amasses everything you need and more across the city, with multiple locations in Hongdae alone. You’ll find celebrity-beloved foundation compacts by Clio alongside lip tints in every hue from Rom&nd, 3CE and Hera, while skincare brands like Sulwhasoo, CosRX, Beauty of Joseon and more pepper the aisles. Remember to bring your passport, as they do a tax refund on the spot. 

The Instagram spot: Don’t Look Up

Self-service photo booths are all the rage in South Korea and you’ll find at least one or two on every block in Hongdae. The coolest kids flock to Don’t Look Up (styled don’t lxxk up), where photos are taken from a high angle in a tiny red or blue room. (There’s also a tray of sunglasses for you to borrow for your big moment.) The result? Edgy photos that make you look like you’ve walked straight out of a K-pop video. Your printed photos come with a small QR code, which takes you to digital versions primed for social media.

The club: NB2

Hongdae is one of Seoul’s biggest party districts and NB2 is at the core of it, with impeccably dressed crowds dancing to 90s hip hop and K-pop remixes. Run by YG Entertainment – the entertainment group behind bands like Blackpink, Treasure and Big Bang – it's a popular spot so get there early to avoid the queues. NB stands for Noise Basement and it’s exactly what it says on the tin.

The restaurant: Oreno Ramen

Brimming with fantastic Korean food, you really can’t go wrong with any restaurant you step into in this neighbourhood. But in between the ubiquitous Korean barbecue, fried chicken, cafés and street food, Michelin-recommended Japanese ramen is also worth its own pilgrimage: even in blistering heat, people will queue up at this small restaurant waiting to snag a taste of its famed tori paitan ramen: a soothing, creamy chicken broth-based ramen you’ll be slurping ‘til your bowl is spotless. While the queue zips by quickly, get there early to avoid cramming onto its staircase.

The bar: Bar D.still

Escape the lights and sounds of Hongdae’s main drag and head to this elegant speakeasy, where a selection of cocktails and whisky bring a more elevated experience. With warm wooden interiors, you’ll feel as though you’ve wandered into somebody’s reading room. You’ll spend ages poring over Bar D.still’s creative cocktail list – its offerings revolve around the seasons, so no two visits will ever be the same.

The café: Thanks Nature

Animal cafes are a dime a dozen in Hongdae, but Thanks Nature is one of the better ones thanks to its fuzzy barnyard residents. Grab a coffee and spend an afternoon nuzzling Bebe and Chou Chou, the friendly sheep that call this charming spot home. Other animal cafes might have more limited menus but that’s not the case here: expect waffles drenched in seasonal fruit and chocolate sauce, and a rainbow selection of bingsu – Korean shaved ice desserts. 

The hotel: L7 Hongdae

There’s a lot to be said for this sleek Seoul hotel, but there’s two things that tip L7 Hongdae high above the rest: a rooftop pool and sky bar boasting panoramic views of the city. With cobalt-coloured contemporary hotel rooms and a cosy co-working space ideal for remote workers, it’s a perfect base for your Hongdae adventures and right in the thick of the action.