Hongdae

Seoul

The streets around Hongik University, famous for buskers, indie music, clubs and cheap eats, with the cafés of Yeonnam-dong next door.

Best for Nightlife · Budget

Transport: 5/5
Sights: 2/5
Value: 5/5
Quiet: 2/5
Food: 4/5

Typical mid-range hotel ~$95/night · 25 min to City Hall

See hotels in Hongdae

Why stay here

Seoul's liveliest nightlife and live music
Good-value hotels and guesthouses
Direct train to Incheon Airport

Who should stay here

Nightlife lovers
Young and budget travellers
Music fans

Not ideal if…

You want quiet nights
You want to walk to the palaces
You're travelling with small children

What it's like

Hongdae is Seoul's youth district: buskers and dance crews perform on the main streets every evening, live houses and clubs stay open until dawn, and the lanes are full of cheap barbecue, street fashion and photo booths. Yeonnam-dong, just north, has the Gyeongui Line Forest Park and quieter cafés and restaurants.

It's the best base for nightlife and young travellers, with lots of good-value hotels and guesthouses and a direct AREX train to Incheon. It's far from the palaces and Gangnam, though, and the main streets are loud on weekend nights.

Best streets and sub-areas

Hongdae main street
Buskers, clubs and shops between the station and the university.
Yeonnam-dong
Cafés and restaurants along the Gyeongui Line Forest Park.
Sangsu & Hapjeong
Quieter streets of bars and cafés to the south.

Getting around

Nearest stations: Hongik University station (Line 2, AREX and Gyeongui-Jungang Line), plus Hapjeong and Sangsu.
To City Hall: About 25 minutes
From Incheon International Airport: About 50 minutes: AREX all-stop train direct to Hongik University station.

Nearby attractions

Hongdae street performances
Buskers and dance crews every evening.
Gyeongui Line Forest Park
Park built on an old railway line through Yeonnam-dong.
Live music clubs
Indie bands most nights in small venues.

Where to eat and drink

Korean barbecue
Cheap grill restaurants for samgyeopsal and soju.
Yeonnam-dong cafés
Some of the city's best coffee and brunch.
Hongdae clubs
Clubs and bars that stay open until morning.

Where to stay in Hongdae

A few hotels we'd book in this area, at different budgets.

Boutique pick

RYSE, Autograph Collection

Why we like it: Design hotel with a rooftop bar in the middle of Hongdae.

Typical mid-range rate in Hongdae: ~$95/night

Check availability

Best value

L7 Hongdae

Why we like it: Modern hotel by Hongik University station with a rooftop pool.