Hongdae

The energy in Hongdae is palpable. It can be quiet in the early morning but once noon time hits, it is nonstop until way past bed time. The restaurants and shops open, students are getting in and out of class, tourists are walking around and come evening, street performers and buskers stake their spaces. It can get busy and a bit crowded at night on weekends, but it's part of the charm. If you want to step away from the bustle there are numerous quaint little cafes and restaurants tucked away in side streets. Hongdae is also home to local independent clothing and interior design stores and vintage shops.

The coffee culture is big in Seoul and you can probably find a cafe every 25 meters or so, I kid you not. In Hongdae, there are various types of cafes, from pet cafes to flower cafes to comic book cafes, they even have a Hello Kitty cafe. We pretty much only have two requirements when looking for a cafe: good coffee (obviously) and nice interiors. Bonus points if they have delicious pastries. Here's our current favorite:

CAFE SEOKYO
24 Wausan-ro 27-gil, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
@cafeseokyo_maydesign and #cafeseokyo on insta

On our last trip, it felt like somehow we've been on autopilot and just went back to the usual places. But just when I thought we've had enough of Seoul, we stumbled upon this place. It's not a small private spot, Cafe Seokyo actually is an entire building and the first three levels are dedicated to the cafe while the 4th level is an architectural office. Each story is designed a bit differently but it presents a unified aesthetic. Each corner felt intimate, even if you're sharing it with someone who's just 2 feet away. 

They also have Kinfolk magazines that you can browse or purchase, so that's big plus!

 

CAFE MONOBLOC
342-14 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
@cafemonobloc and #cafemonobloc on insta

Cafe Monobloc offers beyond the usual coffee and pastries, they also have light meals and a good selection of alcoholic drinks. This is where I first met my favorite beer: Edelweiss Snowfresh. I like beer but beer does not like me and makes my face red and bloated. But this beer is totally worth the face bloat. It's light and refreshing, like a fruity herb tea and beer in one. Because I can't buy it anywhere else, I usually try to bring a bottle (or three!) back home with me.

 

ANALOG KITCHEN
2-26 Yanghwa-ro 19-gil, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

We first ate at Analog Kitchen in Common Ground, Seoul's first pop-up mall built with shipping containers. It’s a great hang out, but it was a bit off our usual itinerary so we don’t get to go as often. A year after though, we found that they opened an Analog Kitchen in Hongdae. J swears by the grilled squid and my sister says their vongole is the best she’s ever had (she orders this dish every time she sees it on any menu). I love their spicy risotto and the mushroom pasta.

 

NOONA HOLDAK
129, Eoulmadang-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Have you tried Korean Fried Chicken? There's honestly nothing like it. Noona Holdak is open till late, and while it's usually full, their Hongdae location has 3 stories so there isn't much of a a wait. Best paired with Mekju (Korean beer), or Somek (Soju + Mekju)!

 

SHOPPING

I prefer shopping for clothes in Hongdae the most. For chain stores I like Style Nanda (the flagship store is here in Hongdae) and Åland which sells stuff made by local designers. But there are also smaller stores that have good quality and affordable stuff. By affordable I mean they are probably around the same price range as Zara, but with styles you can’t find anywhere else. The clothes tend to run small, and if you wear bigger than large, it might be difficult to find something in your size. Don’t be discouraged though, a lot of the clothes come in free size. Don't miss out on the accessories too, super cute!

 

STAIR OF THE MOON CAFE
347-19 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
#카페 달의 계단 on INSTAGRAM

I had a hard time looking for the name of this cafe, because we only know it as the cheese souffle cafe. If you see the an image of a cheese souffle on a copper pan on a lighted box, then you've found it. It should be on the main shopping road, on the second floor of a clothing shop. It's a cute little space and there are drawings of what they serve on the  menu so you know what to expect.

 

KOREAN BBQs

There are a number of Korean BBQ places all over Hongdae and like our Airbnb host/friend said, the competition for space in Hongdae is very fierce so only the really good ones remain. We've tried a number of KBBQ places here and they were all good (and affordable!). The one that stands out in recent memory is the Piggy Bank Stone Grill, because unlike the usual fire grill, the food is cooked in hot stones. 

 

STREET ART

In Hongdae, street art is everywhere and you'll find art installations and murals all over. These are a few that we've taken photos of just walking here and and there.