Seoul is a big city and it can be overwhelming for visitors, especially those who are there for the first time. However, the city can be broken down into smaller neighborhoods and discovering Seoul’s neighborhoods can be one of the most fun ways to spend your time in the capital city of South Korea.
Seoul’s neighorhoods each offer a different flavor or vibe. Spend some time in each you will get a feel of the place. Well-known neighborhoods and districts like Gangnam, Myeongdong and Itaewon have their own personality and are fun to explore.
In Korean, the word “dong” means neighborhood, which is a subset of a larger ward or administrative district.
Here’s a guide to discovering Seoul’s neighborhood to help you plan out your trip to Seoul, South Korea.
Guide to Discovering Seoul’s Neighborhoods
Myeongdong
One of the most popular neighborhoods with visitors to Seoul, Myeongdong packs in a lot. It is most well known for its street market which comes alive at night. Street food vendors line the street, and you can go from street cart to street cart to make a meal out of it.
Myeongdong also has plenty of retail shops where you can shop for make-up and cosmetics. There are also Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants where you can try delicious food at down-to-earth prices. Our favorite is Myeongdong KyoJa which has dumplings and hand-cut noodles.
The neighborhood has a bustle that reminds us of Causeway Bay in Hong Kong.
Myeongdong is also close to the N Seoul Tower, an iconic landmark of Seoul, which can be reached by the N Seoul Tower Cable Car.
Isa-dong
The Seoul neighborhood of Isa-dong is centered around a lively pedestrian street. Here, you will find shops selling Korean handicrafts and traditional goods like pottery and stamps. It is a good place to browse and get a taste of Korean culture. There are also traditional tea houses where you can stop for some refreshments.
One landmark that you’ll come across as you stroll along the main street at Isa-dong is the Ssamziegil complex. This quirky shopping complex is filled with small shops that line the rampway that leads to the very top of the building where there is a small rooftop garden and poop-themed cafe.
Ikseondong
This is a small trendy neighborhood with shops and cafes housed in traditional Korean hanok buildings. The best way to experience the Ikseondong neighborhood is to pop into one of the cafes for a drink or dessert and simply enjoy the cute village atmosphere. There are cute narrow walkways to explore, lined with cafes, restaurants and small boutiques.
Samcheong-dong & Bukchon Hanok Village
This neighborhood is sandwiched between Seoul’s two most impressive palaces, the Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changgyeonggung Palace. In the past, the neighborhood was popular with high ranking government officials who worked at the palaces. The area was a prestigious residential address with many hanoks or traditional Korean houses built out of wood.
Today, it is still a wealthy neighborhood and reminds us of Hampstead in north London, England. Many people flock to the area, especially the Bukchon area to view the traditional Korean houses or hanoks. It is a common to see tourists dressed in hanboks, the traditional Korean dress, taking pictures along the streets.
You can’t enter most of the hanoks as they are still the homes and residences that people live in. However, there is one hanok that has been opened up as a hanok museum for visitors, and it a place worth visiting while at the Bukchon Hanok Village.
Dongdaemun Market
This is a shopping district with a mix of malls selling various fashion goods. These are housed in high rise buildings with multiple floors. Our favorite is the DOOTA Mall, which has A Twosome Place outlet on a high floor with a nice view of the city.
A landmark of the Dongdaemun Market neighborhood is the uniquely designed Dongdaemun Design Plaza, located at the Dongdaemun History & Culture Park. The neighborhood is also good spot to take a walk along the Cheonggyecheon-ro stream, or a jumping off point to take a walk along the Seoul city walls up Naksan mountain.
Hongdae
Hongdae is a center for youth culture in Seoul. It gives off the vibe of Harajuku Street in Tokyo, Japan and draws its energy from Hongik University, South Korea’s top art school.
If you are looking for restaurants and cafes with new and innovative concepts, or a place to catch the energy of young people in Seoul, head down to Hongdae. You can often come across buskers or even live performances taking place along the pedestrian-friendly walking street of Eoulmadang-ro.
Clubs can also be found at Hongdae, each of them specializing in a different type of music, from EDM to Hip-Hop.
Read more about what you can do at Hongdae.
Itaewon
Itaewon is Seoul neighborhood that is distinguished by its international flavor. It is popular with both locals and overseas visitors because of its night life and abundance of restaurants offering a myriad of cuisines. The many clubs and bars at Itaewon attract party-goers looking to experience Seoul’s vibrant night life.
Beside the night life, one of the top attractions in Itaewon is the War Memorial of Korea. This huge building opposite from the Ministry of Defence holds exhibition rooms and display in remembrance of the Korean War and other historical conflicts.
The National Museum of Korea is also located at Yongsan-gu, close to Itaewon.
Gangnam
Literally meaning south of the river, Gangnam is a district of known for upscale shopping as well as offices. Within the district, one of the wealthiest neighborhoods is Apgujeong. It is popular with young, affluent Koreans and is known as the “Beverly Hills of Seoul.” Many high-end luxury brands can be found along Apgujeong Rodeo Street.
Another part of the Gangnam district is centered around the Starfield COEX Mall. This is a convention center area, and more geared towards business and corporate travellers.
Jamsil is where you can find the huge Lotte World complex, which include the Lotte World Adventure theme park.
Visiting Seoul’s Neighborhoods
Seoul has many different neighborhoods to explore and visit. These are just some of the most well-known and often-visited in Seoul. Have fun savoring the many different facets of Seoul through its neighborhoods.
If you are planning to visit the markets in Seoul, you may want to check out this famous noodle stall in Gwangjang Market.
