Hongdae. HONGDAE. 홍대. This is my spot. Totally my kind of place to kick it at.
There is food everywhere. There are bars everywhere. There is great shopping. There are street performers. Seriously, never a dull moment at this place.
Also known as Hongik University Street, this area is known for its artistic and creative nature, underground culture, and just being fascinating AF.
It’s ridiculously crowded, though. There was a massive crowd at the metro exit, just trying to get out. But we went on a Saturday, so that’s probably the reason why.
On Saturdays, from 1 pm to 6 pm, Hongdae Free Market happens. It’s this cool little thing with super diverse artists showcasing their talents. And of course, you may purchase their products.
I would compare it to kind of like a swap meet, but much more artsy. There were also live music performances happening throughout the day.
As you may know if you’ve read my other blogs, I think graffiti is pretty damn cool. I didn’t have a chance to check out all of graffiti in the Hongdae area, because apparently, there’s a lot.
Check out this article on graffiti in Seoul: seoulsync.com/culture/underground/graffiti-in-seoul
But I did manage to see this right next to the free market:
I had this melted-sugar heart candy thing, Ppopgi (뽑기) at the market. You’re supposed to try to pop out the heart in the middle without breaking it.
And if you can, you get another one for free. I couldn’t do it. But it wasn’t necessary because the sweet old man that was selling it gave us one for free anyway! Score.
My favorite thing about Hongdae is definitely the street performers. And for my friends in Hawaii, it’s totally different than the street performers we see in Waiks, where half of them may be drunk.
I’m pretty sure these guys were all very serious aspiring artists. Hongdae is just so damn artsy, shit. So my style.
There were guys singing like indie shit, guys rapping, guys battling each other in rap and dance, and a guy playing like slack key guitar. Amongst others, of course.
It’s a shame I didn’t have the chance to spend more time here, there are so many restaurants, cafes, and bars that I would have loved to check out. If I lived in Korea, I would definitely hang out here often.
Directions to Hongdae:
Take the metro to Hongik University Station (line 2) and use Exit 9.
If you’re looking for a place to stay in Korea, check out Airbnb! They have great listings that are often less expensive than staying at a hotel and that offer a unique experience. Get ¥3,664 (or the equivalent in your country’s currency) off your first booking by clicking here and using my referral code. 🙂
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