From Hongik-ro 20 to the Gyeongui Line Forest Park: How to Separate Day and Night in Hongdae

The place name “Hongdae” shaped by the 1946 founding and 1955 move to Sangsu-dong

“Hongdae” is not the name of an administrative neighborhood, but a shortened way of referring to Hongik University, founded on April 25, 1946, and the surrounding commercial and cultural area. Hongik University changed its name to Hongik College in 1949, and in 1955 it moved its campus to Sangsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. The fact that today’s Hongdae is widely recognized as extending from the area around Hongik University’s main gate to Seogyo-dong, Donggyo-dong, and Yeonnam-dong also stems from this university’s move and growth.

The area’s artistic character formed through the intersection of the university’s art education and street activities. Students of Hongik University’s College of Fine Arts have held an annual autumn street art exhibition, and the Korean National Encyclopedia describes the event as a representative festival aimed at popularizing art culture and revitalizing local culture. Therefore, in Hongdae, it is better to understand the area by looking not only at the large shopping districts but also at the alleys around the campus, performance venues, independent cinemas, and small exhibition spaces.

A 5-minute route from Exit 9 of Hongik University Station to addresses 20 and 22 on Hongik-ro

If it is your first time arriving, the simplest way is to exit through Exit 9 of Hongik University Station on Subway Line 2 and head toward Hongik-ro. The Seoul Tourism Organization lists both the Hongdae Pedestrian-Friendly Street and the Hongik University Tourist Information Center with “Exit 9 of Hongik University Station” as the access point. The tourist information center is at 20 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, and the pedestrian-friendly street’s information point is marked at 22 Hongik-ro, making it easy to find your way from the station.

Hongik University Station is a transfer station where Line 2, the Airport Railroad, and the Gyeongui-Jungang Line meet. If you are coming from Incheon Airport or Gimpo Airport, you can use the Airport Railroad; if you are traveling from Seoul Station or Yongsan, you can use the Gyeongui-Jungang Line. When traveling within the city late at night, the N26 and N72 night buses pass through Hongik University Station, but schedules and stops may change on the day, so checking before departure is necessary.

• Tourist information center: 20 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Pedestrian-friendly street information point: 22 Hongik-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Subway: Hongik University Station on Line 2, Airport Railroad, and Gyeongui-Jungang Line
• Recommended starting exit: Exit 9
• Night bus routes passing through: N26, N72

The schedules of the Mapo Tourist Information Center at 22 Hongik-ro and the Hongik University Tourist Information Center at 20 Hongik-ro

Hongdae itself is a street, so there is no admission fee or single opening time. You can walk around freely, and shops, cafes, performance venues, and exhibition spaces each have their own business hours and closing days. The public hubs most worth checking first on site are the Mapo Tourist Information Center at 22 Hongik-ro and the Hongik University Tourist Information Center at 20 Hongik-ro.

According to the Seoul Tourism Organization, the Mapo Tourist Information Center is open daily from 10:00 to 19:00, phone +82-2-334-7878, and the Hongik University Tourist Information Center is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00, phone +82-2-323-2240. You can use them to ask about directions, Seoul travel materials, and nearby cultural events. If your purpose is only to visit the street, reservations are not needed, but specific performances, exhibitions, or restaurants may require advance booking or involve waiting, so you should check each facility’s conditions separately.

• Hongdae street admission: free
• Hongdae street regular closing day: none
• Mapo Tourist Information Center: daily 10:00-19:00, +82-2-334-7878
• Hongik University Tourist Information Center: daily 10:00-20:00, +82-2-323-2240
• Integrated Seoul tourism information: 1330

The street sense to keep in the 330m² Hongdae Pedestrian-Friendly Street and designated busking zones

The Seoul Tourism Organization introduces the Hongdae Pedestrian-Friendly Street as a park-like space of about 330m², noting that a performance stage, rest area, Mapo Tourist Information Center, and luggage storage facilities are gathered there. This section is connected to the shopping street, so rather than simply passing through, it is better to divide your time between looking at the murals and photo spots during the day and checking whether there are on-site programs in the evening.

Busking in Hongdae is not allowed on just any sidewalk; it is operated under a system that permits performances only in designated places to help promote busking culture. If you watch a performance, stay at the edge so that crowds do not block the roadway or entrances, and when taking photos or videos, prioritize the performers’ guidance and the movement of nearby spectators. If your goal is a quiet walk or you need to keep a wide passage for a stroller or wheelchair, morning hours or weekday daytime are relatively better than performance times.

The remaining “Ttaengttaeng Street” after the 2005 undergrounding of the Gyeongui Line and the 8-minute connection to Yeonnam-dong

The northern route of Hongdae connects to Yeonnam-dong and Gyeongui Line Forest Park. The name “Ttaengttaeng Street” in the Wausan-ro 32-gil area comes from the warning bell that rang at the railway crossing when Gyeongui Line trains passed by in the past. The Seoul Tourism Organization explains that after the Gyeongui Line was placed underground in 2005, the atmosphere of this street changed and it was reborn as an alley where artists and shops coexist.

If your destination is the workshop and shop alleys of Yeonnam-dong, the Seoul Tourism Organization says it is about an 8-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik University Station. After looking around the highly commercial stretch of Hongik-ro and then moving on to Yeonnam-dong, you can compare differences in pedestrian environment and shop composition within the same broader Hongdae area. However, many of the alleys are adjacent to residential neighborhoods, so it is best to avoid moving around loudly late at night or standing for a long time in front of entrances.

• Ttaengttaeng Street area: Wausan-ro 32-gil, near Sanullim Small Theater
• Origin of the name: the warning bell sound at the Gyeongui Line crossing
• Gyeongui Line undergrounding: 2005
• Access to the Yeonnam-dong workshop street: about an 8-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik University Station

An afternoon branching into Sangsangmadang at 65 Eoulmadang-ro, an independent cinema, and the R3 fashion street

The afternoon route in Hongdae splits depending on your interests. If you want to see design goods and cultural spaces, you can use KT&G Sangsangmadang at 65 Eoulmadang-ro as a reference point. The Seoul Tourism Organization’s 2025 guide introduces it as a three-story multi-purpose cultural space and lists its operating hours as 11:00-21:00. If you are looking for independent films, it is safer to check the same-day screening schedule of IndieSpace, introduced as a dedicated theater for Korean independent films.

If clothing and beauty shopping are your goal, the Hongdae R3 Fashion Street area around 365-9 Seogyo-dong is a more direct choice. The Seoul Tourism Organization describes this area as a central shopping district densely packed with clothing and cosmetics stores, and notes that it can be accessed from Hongik University Station on Line 2, the Airport Railroad, and the Gyeongui-Jungang Line. Rather than staying in one place for too long, it is better to selectively combine Hongik-ro’s street culture, Eoulmadang-ro’s cultural spaces, and the shops of R3 within 2 to 4 hours so that your route does not become overly crowded.

• KT&G Sangsangmadang address: 65 Eoulmadang-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• KT&G Sangsangmadang information hours: 11:00-21:00
• Hongdae R3 Fashion Street address: 365-9 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• R3 Fashion Street inquiry: 120
• Recommended stay time: 2-3 hours for the core street area, 4-6 hours if connected to Yeonnam-dong

On weekend nights, prioritize the subway and walking, and decide on parking only after confirming the destination

Hongdae is an area where several alleys and commercial facilities are connected around a pedestrian-centered environment, so traveling by subway is more practical than by car. Public and private parking lots do exist, but fees, operating hours, and whether they are full vary by facility, and there is no dedicated parking lot for the entire street. If you must use a car, it is better to decide on the destination first and then check that facility’s parking availability and fees on the same day.

Accessibility is also not the same throughout the street. The wide sidewalks of Hongik-ro and the tourist information centers are relatively easy to use, but some alleys around Yeonnam-dong and Wausan-ro can become difficult for wheelchairs and strollers because of slopes, narrow walking widths, and crowds. If you need foreign-language assistance, use the tourist information center at 20 Hongik-ro or call 1330 first, and inquire separately with each facility about wheelchair spaces, elevators, and restroom conditions at performance venues and exhibition spaces.