8 Best Sights in Hongdae, Seoul

Often likened to New York City’s High Line, the Gyeongui Line Forest Park is a narrow green space that stretches 6.3 km (3.9 miles) over train tracks that once led to North Korea. Train service was suspended in 1951 after the two Koreas divided and the area was mostly urbanized until 2009, when the idea to build the park was greenlit. Today, the park is divided into four main sections, with the section outside Hongdae Station Exit 3 being the most popular. In summer, buskers play guitar on one of the many benches and picnickers laze on the grass with drinks from nearby convenience stores, but the park is busy year-round as it’s surrounded by trendy restaurants and cafes. Venture outside the Hongdae Station area (further outside Exit 3 or Exit 2) for pleasant, little surprises: a row of bookshops, remnants of the old tracks, and meet-ups of neighborhood dogs.

More commonly referred to as the Hongdae Playground, this seemingly ordinary park wears many different hats. Its prime location facing the entrance of Hongik University has made it an outdoor performance space, a silent disco stage, a BYOB watering hole, and a marketplace for reasonably priced local art. For this reason, it’s a place that symbolizes youth and individuality for many Seoulites. To catch an event or interesting happening here, try visiting the park on a Friday or Saturday night when crowds of college students are out on the town. Korean drama fanatics may recognize it from popular shows such as Coffee Prince, Bel Ami, and My Golden Life, among others.

With a name that literally means “beheading hill,” this shrine pays tribute to the approximately 8,000 Catholics that were executed for their faith here in 1866. Overlooking the Han River to the West, the shrine’s outdoor space and exhibitions are open to the public. There is an altar for lighting votive candles and a few dozen statues of well-known Catholics like Mother Teresa and Andrew Kim Taegon, the first Korean Catholic priest. There are two exhibit spaces, a museum on the history of the space in the main building, and a nook that showcases the vehicles used to torture Catholics. Religious or otherwise, the space is a sight to behold for its significance in Korean history and sunset views over the Han.

This seven-story multicultural complex houses several galleries, a concert hall, a movie theater, and a stationery and design store. The building, which stands prominently at the end of Picasso Street, is easily recognizable for its unique, irregular flower-pattern design. Two highlights of the space include the movie theater, which often has art films with subtitles, and the stationery store. The latter is a great place to pick up souvenirs for friends back home.

Even though it boasts a forty-plus year history, Mangwon Market is one of the lesser known marketplaces in the city. In recent years, it’s become a favorite of many locals in the area for its affordable produce and wide array of delicious, cheap eats. Here you’ll see neighborhood grandmas carrying home dozens of cucumbers or apples, depending on what’s in season, and out-of-town customers lined up at one of the market’s well-known stalls. Look out for these stalls when you visit: Mangwon Sujae Gorokes for Korean-style croquettes, Gyodon Gangjeong and Mangwon Gangjeong for boneless, marinated fried chicken and Mangon Market Kalguksu for a hearty bowl of knife-cut noodles.

One of Seoul’s finest examples of urban regeneration, the Oil Tank Culture Park is an art complex built in five former oil tanks. The oil depot, which originally opened in the mid-1970s, was shut down in 2000 ahead of safety concerns, and after being abandoned for more than a decade, its current iteration was decided on by a public idea contest. Art exhibitions, concerts, and theatrical performances are often held here, but regardless of the park’s schedule, the venue is worthwhile for its unique atmosphere. Take time to explore the outdoor theater built behind T2 tank and don’t miss the chance to take artsy photos at the rooftop opening of T6, a tank that was built from steel plates found on T1 and T2.

Founded in 2012, this small museum on the residential end of the Hongdae neighborhood highlights the lives of comfort women—women forced into sexual slavery during World War II, mostly at the hands of Japanese Imperialist soldiers. Upon arrival, visitors are given audio guides (available in English, Korean, and Japanese) that walk them through the various exhibitions of the three-story space in sequential order. While filled with thought-provoking photographs, contemporary artworks, and historical documents that shed light on the atrocities, it’s hearing the testimonies of the halmonis (surviving women, referred to as grandmothers) that truly makes an impression. The even-handed curation also raises awareness of Vietnamese women abused by Korean soldiers and the work that halmonis have done to aid sexual assault victims worldwide. It is a heavy experience, but one that focuses on learning from the women rather than dwelling on the past.

Located in Sangam-dong, World Cup Park is a large green space divided into five different parks. Of these, Noeul Park and Haneul Park are considered two of the most picturesque in the city. Both parks are accessible via a climb of nearly 300 steps or a winding, uphill trail but those looking for a less strenuous path can opt for the electric shuttle bus. The maeng-kkongi bus, named after a regional digging frog, departs from the entrance every thirty minutes and is a convenient alternative for those with small children. While the ride is only ten minutes long, it’s a mesmerizing way to take in all the sights at once. Noeul (meaning sunset) Park offers stunning views of the Han River to its West while Haneul (meaning sky) Park is best known as the site of the Seoul Silver Grass Festival every autumn.