Hongdae (Hongik University Street) is a large-scale arts and commercial complex district created by Korea’s indie music and hipster culture.
Hongdae Street © SEOUL MUSEUM OF HISTORY
Access by subway
Line 2, AREX(Airport Railroad Express) and the Gyeongui–Jungang Line Hongik Univ. Station
Information
Hongdae Street initially referred to the area surrounding Eoulmadang-ro but has since expanded to encompass neighborhoods around Hapjeong Station, Hongdae Station, the main gate of Hongik University, and Sangsu Station.
Eoulmadang-ro begins at Exit 7 of Hongdae Station and stretches southward past Danginri Intersection to Mapo Saebit Cultural Forest along the Han River. This road, marked as ⓒ on the map, was once home to a railway line that operated for over 50 years, starting in the 1930s. The area enclosed by the black dotted lines on the map represents the broader definition of Hongdae Street, although there is no fixed administrative boundary, leaving room for varying interpretations.
The Distinctive Features of Hongdae Street
Like major commercial districts such as Seongsu-dong, Gangnam Station, and Myeongdong, Hongdae Street offers a vibrant mix of shops featuring fashion, beauty, lifestyle, books, stationery, designer brands, multi-label stores, franchises, cozy cafes, galleries, and charming restaurants serving global cuisines.
However, what sets Hongdae apart is its thriving artistic and musical energy.
The area hosts a “walking street” where busking and dance performances are a constant presence, a mural street on Wausan-ro 22-gil behind Hongik University, and the Hongdae Club Street, which also connects to Sangsu Station. This lively district offers numerous venues for performances and exhibitions, with flea markets and art fairs selling indie crafts flourishing near Hongik University.
The Background Behind Its Artistic Characteristics
The unique artistic identity of Hongdae can be traced back to historical and cultural factors.
The military regime led by Park Chung-hee, which seized power through the May 16 coup in 1961, leveraged a university restructuring decree the following February to shut down all departments at Hongik University except for the College of Fine Arts and the Department of Architecture. The regime downgraded the university’s status, renaming it “Hongik College of Fine Arts,” and appointed a government trustee to oversee its operations.
Two years later, Hongik University regained its original name and established a College of Business and Economics, initiating efforts to restore its status as a comprehensive university. At the same time, the university pursued policies to further develop its remaining fine arts and architecture programs, which had avoided forced closure.
In this process, the admission quotas for art colleges expanded, and the number of students preparing for art school admissions also increased. Naturally, an ‘Art Academy Street’ emerged, stretching from the main gate of Hongik University to the Sanwoolim Small Theater. Along with it, art-related commercial areas began to take shape, including art supply stores, workshops, galleries, and bookstores specializing in art.
The presence of the College of Fine Arts gave rise to a “studio culture.” Due to the nature of their work, art students required large spaces and began renting small, often hidden areas in the residential neighborhood of Seogyo-dong, such as basements, garages, and storage rooms, to use as studios. Art students and artists mostly interacted and spent time within these studios, rather than in the less-developed commercial spaces around them. The influx of art school applicants, the emergence of studio culture, and the interactions among artists attracted distinctive cafes, restaurants, and underground cultural and artistic spaces.
The opening of Seoul Metro Line 2 in 1984, along with the liberalization atmosphere of the 1990s, allowed Hongdae to naturally develop its indie culture. By this time, the focus of Hongdae’s creative scene had shifted from fine arts to music. The development of infrastructure—such as the opening of Metro Line 6 in 2000, the construction of the World Cup Stadium in Sangam-dong in 2001, the co-hosting of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and the completion of the Incheon International Airport Railway in 2010—helped draw international tourists to Hongdae. In the mid-2000s, the decline of nearby commercial areas like Sinchon and Yeongdeungpo shifted foot traffic to Hongdae, solidifying its status as the largest entertainment and cultural hub in Seoul’s western region.