Take a stroll through colorful Hongdae
Jamjam
a month ago
This morning I decided to get a wax at a studio in Hongdae called the Ritual Room. Its an exceptionally clean facility and the staff are very friendly. But whats extra cool is that I got to take a nice walk through Hongdae in the afternoon. Usually I've taken a walk through Hongdae at night when you can experience the lively energy of the college town. Bustling people, shopping, bars and food galore. But the afternoon presents a different story. I found myself enjoying the equally noisy streets in the more touristy parts, but as you walk further up the hills, you can hear the quiet breeze as you drift off from the main roads. Some of the bars are closed during the day but it gives new way for other businesses such as game board centers and cafes to shine.
It's the perfect place to Cafe hop and get some work done or just relax and feel the vibes of the area. As always, this area is really busy and crowded, but there's a certain type of inviting feeling that comes with this during the daytime that feels much less overwhelming. On any corner you can find an olive young cosmetic store or a Twosome Coffee Cafe. You might even want to check out the taco restaurant here that is owned by a K-pop Idol Hyerin, in the group EXID.
As always, there's tons to see in this neighborhood and I think you'll enjoy walking around chatting with some new friends and getting your step counts in going up and down the money hills turns corners and alleyways.
Something I always appreciate about Korea is that you can find tons of these small alleyways all over the country and they each have their own unique feeling and vibe. And here if you, you can feel the young, vibrant energy of young people and young professionals putting their best forward forward exploring the opportunities ahead of them in the future. There are spaces here such as the shared art and drawing rooms, and even a shared tattoo studio for a young professionals can get a chance at having their own shop in such a high foot traffic area such as Hongdae. This is so inspiring and I think it just gives us a glimpse into how South Korea is making opportunities possible for young people.
I encourage people to walk around, meet some new friends here and take a look at all that it has to offer. Come back at night and witness buskers and street performances of all kinds! You might find yourself surprised the new developments and the old historical places in this neighborhood. There are bars that have clearly been here for decades as well as new places that are popping up left and right keeping the energy fluid and inviting.
