Photo: Unsplash
The university district is loud, young and open late, with buskers on weekend nights. Walk a few minutes north and Yeonnam-dong turns quiet: small dessert shops along the Gyeongui Line Forest Park. Mangwon Market is one stop away for cheap street food.
Getting there Hongik Univ. Station (Line 2, Airport Railroad, Gyeongui-Jungang Line). Exit 9 for the main street, Exit 3 for Yeonnam-dong.
Photos: Korea Tourism Organization PhoKo · 이범수 (KOGL Type 1)
Typical: Gomtang (clear meat soup)Okdongsikhotple.korea A Michelin Bib Gourmand regular since 2018, Okdongsik got a second wave of attention after chef Ok Dong-sik appeared on Netflix's Culinary Class Wars season 2, and its crystal-clear soup is a favorite overhead shot.
Typical: CoffeeKoriko Cafe Yeonnamhotple.korea It is an officially licensed Studio Ghibli Kiki's Delivery Service cafe, and its butter-yellow house and Jiji-themed desserts keep turning up in Yeonnam cafe roundups and fan photos.
Typical: TonkatsuHekihotple.korea Its chef appeared on Netflix's Culinary Class Wars, and the rosy-pink tenderloin cutlet shots pushed the line at this small Mangwon shop to the longest in the neighborhood.
Around Hongdae & YeonnamMUSINSA Store Hongdaehotple.korea K-fashion shopping has become a top reason to visit Seoul, and Musinsa says more than half of orders at its Hongdae, Seongsu and Myeongdong stores now come from foreign shoppers.
Typical: RamenSarukamehotple.korea Listed as a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024, 2025 and 2026, Sarukame's bowls piled with clams and a whole fried blue crab are a staple of Yeonnam food posts, and its line rarely disappears.
Around Hongdae & YeonnamK-POP SQUARE Hongdaehotple.korea The former LINE FRIENDS Hongdae flagship reopened in June 2025 as a K-pop goods store with rotating artist pop-ups, so each new pop-up brings a fresh wave of fan posts.
Typical: Fluffy pancakesBerry Blisshotple.korea Tall, wobbly soufflé pancakes buried in seasonal fruit make for an easy viral shot, and the cafe has piled up more than 8,000 Naver reviews with a near-perfect rating.
Mangwon Markethotple.korea Its snack stalls have appeared on Korean TV shows, and it has become the go-to stop for travelers who want a market that still feels local.
Around Hongdae & YeonnamSIHYUNHADA Hongdae Spacehotple.korea The studio that turned colorful-background ID photos into a trend marked its tenth year in 2026, and its pastel portraits are a popular Seoul souvenir among visitors, helped by English and Chinese versions of its website.
Mangwon Hangang Parkhotple.korea Cooking instant noodles in a convenience-store ramyeon machine by the river has become a signature Seoul experience on social media, and Mangwon is the closest stretch of riverbank to Hongdae and Mangwon Market.
Typical: Bakery breadChimney Mansionhotple.korea Opened in May 2025, it brought Central European chimney cakes to Hongdae in a storybook chimney-sweep house, and its long menu of flavors makes for easy dessert photos.
thisisneverthat Hongdae Flagshiphotple.korea The Seoul streetwear label's first flagship reopened in February 2026 after its first renovation in seven years, and a 2025 trade report put foreign shoppers at about 85% of its visitors.
Gyeongui Line Forest Park (Yeontral Park)hotple.korea Locals call it Yeontral Park, and its lawns, ginkgo path and street musicians are the backdrop for countless Yeonnam-dong cafe-hopping posts.
Typical: CoffeeCafe Gongmyeong Yeonnamhotple.korea Its wall of bookshelves, high ceilings and cream-stuffed biscuit choux show up constantly in Hongdae cafe posts, backed by around 14,000 reviews on Naver Map.
Typical: Fruit sandoBotong Gongwonhotple.korea Seasonal fruit sandos cut to show off whole mango or melon, and a chocolate cup crowned with a real four-leaf clover, make this third-floor Mangwon cafe a regular in Mangwon cafe posts.
Around Hongdae & YeonnamD-19Ends in 19 days
Nov 12 – Dec 3
AK PLAZA Hongdae 4F LIMITION, 188 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul
A merch pop-up for the final season of the anime, run by its Korean licensed store. Look for small character plush such as a palm-sized Levi.
Official info@smgstore_krNaver Map
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