Where to Stay in Seoul: Myeongdong, Hongdae or Jongno?
Short answer: Myeongdong for a first trip, Hongdae for nightlife and live music, Jongno for the palaces. Seoul's main areas compared by subway line.
For a first trip to Seoul, stay in Myeongdong. It’s central, it’s on Line 4, and the palaces, Namsan and the markets are all within a short ride or walk. If you’re here for the nightlife and live music, pick Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong. If the palaces are the point of the trip, Jongno and Insadong puts you beside them. That’s the short answer.
Seoul spreads across both banks of the Han River, and the subway ties it together. Line 2 runs in a loop and stops at Hongdae, Euljiro, Dongdaemun, Seongsu and Gangnam, so a base on or near it keeps most of the map within a few stops.
Myeongdong wins for a first visit because everything is close. Myeongdong Shopping Street is the main draw, Myeongdong Cathedral is a short walk, and Namsan Cable Car starts nearby for the climb to N Seoul Tower. Namdaemun Market is a walk away too. It’s a busy shopping district more than a quiet one, so expect crowds in the evening.
Hongdae suits you if you’d rather be out after dark. The area around Hongik University has live houses such as Rolling Hall, a Saturday Hongdae Free Market from March to November, and the cafes of Yeonnam-dong along Gyeongui Line Forest Park (Yeontral Park). It’s lively late and slow in the morning.
Jongno is the pick if you’ll spend a day or two on royal Seoul. Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace, Jongmyo Shrine and Jogyesa Temple are all here or next door, and Gwangjang Market has the food alley. Rooms are fewer and the area closes early.
Whichever you choose, book near a station on a line you’ll use. Most places on the map list their nearest station and exit.
Seoul’s main areas to stay, compared
| Area | Best for | Subway | Within a walk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myeongdong | A first trip, shopping, Namsan | Myeong-dong (Line 4), Euljiro 1-ga and Euljiro 3-ga (Line 2) | Myeongdong Cathedral, Namdaemun Market, the Namsan cable car |
| Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong | Nightlife, live music, cafes | Hongik Univ. (Line 2), Sangsu (Line 6) | Hongdae Free Market, Gyeongui Line Forest Park |
| Jongno and Insadong | Palaces, markets | Jongno 3-ga (Lines 1, 3 and 5), Jonggak (Line 1) | Jogyesa, Changgyeonggung, Jongmyo, Gwangjang Market |
| Bukchon and Samcheong-dong | Hanok streets and galleries | Anguk (Line 3) | Changdeokgung, Bukchon Hanok Village, Unhyeongung |
| Dongdaemun | Late-night shopping, design | Dongdaemun History & Culture Park (Lines 2, 4 and 5) | Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Dongdaemun Market |
| Seongsu-dong | Cafes, Seoul Forest | Seongsu (Line 2), Seoul Forest (Suin-Bundang Line) | Seoul Forest, the Seongsu pedestrian overpass |
| Itaewon and Hannam-dong | Museums, international food | Hangangjin (Line 6), Samgakji (Line 4) | Leeum Museum of Art, War Memorial of Korea |
| Gangnam and Sinsa | Business trips, COEX, Garosu-gil | Gangnam (Line 2), Sinsa (Line 3), Samseong (Line 2) | COEX, Bongeunsa, Garosu-gil |
| Jamsil | Families, Lotte World | Jamsil (Lines 2 and 8) | Lotte World Tower, Lotte World |
Myeongdong: the central base
Myeongdong is the first-timer’s answer. A morning at Gyeongbokgung Palace, lunch at Myeongdong Kyoja and an evening at the tower fit into one day without a long ride. Read the Myeongdong guide for the streets, or the Namsan guide if the hill is your reason for staying.
Hongdae: late nights and live music
Hongdae is where Seoul’s younger crowd goes out. KT&G Sangsangmadang Hongdae and the live houses keep it busy after dark, and K-Pop Square Hongdae sells K-pop merchandise during the day. Read the Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong guide, and look at Sinchon one stop away if you want a university-town feel.
Jongno and Bukchon: sleeping beside the palaces
If you want quiet mornings, stay near Anguk, where Bukchon Hanok Village and Changdeokgung Palace are a short walk away. Palaces close on set days, and Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung close on Mondays, so plan your days around them. Read the Bukchon and Samcheong-dong guide.
Gangnam and Seongsu: the other side of the river
Gangnam and Sinsa is a business and shopping district with COEX, Bongeunsa Temple and Garosu-gil. Seongsu-dong is the cafe district, with Seoul Forest beside it. Both are on Line 2, so you can still reach the old town in about half an hour.
Places in this guide
Photos show the actual places, licensed under Creative Commons and credited to their photographers.
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