Hongdae is Seoul's arts and indie music district, centred around Hongik University. It's known for street performances, independent galleries, clubs and a younger, creative crowd.
Discover Authentic Seoul: A Local Travel Guide by Mercure
At Mercure, we believe you shouldn't need a guidebook to feel like you belong somewhere. That's the idea behind Discover Local: since 1973, every Mercure hotel has been built around its neighbourhood, not just dropped into it — from the décor on the walls to the flavours on the menu. Step into any Mercure and our teams are on hand with the kind of tips you won't find in a guidebook: the market stall locals queue for, the bar where nobody speaks English, the walk that skips the crowds. They live here. They know. Discover Local isn't a generic city guide — it's a short, honest list of the restaurants, markets and neighbourhoods our own hotel teams actually recommend to guests, updated as the city changes around us. Below, you'll find our picks for Seoul, an interactive map to help you find your way, and answers to the questions travellers ask us most. So — where will Discover Local take you?
Our map pins local favourites such as Hongdae, Gyeongui Line Book Street and Mangwon Market, alongside our Mercure hotels.
Top 5 Things to Do in Seoul
Hongdae street performances
The streets around Hongik University turn into an open stage most evenings, with buskers, dance crews and indie musicians performing for tips. Weekends bring the biggest crowds and the best acts.
Gyeongbokgung Palace
Seoul's largest royal palace, with the changing of the royal guard ceremony held in the courtyard at set times through the day. Rent a hanbok (traditional dress) nearby and you get in for free.
Bukchon Hanok Village
A hillside neighbourhood of traditional hanok houses squeezed between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces. Keep your voice down on the upper lanes — people still live in these houses.
Gwangjang Market
One of Seoul's oldest markets, and the place for bindaetteok — crispy mung bean pancakes fried to order on huge flat griddles. Follow the smoke and the queues to find the best stalls.
Seochon Village
West of Gyeongbokgung Palace, this is Hongdae's quieter cousin — Hanok-lined streets with independent shops, small galleries and cafes that don't have a line out the door.
Explore Seoul's Best Local Spots with Our Interactive Map
What's on the map in Seoul
We've mapped local spots in Seoul, from Hongdae's indie scene to traditional markets and dumplings.
Neighbourhoods
Hongdae
Around Hongik University: indie music, live bands, clubs, street food, cafés, fashion and buskers on every corner. Take the subway to Hongik University Station, exits 8 or 9, and dive in.
Hongik University Station · Neighbourhood · Perfect for nightlife and shopping
Gyeongui Line Book Street
Along a former railway line, a calm park devoted to books, with literary art installations and train-carriage kiosks of independent bookshops and galleries. Hongik University Station, exit 6.
Hongdae · Park and bookshops · Ideal for a peaceful stroll
Markets & food
Mangwon Market
A covered local market of fresh produce, seafood and meat – and street food like dakgangjeong (glazed fried chicken) and hotteok (sweet pancakes). Line 6 to Mangwon Station, exit 2.
Mangwon · Traditional market · Made for street food
Mapo Agricultural and Marine Products Market
Near the Seoul World Cup Stadium, a market famous for fresh seafood. Pick your snow crab, abalone or squid, and have it cooked upstairs.
Sangam-dong · Market · Perfect for seafood
Bukchon Sonmandu
Founded in the 1950s by a family from Hamhung: fried and steamed dumplings and cold buckwheat noodles, down an Insadong alley. Worth the short wait.
Insadong · Dumpling restaurant · Great for dumplings
FAQ
Bindaetteok (crispy mung bean pancakes) is the market's signature dish, fried fresh on large griddles. Mayak gimbap, small bite-sized seaweed rice rolls, is another local favourite worth queuing for.
It's well connected by metro to central Seoul, including Gyeongbokgung Palace, though it sits a bit further west than the palace district itself, so plan for a short subway ride rather than a walk.
Take the Seoul Metro to Hongik University Station and use exit 8 or 9. For Gyeongui Line Book Street, use exit 6.
At Mapo Agricultural and Marine Products Market near the Seoul World Cup Stadium, buy seafood downstairs and have it cooked in a restaurant upstairs.
Bukchon Sonmandu, in an Insadong alley, has served fried and steamed dumplings since the 1950s.
Where to Sleep in Seoul
These Mercure hotels appear on our map:
- Mercure Ambassador Seoul Magok
- Mercure Ambassador Seoul Hongdae