Where Koreans go now
Seongsu, Mangwon, Euljiro and more, backed by data and press
Popular areas in Seoul
| Area | What it's like | Nearest station |
|---|---|---|
| Seongsu-dong | Old factory district now full of brand pop-ups, bakeries and cafés: 50–100+ pop-ups a month. New entry in top 20s dining spending; #5 for CatchTable waits (station area) | Seongsu (Line 2) |
| Mangwon / Mangnidan-gil | A mellow neighborhood two stops from Hongdae: small cafés, sell-out bakeries, Mangwon Market, Han River park | Mangwon (Line 6) |
| Euljiro ("Hipjiro") | Trendy spots tucked between old print shops. Crowded at night; some need a booking or a queue | Euljiro 3-ga |
| Yongridan-gil | Alleys of distinctive restaurants and cafés, popular since Amorepacific HQ and HYBE moved in | Between Sinyongsan and Samgakji |
| Hannam-dong | Flagship stores, galleries and boutiques, a quieter shopping trip than Seongsu | — |
| Yeonnam-dong | New entry in top 20s dining spending (Seogyo-dong/Hongdae stays #1) | — |
| Songridan-gil | Small cafés and restaurants east of Seokchon Lake | — |
In 2025 NAVER Map ran "BE LOCAL", spotlighting places trending with locals in their 20s–30s in Hannam, Seongsu, Myeongdong and Itaewon.
Sources: Asia Economy (Seongsu pop-ups) ↗ · 서울신문 (신한카드 20대 외식) ↗ · 유니콘팩토리 (캐치테이블 웨이팅) ↗ · Korea JoongAng Daily (Mangwon) ↗ · Asia Economy (Euljiro) ↗ · 비즈워치 (용리단길) ↗ · Korea Herald (Hannam) ↗ · Korea Times (NAVER BE LOCAL) ↗ · 송파구 (송리단길) ↗
What's trending
- Running: about 10 million Koreans call themselves runners, and spending at running shops rose 216% in two years.
Sources: Korea Times (running trend) ↗
- Back alleys over hotspots: foreign card spending in local alleys rose 80.5% year on year, faster than the 10 main tourist hubs (+57.2%).
- In Busan, try the Jeonpo Station area: #3 nationwide for CatchTable waits in 2025.
Sources: 유니콘팩토리 (캐치테이블 웨이팅) ↗
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Checked 2026-11-08