Where to stay in Seoul: the neighbourhoods compared
Seoul is huge, and the river splits it into an older half north of the Han, with the palaces and markets, and a newer, richer half south of it. The subway is excellent, so no choice is a mistake, but the right neighbourhood can save you an hour a day. Choose by what you will do in the evenings and how you are arriving.
The short answer
- First visit: Myeongdong, or Jongno and Insadong if the palaces are the point.
- Nightlife on a budget: Hongdae, with a direct train from the airport.
- K-pop and concerts: Jamsil or Gangnam for the east-side venues; Hongdae for the small live clubs.
- Lots of day trips: Seoul Station, where the KTX, the airport railway and Line 1 all meet.
North of the river
| Myeongdong | The classic first-visit base: shopping streets, cosmetics, street food, and every chain hotel, with Namsan and the N Seoul Tower above. Walkable to City Hall and Deoksugung, one stop from Seoul Station. Crowded, touristy and a little soulless at night, but nothing is inconvenient from here. |
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| Jongno, Insadong and Ikseon-dong | The old centre, between the palaces: tea houses, craft shops, Ikseon-dong’s tiny hanok lanes and the best choice of hanok guesthouses, where you sleep on a heated floor in a traditional house. Quieter in the evening than Myeongdong. See the palaces guide. |
| Hongdae and Yeonnam | The university district: clubs, live music, cheap food and street performers, and Yeonnam-dong’s cafés next door. Hongik University Station is on the airport railway, so you can arrive without a change. Loud until late on weekends; pick a hotel on a side street. |
| Dongdaemun | Night markets, fashion malls and Dongdaemun Design Plaza, with good-value hotels and four subway lines. Handy for Jangchung Arena and an easy run to the palaces. |
| Itaewon and Hannam | The international neighbourhood: bars, restaurants from everywhere, and Hannam-dong’s galleries and boutiques. Hilly, and on Line 6, which is slower to reach the rest of the city. |
| Seoul Station | Not charming, but the most practical base in the country: the AREX express to Incheon, the KTX to Busan, Gyeongju and Gangneung, and a walk to Namdaemun Market. |
South of the river
| Gangnam and COEX | The polished business and shopping district: department stores, Starfield COEX, the big entertainment agencies, and the most expensive hotels. It is 30–40 minutes from the palaces, so better for a second visit or a K-pop trip than a first one. |
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| Seongsu | The fashionable one, on the river east of the centre: warehouse cafés, concept stores and pop-ups. Few big hotels, but good small ones, and one of the best neighbourhoods to wander. See the shopping guide. |
| Jamsil | Lotte World, the Lotte World Tower and Olympic Park. The base for concerts at the KSPO Dome and the other Olympic Park halls, and for families. |
| Yeouido | The island of banks and broadcasters in the Han, with the riverside park, The Hyundai Seoul department store and the cherry blossom road in April. Quiet at weekends. |
Practical notes
- Check the nearest station and its line. A hotel ten minutes from a transfer station beats one next to a single-line station.
- Rooms are small in the mid-range, and many Korean hotels have glass-walled bathrooms. Read the room description.
- Hanok stays in Jongno and Bukchon are memorable for a night or two, but usually have shared or small bathrooms and floor bedding.
- Concert weekends fill the hotels around the venue first. The venue guides say which area to stay in for each.
- Coming from the airport, see Incheon Airport to Seoul for which train or bus suits each area.
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