Hongdae area

Hongdae area
Hangul	홍대앞
Hanja	弘大앞
Revised Romanization	Hongdaeap
McCune–Reischauer	Hongdaeap

The Hongdae Area is a region in South Korea known for its entertainment and clubs. The area is part of the Mapo-gu district in the western part of Seoul, South Korea.

Name

Hongdae is an abbreviation of Hongik Daehakgyo, Hongik University (홍익대학교). The term is usually used in regards to the Hongik University which is well known for being a center for young art in South Korea.

Attractions

Vendors sell a wide array of foods in Hongdae

The area is a mecca of young art in Korea. It is common for Koreans to deem Hongdae as the center for art in South Korea.

Hongdae is known to be a home ground for many young artists because of its many infras; such as little theaters and venues. For example, the Sangsangmadang(상상마당), an eleven story building that houses a cinema, live performance hall, art gallery, and a studio, is known to be a huge, popular landmark in Hongdae. Hongdae is often regarded as the best place to enjoy various art and contemporary culture in South Korea. The area holds various cultural items with art galleries, theaters, design shops and cafes. The area provides musicals, concerts, and performances by independent artists and mainstream entertainers as well.

Hongdae is also known for its mural street. The street is located around the Sangsu Station(상수) and contains various murals and graffiti throughout.

Every Saturday (except in winter) flea markets are held on a certain playground that is close to the university. The flea markets are called the "Hope" and "Free" markets. It is a fledgling craft market of things made by students and recent graduates. These days offer different wares made by the students that attend the university, mainly because the university is an art school. It is known to be the ideal place to purchase low-priced art from up and coming artists in South Korea. Hand-made accessories, dresses, special cases for mobile phones, and even calligraphy artworks are all sold during these days. For many years, this free market has been well known throughout all of South Korea as a primary and necessary place for Korean artists.

The area is also home to hundreds of bars, restaurants, boutiques, and nightclubs and draws revelers from a wide range of backgrounds, in particular university students, ESL teachers, and tourists. Most bars are open throughout the night to allow patrons to return home by subway. There is also a large collection of independent coffee shops and cafes in the area that seek to attract the local young adult population. The area is also known as South Korea's capital for the underground rock music community, and live music is widely available around the bars and clubs.

Events

• The last Friday of each month in Hongdae is "Club Day", a wristband-powered event which allows entry to more than a dozen clubs for the price of one. Revellers can expect long lines at popular clubs. However, it has been canceled as of recently because of high levels of violence and disturbances.

• "Sound Day" is the independent music version of "Club Day" that happens on the 2nd Friday.

Transport

The area is served by subway via Sangsu Station (line 6) and Hongik University Station (line 2), and various buses.

External links

• Seoul subway route planner
• Seoul bus system