Are you looking for the best way to spend your Friday night in Seoul? Or some crazy activities never to experience elsewhere? Keep reading about the top 10 unique things to do in Hongdae, one of the hottest, vibrant youth districts in Korea.
Hongdae is arguably the most vibrant district in Seoul, exuding youthful energy both day and night. Located next to Hongik University, in the western Mapo-gu, Hongdae has tons of cool things to offer. Whether you’re looking for an Instagram-worthy Korean food experience, wacky shows and games, or the perfect night-out, Hongdae has it all! Since it has anything and everything, we’ll recommend some awesome things to do in Hongdae, based on your personality.
Curious Adventurers: Visit wacky attractions!
Aren’t afraid of trying out new, wacky things? This one’s for you!
1. Trick Eye & Love Museum Seoul
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The Trick Eye Museum offers a number of extraordinary optical illusions for you to completely fall for! Get ready to be completely tricked and mind-blown by their disorienting paintings and AR features. The Love Museum also offers a range of romantic paintings and sculptures for you and your significant other to take some lovely photos together.
Crafty Artists: Put your sleeves up and get crafty!
Love letting your creative juices flow by doing hands-on activities? We’ve got you covered!
2. Custom Ring/Bracelet/Necklace Crafting Workshop
Traveling with your besties, or your significant other? Go and make your own custom ring, necklace, or bracelet right at the heart of Hongdae. You can completely customize the ring, whether that be changing its width, shape, plating, or adding gemstones or laser engravings. Join in the new trend of young Koreans getting matching rings with their loved ones. Friends, couples, singles ready to mingle… Everyone’s welcome to hop on this trend!
3. Unicorn Suncatcher Crafting with Resin & Beads Art Workshop
Create your own unicorn suncatcher while learning some useful resin and beads craft techniques. You can decorate your own suncatcher with glitters and crystals in different colors and shapes. It will be a unique and beautiful decoration for your room!
4. Cosmetics Making Class
Make your own cosmetics with the best ingredients and colors for you. An experienced Korean skincare professional will teach you how to choose the right cosmetics suitable for you with safe ingredients. You can either choose skincare products or lipsticks!
Beauty Gurus: Get a makeover at K-beauty hotspots!
Love shopping away K-beauty products? Take hours to get ready? Click away!
5. Hair & Joy Hair Salon
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Korean salons are known for their premium service and amazing techniques. Visit this English-speaking Hair & Joy Salon and see what they can to do give you a fresh look. Meet their professional, experienced hairstylists to change up your look without damaging your hair. Go into this luxurious salon and you’ll feel at ease immediately!
6. OU Hair Salon
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If you are looking to go through a complete hair makeover, OU Hair Salon in Hongdae is one of the best places to pamper yourself! From cuts, perms, coloring, care, there is a wide range of options for you to choose from! Make your hair look stylish like Korean celebrities by experienced professionals.
7. DAY:MEAN Hair Salon
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DAY:MEAN, which stands for “Make your day meaningful”, is a beauty salon that specializes in unique and trendy hairstyles. Try out the earring color hairstyle worn by K-pop idols or a natural perm that will give you sophisticated and effortless curls. It’s a reliable hair salon that was opened by the final winner of CJ ON-STYLE’s hair survival program “31 Salon”.
8. Nail Salons
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Have you been drooling over Korean nail designs on Instagram? You sure should! From luxurious and fancy designs to quirky and cute looks, the OU Nail Salon in Hongdae has all the designs you want. Go for a basic polish, or a long-lasting gel polish, depending on your preferences. If you’ve been wondering how all the K-pop artists keep their nails so pretty and healthy, head on over to the Salon to find the secret!
Korean nail art has been blowing up on social media for its unique designs and techniques. At Hey Object, nail art is not just about decorating nails, it is about creating a true work of art. It’s a foreigner-friendly nail salon where the staff can communicate in multi-languages. Treat yourself to a trendy and relaxing nail art experience in Hongdae!
9. 1 Day Makeup Class & Professional Makeup Service
Find the perfect makeup for you from this 1-hour makeup class in Hongdae! This 1:1 customized class goes through from basics to advanced skills by a professional makeup artist. You can also choose to get professional makeup service, which is a wonderful way to treat yourself for a day in Seoul. With an English-speaking makeup expert, you will have zero concerns about communication.
Party Animals: Party away with some booze!
Crazy about late Friday nights and trying out new drinks? You’re at the right place!
10. Dine & Discover Korean Traditional Alcohol
If you’ve been watching some K-dramas and movies, you might already be familiar with the Korean alcohol, soju – the strong one in the green bottle! But to locals, (who love a drink with their meals) there are so many more options that go along with specific foods. If you want to know more about Korean traditional alcohol and have an awesome tasting experience, go ahead to Hongdae, and explore Korean food culture!
11. Seoul Nightlife Tour: Pub Crawl
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If you’re looking for a must-go pub around Hongdae to fully experience Korea’s amazing nightlife scene, join the Seoul Pub Crawl at the RetroGameBar! Here, you can spend a Saturday night here for a perfect night out, dancing away among Korea’s younger generation. Make sure you book in advance for special discounts for drinks and to participate in lots of games. Ah! Also, make sure you’re legal and bring your ID with you. Go dive right into Seoul’s nightlife center!
K-Food Lovers: Learn How to Cook Authentic Korean Food!
12. Authentic Korean Cooking Class & Local Market Tour
If you love Korean food, learn how to make authentic Korean food! You’ll start the class with a visit to a local market near Hongdae and Mangwon. After the class, you will get to taste delicious Korean food, which is one of the best parts of the activity. There are a variety of cooking classes you can take in Hongdae!
- Authentic Korean Cooking Class with a Local Market Tour near Hongdae/Mangwon
- Korean Side Dish Cooking Class near Hongdae/Mangwon
- 4 Kinds of Kimchi Making Class near Hongdae/Mangwon
- Organic Tofu Making Class with a Local Market Tour near Hongdae/Mangwon
Did our list of top things to do in Hongdae match your personality well? Make sure to check out more hot spots in Seoul on Korea’s #1 Travel Shop, Trazy.com
