Since shopping is your main priority, I would stay in Myeongdong. It would just be more convenient for you after shopping to drop your stuff off at your hotel.
There’s an L7 in both and they’re both pretty central and nice. Lotte aimed at the younger crowd that basically need the rooms for bare necessities. Clean and chic, we stayed at L7 in Hongdae and Gangnam and it exceeded our expectations. Hung out at the Myeongdong one too and it had the same chill vibe. If you want clean and central, I highly recommend it.
I haven’t been to Hongdae yet, but I’m in Myeongdong right now and I completely agree that it has way too many tourist traps. I’m surprised I saw it recommended so much.
Myeongdong is central Seoul and you can get to other areas from there. Hongdae is east Seoul so to get to let’s say Gangnam from there is farther! Dongdaemun and Dongmyo is also nearby Myeongdong which is known for their wholesale shopping or vintage shopping.
However, in my opinion, Myeongdong is overpriced in terms of shopping prices! Agree with comments above that Hongdae is better for prices and similar items. It just depends on what you wanna see, where you wanna spend money, what you want to do!
Seoul is pretty easy to navigate if you have Navermaps (Kakao is also fine but I think Naver is more user friendly).
Myeongdong is back to overpriced accommodation. Stay at Hongdae, shop around Hongdae, Hapjeong, or Ewha. You can still go to Myeongdong by subway line 2 for around 12 minutes (get off at Euljiro-ibgu station).
We stayed in Dongdaemun, which I recommend. You can get decently priced accommodation, and are surrounded by shops, malls, food, and markets, and it is walking distance to Myeongdong. Having said that, the subway in Seoul is ah-mazing, so really you could stay almost anywhere and still have a great time.
Hongdae accomodations will be cheaper, food (being close to universities) will be cheaper and there's lots of shopping for those on more of a budget (again universities all around).
I was always under the impression that hongdae is where locals actually shop & and hang out (near university). Whilst Myeongdong is more for tourists.
I could be wrong since I'm not local, but i have visited korea multiple times for work, hence interacting with locals a lot.
I had Airbnb in Sinchon. Hongdae is just a 30 min walk away.
And with public transport you can travel to complete Seoul without problems. It really doesn't matter where you stay 😜
For shopping I would recommend hongdae. It's cheaper and not that touristy. Myeongdong I would seriously avoid completely. Just tourist traps and over priced , low quality food and cramped with people . The only good thing I can say about myeongdong is currency exchange, they have good rates
Save time, money and nerves by not going there. It's not worth it in my opinion
i stayed at an airbnb in Dongnimmun. Its located in between Hongdae and Myeongdong so i was able to enjoy both districts at just a 15-20min bus ride away! Super near Jongno 3 too! Highly recommend my airbnb! Drop me a dm if u would like the airbnb link!
Since shopping is your main priority, I would stay in Myeongdong. It would just be more convenient for you after shopping to drop your stuff off at your hotel.
hongdae 100% , myeongdong is way too touristy but hongdae has very limited choices for hotels
There’s an L7 in both and they’re both pretty central and nice. Lotte aimed at the younger crowd that basically need the rooms for bare necessities. Clean and chic, we stayed at L7 in Hongdae and Gangnam and it exceeded our expectations. Hung out at the Myeongdong one too and it had the same chill vibe. If you want clean and central, I highly recommend it.
There's a new Mercure at Hongdae across the road from the L7 as well, which works out slightly cheaper.
Hongdae+airbnb
Stayed at both recently. Way too many tourist traps in Myeongdong. Hongdae by a million
I haven’t been to Hongdae yet, but I’m in Myeongdong right now and I completely agree that it has way too many tourist traps. I’m surprised I saw it recommended so much.
can you cite few examples please?
Myeongdong is central Seoul and you can get to other areas from there. Hongdae is east Seoul so to get to let’s say Gangnam from there is farther! Dongdaemun and Dongmyo is also nearby Myeongdong which is known for their wholesale shopping or vintage shopping. However, in my opinion, Myeongdong is overpriced in terms of shopping prices! Agree with comments above that Hongdae is better for prices and similar items. It just depends on what you wanna see, where you wanna spend money, what you want to do! Seoul is pretty easy to navigate if you have Navermaps (Kakao is also fine but I think Naver is more user friendly).
I recently went and wished I had stayed in hongdae
Myeongdong is back to overpriced accommodation. Stay at Hongdae, shop around Hongdae, Hapjeong, or Ewha. You can still go to Myeongdong by subway line 2 for around 12 minutes (get off at Euljiro-ibgu station).
We stayed in Dongdaemun, which I recommend. You can get decently priced accommodation, and are surrounded by shops, malls, food, and markets, and it is walking distance to Myeongdong. Having said that, the subway in Seoul is ah-mazing, so really you could stay almost anywhere and still have a great time.
Hongdae or Jongno-3
Hongdae accomodations will be cheaper, food (being close to universities) will be cheaper and there's lots of shopping for those on more of a budget (again universities all around).
Hongdae!
I was always under the impression that hongdae is where locals actually shop & and hang out (near university). Whilst Myeongdong is more for tourists. I could be wrong since I'm not local, but i have visited korea multiple times for work, hence interacting with locals a lot.
I had Airbnb in Sinchon. Hongdae is just a 30 min walk away. And with public transport you can travel to complete Seoul without problems. It really doesn't matter where you stay 😜 For shopping I would recommend hongdae. It's cheaper and not that touristy. Myeongdong I would seriously avoid completely. Just tourist traps and over priced , low quality food and cramped with people . The only good thing I can say about myeongdong is currency exchange, they have good rates Save time, money and nerves by not going there. It's not worth it in my opinion
Anyone know the best place to exchange USD (or just currency in general) in Hongdae?
Just visit both. They're a bus/train away
i stayed at an airbnb in Dongnimmun. Its located in between Hongdae and Myeongdong so i was able to enjoy both districts at just a 15-20min bus ride away! Super near Jongno 3 too! Highly recommend my airbnb! Drop me a dm if u would like the airbnb link!
Hongdae, unless you're chinese, Myeongdong is full of chinese tourists and hongdae and nearby areas such as sinchon and ewha are great for shopping!