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What Is a Norigae? Meaning of the Korean Hanbok Charm & Where To Make One In Seoul
If you’ve ever admired the elegant lines of a Hanbok, a traditional Korean dress, chances are you’ve spotted a norigae (노리개), the graceful tassel charm that dangles from the coat strings or skirt of the traditional attire. After living in Korea for many years and collecting norigae from markets and Hanbok shops, I’ve come to appreciate how much symbolism and craftsmanship is packed into these small charms. Recently, I stopped into the Leesle modern Hanbok shop in the vibrant Hongdae district of Seoul, Korea to make my own. It’s a little tassel with a lot of charm. If you like crafting and want to create your own unique souvenir from…
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The Most Unique Convenience Store In Hongdae: The Ramyun Library
For noodle aficionados and culinary adventurers alike, a new must-visit spot has emerged in Hongdae, Seoul. Already a super popular place to go, there are a ton of things to do in Hongdae and now eating Korean ramen in a convenience store is one of them. The CU convenience store chain has unveiled the Ramyeon Library. Shop til you drop in Hongdae and then hit up this Instagrammable spot for a quick bite on the go. The design of this convenience store is an innovative response to the evolving consumer habits and and major interest in ramyeon from not just Koreans but visiting tourists alike. Korean ramyeon has become super…
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Room Excape: An Escape Room In Seoul
Looking for something fun and maybe mentally-taxing for you and your friends while you’re in Seoul? Well, then trying out one of the many Seoul escape rooms in Hongdae is the way to go! We tried out Breakout Seoul recently and now it was time to try out Room Excape! At the white point address of Room Excape, my group and I decided to become astronauts for a day by delving into the B-POLLO-17 escape room. If you like escape rooms but don’t speak Korean, fear not, there are options. Get a group of friends together and have fun in Seoul this weekend at an escape room. Which theme would…
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Hongdae Seoul Guide: Best Things To Do, Shopping, Cafes & Nightlife
Hongdae is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Seoul for shopping, street performances, cafes, nightlife, and youth culture. Centered around Hongik University, the area is known for its creative energy, buskers, indie roots, and busy walking streets packed with fashion stores, restaurants, and things to do from morning until… well, the next morning. Hongdae is more than nightlife though, it’s one of the most energetic neighborhoods in Seoul and one of the most popular areas for visitors for good reason. I lived in the neighborhoods around Hongdae for more than a decade and watched it change a lot. It used to feel a bit more grungy and indie than…
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Sanrio Is Trending In Seoul: The Sanrio Cafes To Visit Now!
If you’re a fan of the company Sanrio and their many cute characters, then you’re in for a treat in Seoul right now. From the Sanrio Lover’s Club Café to the Cinnamoroll Cafe, there are pop-ups and more just for the Sanrio lovers out there. Though Sanrio is all about the most kawaii (cute) characters of Japanese pop culture, this trend is not just for children. People in the 20s are jumping on it too. It seems that nostalgia is trending in Korea and anything that is a couple decades old or older is coming back in with a fun and cute vengeance. Are you ready for the revival? Or…
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Best Brunch In Hongdae: Local Picks For Pancakes, Bagels and Build-Your-Own Sets
Brunch places galore. It seems like that’s what the Hongdae vicinity has become, and it’s pretty stunning to me because I’ve been living in the area for the past nine years and for most of that time, good brunch spots were nearly impossible to find. A few would pop up and then disappear. Now they are in full force, and deliciously so. If you’re in the area and want good food in the morning, I highly recommend coming over early, when the night crowd has skedaddled and the coffee drinkers have taken over. The streets feel different before noon in Hongdae and it’s one of my favorite ways to experience…
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The Oil Tank Culture Park: A Cool Regeneration Project In Seoul
A plot of land sitting across from World Cup Stadium and the World Cup Parks system in Seoul, Korea is home to a surprisingly cool urban reformation project. Now named the Oil Tank Culture Park (문화비축기지), this park is an eye-appealing, if you like that industrial look, and eco-friendly site that uses six old oil reservoir tanks that were transformed for public use. While this isn’t your standard tourist site, it is really intriguing to people interested in urban regeneration, but also of interest if you want to know where local events and performances are held in Mapo-gu. Looking for something interesting to see near Hongdae? Check out this spot:…
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Best Cafes In Hongdae: Themed Spaces, Great Coffee and Seoul’s Most Creative Neighborhood
Cafe hopping is one of the great pleasures of living in or visiting Seoul, and nowhere does it better than Hongdae. Known for its youthful energy, creative vibe, and streets that seem to reinvent themselves every few months, Hongdae is packed with themed cafes, beautifully designed coffee shops, dessert spots, and concept spaces that make it easy to spend an entire day just wandering from one to the next. The neighborhood has been a creative hub since Hongik University drew art students and musicians here decades ago, and that energy runs directly through its cafe culture. You won’t find the same polished minimalism you get in Gangnam or the traditional…
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The Trickeye Museum: Augmented Reality
[TRICKEYE in Hongdae is CLOSED] The Trickeye Museum in Hongdae, Seoul recently updated their already 3D fun space with augmented reality that literally brings the awesome paintings to life and I just had to see it for myself. While the paintings on the walls are the same as they were when I visited at the end of 2015 with my daughter who was just 1, they’ve been given new life with a new app that shows off the augmented reality of the paintings. For more pictures of the paintings, check out that older post about Trickeye revamped. Basic Info Address: 357-1 Seogyo-dong Mapo-gu, Seoul (서울 마포구 홍익로3길 20) Directions: Go to…
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Vineworks: Interactive Wine Tasting in Seoul
Looking for a wine bar in Hongdae? A great place to have a wine tasting in Seoul to learn about wines? When it comes to wine, Ian Ashworth is not only knowledgeable but he is super enthusiastic in making wine as approachable as possible and that’s why he founded Vineworks. If you’re on the lookout for a Seoul wine bar, Vineworks is a fabulous place to try different wines, learn about wine, and eat delicious food whether you’re going to an event or attending just for dinner with some friends. Learn about Vineworks, a Seoul wine bar that does tastings and more: (This post contains affiliate links, which means I…
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caFACE: A Selfie Obsession Of The Latte Variety
In a selfie obsessed world, why not dive in and start sticking that face on every other thing under the sun including the latte that you savor in the cafe up the road? I’m not anti selfie, do NOT get me wrong. I’ve been known to take a few. Hey, I took a selfie of myself holding a latte with a selfied photo of me in this here post. How often can one even do that? I dare say the chances are slim that most will ever be able to do this but if you’re in Seoul, then you’ve got better chances than most. A Seoul cafe with the sole…
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Yeonnam-dong Seoul Guide: Things To Do, Where To Eat, and the Best Cafes
Yeonnam-dong, a neighborhood near Hongdae (a hotspot for live music, bars, and a local busking scene), has quietly become one of Seoul’s most loved areas to wander. The first six years I lived in the area, it was under construction and no one wanted to cross the street to walk the area. That all changed when Gyeongui Line Forest Park opened. Locals quickly nicknamed it Yeontral Park, a playful nod to New York’s Central Park, and suddenly Yeonnam-dong became a place people wanted to linger. Today, Yeonnam-dong is filled with cafes, restaurants, creative studios, and a long, thin green park where locals picnic, walk dogs, and rest between errands. If…
