Seongsu, Seoul
Seongsu is a trendy part of Seoul that attracts the young and hip
Formerly an industrial area, it’s now becoming a hub for cafes and fashion
It’s called the “Brooklyn of Seoul”
With roughly 9.5 million people, almost 1/5 of the country’s population, Seoul is the primary destination in South Korea.
Like any large city, there are multiple areas that have a strong appeal to them, and one of Seoul’s is Seongsu due to its “newtro” (new + retro) vibe.
If doing a little bit of shopping and exploring the amazing local cafe culture sounds like it’s your thing, you’ll want to visit this area. I’ve been fortunate to visit Seoul a few times now, and Seongsu has become one of my favorite places in the city.
How to get there
The main station is Seongsu Station, and it’s accessible on Seoul Subway Line 2. The line also hits other popular stations such as Gangnam, Euljiro 3(sam)-ga, Euljiro 4(sa)-ga, Dongdaemun History & Culture Park and others.
Seongsu
One of the things that’s immediately noticeable when arriving at Seongsu is that it doesn’t feel like a place that was meant to become a popular destination.
The main station is on the smaller side, there aren’t many tall, modern buildings, and the streets themselves are far from being the most well-maintained in the city.
Seongsu is traditionally an industrial area known for making shoes and other goods. On the surface, this is how most of the area looks even now, but open the doors to a few of these buildings and you may be surprised.
On the other side of many of these industrial facades are restaurants and cafes. I’ve been to a couple of great ones (introduced near the bottom of this page), and they’re absolutely worth visiting. The interiors have been gutted and machinery and workers have been replaced with artistic interiors, delicious smells and people socializing.
Shopping is also a popular thing to do here as there are a few shopping complexes and boutiques.
I visited Seongsu in 2019 and then again in 2023, and its rise in popularity could be felt.
Here are a few places I’ve visted:
Seongsu Yeonbang
Once a chemical plant, the building was renovated and repurposed to become a shopping and dining complex. Most of the stores surround a courtyard which acts as the main entrance.
One of the notable stores is Thingool Market, a lifestyle shop on the first floor that carries everything from fashion accessories to home interior items and dishes. It’s a good one-stop shop if you’re looking to bring back something for yourself or a friend from your trip to Seoul.
LCDC
What is now a modern commercial complex was once an auto repair shop and shoe manufacturing company. It’s pretty difficult to see any traces of them, and what was probably a place full of blue collar workers seemed to be a gathering place for the hip and modern.
A cafe with outdoor seating in the courtyard is on the first floor with some trendy fashion and lifestyle shops upstairs. There’s also a open hangout area at the top, which is also directly accessible from a stairway that goes down to the street corner. This provided a decent spot to do some people watching down below.
Boutiques
Just going for a stroll around Seongsu will lead you to come across interesting boutiques and people.
Being that it’s a trendy neighborhood, you will find a lot of locals dressed up in the latest fashion and a bunch of shops to browse. Here are a few sights from Seongsu:
Cafe Onion
Possibly the hippest cafe chain in the city with locations that are converted old buildings. Their spot in Seongsu is in a gutted 1970s building that served as a former factory.
Cafe Onion Seongsu manages to balance old and new perfectly, and in doing this, makes for an extremely photogenic hang out. There are multiple seating areas, nooks and a rooftop as well. Their coffees and artisanal, homemade pastries and baked goods are tasty.
Great place to stop by when exploring the area and to take pictures.
Grandpa Factory
Built in an old factory, Grandpa Factory has three floors and outdoor seating so you can enjoy a meal, coffee or alcohol.
This cafe is known for its appearance in popular drama, “Vincenzo”, but its vibe and overall atmosphere does itself justice.
With ample seating inside and outside, including a literal treehouse space, Grandpa Factory not only has good food and drinks but it also showcases how old buildings can be successfully repurposed and utilized.
This was a great place that you’re sure to like.
KEEP IN TOUCH:
One of Seoul’s most trendy neighborhoods, nicknamed the “Brooklyn of Seoul”.