Day 2: Hongik University/Hongdae

Day 2

>Hongdae/ Hongik University

Hongdae, Hongdae, what can i say. (did i just make a rhyme)

to reach the more busy streets in Hongdae, we took Exit #9 from Hongik University Station

i am totally in love with the vibe Hongdae (홍대) emits. Hongdae is young, its vibrant, ever bursting with culture and creative. cliche? maybe it is due to its urban arts and entertainment it is well known for. or it could be the prestigious art university it houses. whatever it is, i'm loving it.

Hongdae Free Market

- Hongdae Free Market is located at a playground (directions found here) and is held during the weekends. it is basically like a flea market with creative stuffs on sale. there are a few stalls which are unique (imagine customized snapbacks decorated with Lego) and they have a couple of caricature artists around too if you would like a unique souvenir to bring home from Seoul.

i really liked this one

but there were many others who were good at their art as well

x

the following picture was taken at the children's playground where these youths gathered around showing off their beat-boxing and rapping skills.

they were impressive and they were not the only ones.

x

street art + Gabriel = photo opportunity

x

the renowned Hongik University

x

heading back to the direction from where we came from, there is this 'performance' street where you can be an audience to several street performances (mostly by youths). it was a real eye opener. the amount of talent in South Korea is just amazing.

there was rapping and though i did not get a word as to what they were going on about, i could tell based on the reaction of their audience - they were an enjoyable duo 

x

videos of street performances heading your way...

x

street dancing

and more shopping

x

dinner was at *drumrolls*

i can vouch for this - they serve the best pork trotters i have ever tasted in my 20 years of life.

it was glorious - yes that is the word to use.

we had these gloves and i think we were supposed to chew on the bones 

and eat it like Seoeon and Seojun

....

x

further down the street towards the subway station, there were more shopping streets and even more street food. so super grateful to my friend Jinger who suggested i drop by at Hongdae at night for some (cheap) shopping and shopped we did!

street performer (?)

nah, it was the entrance to the Hongdae Trick Eye museum.

i read online that it is pretty worth visiting but we skipped it.

addictive chicken in a cup and churros icecream 

- my life is semi-complete.

x

Thoughts:

Hongdae was amazing. however, TBH i felt that the Free market (weekend flea market) was not as great as i imagined it to be. it is possible that i arrived there pretty late and some stalls may have already closed but upon my arrival, the number of booths open was pretty few. and the Free market (or rather the playground) is pretty far from the subway exit - there's a slope too. i would've spent more time in the streets located lower down. however, if its your first time in Seoul, no harm adding this to your itinerary. we spent the evening soaked up in street culture and it was great. 

FYI: still longing for the taste of that chicken-in-a-cup (i do not know its name ok).