One day in Hongdae

It's easy to believe in the immense population of Seoul while strolling through the crowded streets of Hongdae on a Saturday afternoon. In the backyard of Hongik University, Korea's top fine arts and design school, pedestrians compete with endless lines of cars for the right-away; like a herd of farm animals on a country road. Trendy boutiques lining the narrow streets attempt to attract a crowd by setting up shop outside their front doors. Colorful scarves, jewelry, shoes, and clothing create traffic jams as people zig-zag from one table to the next while cars just barely squeeze by. During the day, the surrounding nightclubs are quiet and desolate as if they've been boarded up in anticipation of a storm, or deserted fifty years ago. Without the cover of night or walls of people, the graffitied exteriors of each building become focal points adding character to the already artistic neighborhood. 

Around the corner from the bars and nightclubs sits Children's Park. During the day, parents watch as their kids play on the colorful jungle gym and swing set. On Saturdays, the park transforms into a "Free Market" where University students and other artists set up tables and sell their work. Handmade jewelry, bags, shoes, keychains, books, and other unique crafts make perfect gifts if you can push past the crowds enough to look at the merchandise. In the evenings, the park transforms once again into a concert stage for aspiring musicians. The genre of music is never the same, but an audience always gathers for the free show. 

As night falls, the neon lights of Hongdae explode and people flood the neighborhood's many bars, restaurants, and dance clubs. Street vendors gear up for the new crowds and replenish their tables with more goods. Smells of hot spices and warm batter infuse the air and people line up in front of food carts for a late-night snack. Always alive, the free-spirited atmosphere in Hongdae is contagious and it's easy to see why the area is a favorite of so many people, myself included. 

Musical Performance at Children's Park:

This is an old video I've already posted, but it's from the same location in Children's Park. Because it's so entertaining, I feel okay about showing it again, and again, and again: