Hongdae’s lively streets grew from the presence of Hongik University and its art community. Music venues, murals, and independent businesses echo that creative association, while the neighborhood’s history also shows how an arts district can change as wider crowds arrive.
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Hongdae’s soundscape can shift from a busker’s song to a club beat in the space of one block. That mix grew around Hongik University, which moved to Seoul in 1955 and became a center for art education.
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UpgradeQuick facts
- Hongik University relocated to Seoul in 1955.
- The area’s arts activity grew from the 1970s.
- A street-art exhibition was held here in 1993.
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