8 Days in Seoul, Part 1: Hongdae, Mangwon Market, Namsangol Hanok Village and Bib Gourmand Food

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Part 1 of our 8-day winter trip to Seoul: 3 days based in Hongdae, with Mangwon Market street food, crowffles at 79 Founyard, a hanok café, Namsangol Hanok Village and a Bib Gourmand dinner at Hwanggeum Kongbat. On Day 4 we went to Suwon for a night.

H and I went to Seoul in January 2022, one of our first trips after borders reopened (our last trip before the pandemic was also to Seoul!). We didn't plan much in advance, apart from a night in Suwon, so a lot was spontaneous, and H had bookmarked lots of places he'd wanted to try. As it was our umpteenth trip to Korea, we focused on new places.

Before you go (2026): Singapore passport holders don't need a K-ETA until 31 December 2026; fill in the free Korea e-Arrival Card online instead. Get a Korea eSIM and a T-money card, and take the AREX train to Hongik University Station for Hongdae. Prices and hours below are from our trip.

Day 1: Hongdae and Donsubaek

We stayed in Hongdae this time, as friends said Myeongdong had become very quiet with fewer tourists around. Read our Mercure Ambassador Seoul Hongdae review.

Donsubaek (돈수백)

Our first meal was dwaeji-gukbap (pork and rice soup) at Donsubaek: light but delicious, and even better on a cold winter night. Try the bossam pork, which comes with kimchi soup in the middle of the original pork soup. And it's very reasonably priced.

56 Hongik-ro 6-gil, Mapo-gu · open 24 hours when we went

After dinner we explored Hongdae, which was still lively, and bought supper back to the hotel.

Day 2: Mangwon Market and Cafés

Mangwon Market

We'd missed the street food on our last visit, so this time we tried all the popular snacks, even though the portions were big. Read our Mangwon Market guide for what to eat.

Mangwon Station exit 2, then a 7-minute walk · 10am to 9pm

79 Founyard

This bright Tiffany-blue building caught our eye while we were freezing outside. The vintage interior is cute and great for photos. The café specialises in crowffles (croissant waffles) in flavours like walnut, cranberry almond, classic butter, cheddar cheese and dirty choco. We had the walnut one and it didn't disappoint, and the coffee was better than some we had in Seoul. It was so memorable that H bought a waffle pan when we got home! It now has several branches; we went to the one near Mangwon Market.

79 World Cup-ro 13-gil, Mapo-gu · 11am to 11pm when we went

Ugly Bakery

We spotted a long queue outside Ugly Bakery near Mangwon Market and, being typical Singaporeans, joined it. The breads with cream cheese fillings look pretty but didn't live up to the hype: generous filling, but you get sick of it after a few bites, and the kaya buns at our HDB bakery are better. The scones are worth getting, though; the matcha and chocolate one was good warm.

Mangwon-dong, Mapo-gu · 12pm to 8pm, closed Mondays and Tuesdays when we went

Hongdae Dakgalbi

We had dinner at Hongdae Dakgalbi, a minute from our hotel. The staff were friendly and the service good. Unlike other places we'd tried, the dakgalbi came already cooked, so we only had to heat it. Tender and delicious, but I still prefer Okeunnae, from our 4-day Seoul itinerary.

31-10 Wausan-ro 21-gil, Mapo-gu · 11am to 11pm when we went

Day 3: Hanok Café, Namsangol and Hwanggeum Kongbat

Shinidoga (신이도가) hanok café

This pretty hanok café is hidden in an alley off Hongdae's main street. We loved the ambience, especially the fireplace, and it's great for photos. Unfortunately, the drinks and desserts were mediocre.

20-12 Jandari-ro, Mapo-gu

Namsangol Hanok Village

Namsangol Hanok Village is a small, quiet collection of traditional houses in the city centre, with N Seoul Tower as the backdrop. A nice place for a stroll, and free to enter.

28 Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu (Chungmuro Station) · closed Mondays

Dinner: Hwanggeum Kongbat (황금콩밭)

We went early for dinner at Hwanggeum Kongbat, a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick known for homemade tofu, and loved the food and service. The cheonggukjang (fermented soybean stew) didn't have a strong smell and was very flavourful, and the tofu pancake, a little like a potato pancake, was just as good. We're definitely bringing my parents next time. We're thankful to the ajumma who, worried we didn't know how to order, kept showing us how to enjoy each dish, even though we could barely understand each other.

9 Mapo-daero 16-gil, Mapo-gu · 11:30am to 3pm and 5pm to 9pm when we went

Days 4 and 5: Suwon

On Day 4 we took the train to Suwon for a night to see Hwaseong Fortress, the palace and the famous fried chicken street. Read our Suwon 2D1N itinerary. For more Seoul ideas, read our 5-day Seoul itinerary with parents and things to know before visiting Seoul.

FAQ

Is Hongdae a good area to stay in Seoul?

Yes, if you like a lively area with cafés, street food and nightlife. It's one stop from Mangwon Market and linked to the airport by the AREX train at Hongik University Station.

What should I eat at Mangwon Market?

Grilled pork patties, croquettes and doughnuts, fried chicken and hotteok. Nearby, try the crowffles at 79 Founyard.

Is Hwanggeum Kongbat worth it?

Yes. This tofu restaurant was a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick when we went; we loved the cheonggukjang and tofu pancakes, and the service was warm.

Can you do a day trip to Suwon from Seoul?

Yes. Suwon is 25 to 45 minutes by train from Seoul Station, but we recommend staying a night to see Hwaseong Fortress, the markets and the fried chicken street.