Hongdae

If you live in Seoul, you know about Hongdae. It seems to have the best (and most) of everything--restaurants, shops, bars, clubs, you name it. When I first got here, I was turned off by the area, which is where Hongik University is located, because it seemed chaotic, loud and just a little too much.

But after a few more reluctant trips there, I've really grown to love it. There's so much going on that no matter when and how many times I go, I'm bound to find a new spot, which makes for quite the adventure.

This week, I went twice--once during the day and once at night. Both were equally fascinating. During the day, I took side roads that seemed to lead to nowhere, only to find myself in a quirky vintage store the size of your average closet. I stopped at gross and intimidating alleys that I'd usually pass, giving it one more chance and find myself quite enchanted with its imperfections.

[Succulents make me very happy]

[There are a ton of Ho Bars throughout Seoul...does anyone else see something wrong with this?]

[A second look can lead to unexpected satisfaction]

At night, I experienced a silent dance party at the well-known park, where people gather to hang out, listen to street performers and apparently, dance. The silent dance party went like this: everyone had wireless headphones on that were synced to the DJ's set. Thus, what appeared to the outsider was a massive group of people dancing wildly to silence. It was odd but I was enthralled.

Unfortunately, there weren't anymore headphones left so I asked a random person if I could have a listen to his headphones. He obliged and within seconds, my body was joining the others as the electro beats pulsed through the mini speakers. It was really awesome and if I had snagged a pair of headphones for myself, I would have probably danced all night. But alas, I had to give the pair back to the guy.

The rest of the night was dedicated to finding more streets, alleys and corners that made Hongdae that much more meaningful to me and my adventure.

You can view more photos here.

Until next time, bisous xoxo...