Short answer: Myeong-dong is the most central base — on average about 15 min by subway to Gyeongbokgung, Myeong-dong, Hongdae, Gangnam and DDP. Hongdae is quickest from Incheon Airport by train, and Jongno · Insa-dong has the most bars on the doorstep. Below, 13 neighborhoods compared with numbers from Seoul’s public licence registers (2026-10-03).
Key facts — As of 2026-10-03 · Seoul lodging licences, national store register, subway timetables
- Among 13 Seoul neighborhoods compared on koreankorea.com, Myeong-dong is the most central by subway: about 15 minutes on average to Gyeongbokgung, Myeong-dong, Hongdae, Gangnam and DDP.
- Hongdae is the quickest of these neighborhoods to reach by train from Incheon Airport Terminal 1: about 56 minutes with no change.
- Myeong-dong has the most licensed hotels within 1 km of its station (55), according to Seoul’s lodging licence register.
- Hongdae has the most hostels and licensed homestays within 1 km (24 hostels, 1,288 homestays).
- Jongno · Insa-dong has the most pubs and bars within 500 m of its station (229) in the national store register.
Pick by what matters to you
| If you want… | Neighborhood | Why (the number) |
|---|---|---|
| Closest to the main sights | Myeong-dong | about 15 min on average by subway to Gyeongbokgung, Myeong-dong, Hongdae, Gangnam and DDP |
| Quickest by train from Incheon Airport | Hongdae | about 56 min from Terminal 1, no change |
| Most airport limousine bus routes | Gangnam | 8 routes stop there (6009, 6006, 6017, 6500, 6600) |
| The biggest choice of hotels | Myeong-dong | 55 licensed hotels within 1 km of the station |
| Hostels and homestays | Hongdae | 24 hostels and 1,288 licensed homestays within 1 km |
| Nightlife on the doorstep | Jongno · Insa-dong | 229 pubs and bars and 1 dance club within 500 m |
| Quieter evenings, still plenty of hotels | COEX · Samseong | fewest pubs and bars within 500 m (15) among areas with 10+ hotels |
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13 neighborhoods side by side
Sorted by average subway time to the five places most visitors go. Hotels include tourist, small and family hotels; homestays are licensed “urban homestays for foreign tourists” — the legal home-stay category.
| Neighborhood | Subway to 5 main sights (avg) | From Incheon by train | Airport bus routes | Hotels · hostels · homestays (1 km) | Pubs & bars (500 m) | Convenience stores (500 m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Myeong-dong | 15 min | 71 min | 3 | 55 · 95 · 192 | 35 | 44 |
| Dongdaemun | 16 min | 75 min | 5 | 20 · 101 · 157 | 31 | 38 |
| Jongno · Insa-dong | 16 min | 73 min | 2 | 41 · 126 · 33 | 230 | 48 |
| Seoul Station | 16 min | 62 min | 4 | 14 · 20 · 292 | 27 | 30 |
| City Hall · Deoksugung | 19 min | 69 min | 2 | 47 · 55 · 25 | 50 | 46 |
| Hongdae | 22 min | 56 min | 2 | 11 · 24 · 1,288 | 159 | 61 |
| Sinchon · Ewha | 23 min | 64 min | 2 | 6 · 26 · 696 | 154 | 54 |
| Itaewon | 24 min | 74 min | 1 | 6 · 4 · 197 | 154 | 23 |
| Yeouido | 28 min | 73 min | 1 | 6 · 0 · 15 | 60 | 33 |
| Seongsu | 28 min | 93 min | 1 | 3 · 7 · 144 | 38 | 39 |
| Gangnam | 30 min | 100 min | 8 | 14 · 8 · 66 | 100 | 61 |
| Jamsil · Lotte World | 36 min | 102 min | 4 | 9 · 2 · 50 | 1 | 32 |
| COEX · Samseong | 38 min | 107 min | 4 | 10 · 6 · 40 | 15 | 39 |
Myeong-dong or Hongdae?
| Myeong-dong | Hongdae | |
|---|---|---|
| Subway to the 5 main sights (avg) | 15 min | 22 min |
| From Incheon Airport by train | 71 min | 56 min |
| Airport limousine bus routes | 3 | 2 |
| Licensed hotels within 1 km | 55 | 11 |
| Hostels within 1 km | 95 | 24 |
| Licensed homestays within 1 km | 192 | 1,288 |
| Pubs, bars & clubs within 500 m | 35 | 159 |
| Cosmetics shops within 500 m | 142 | 86 |
Each neighborhood in numbers
Myeong-dong
Subway from Myeong-dong: Gyeongbokgung ~17 min · Myeong-dong (you’re there) · Hongdae ~18 min · Gangnam ~35 min · DDP · Dongdaemun ~7 min.
From Incheon Airport: train about 71 min with 1 change · limousine bus 6001, 6701, 6015.
Within 1 km of the station: 55 licensed hotels, 95 hostels, 192 homestays for foreign tourists, 234 motels and inns, 82 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 44 convenience stores, 42 pharmacies, 4 laundries, 35 pubs and bars.
Dongdaemun
Subway from Dongdaemun: Gyeongbokgung ~17 min · Myeong-dong ~7 min · Hongdae ~22 min · Gangnam ~36 min · DDP · Dongdaemun (you’re there).
From Incheon Airport: train about 75 min with 1 change · limousine bus 6002, 6001, N6701, 6702, N6002.
Within 1 km of the station: 20 licensed hotels, 101 hostels, 157 homestays for foreign tourists, 159 motels and inns, 89 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 38 convenience stores, 16 pharmacies, 6 laundries, 31 pubs and bars.
Jongno · Insa-dong
Subway from Jongno · Insa-dong: Gyeongbokgung ~8 min · Myeong-dong ~13 min · Hongdae ~20 min · Gangnam ~31 min · DDP · Dongdaemun ~7 min.
From Incheon Airport: train about 73 min with 1 change · limousine bus 6002, 6011.
Within 1 km of the station: 41 licensed hotels, 126 hostels, 33 homestays for foreign tourists, 215 motels and inns, 132 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 48 convenience stores, 15 pharmacies, 6 laundries, 230 pubs and bars.
Seoul Station
Subway from Seoul Station: Gyeongbokgung ~18 min · Myeong-dong ~7 min · Hongdae ~9 min · Gangnam ~37 min · DDP · Dongdaemun ~11 min.
From Incheon Airport: train about 62 min · limousine bus 6002, 6001, N6701, 6702.
Within 1 km of the station: 14 licensed hotels, 20 hostels, 292 homestays for foreign tourists, 89 motels and inns, 18 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 30 convenience stores, 10 pharmacies, 2 laundries, 27 pubs and bars.
City Hall · Deoksugung
Subway from City Hall · Deoksugung: Gyeongbokgung ~16 min · Myeong-dong ~14 min · Hongdae ~14 min · Gangnam ~38 min · DDP · Dongdaemun ~11 min.
From Incheon Airport: train about 69 min with 1 change · limousine bus 6005, 6701.
Within 1 km of the station: 47 licensed hotels, 55 hostels, 25 homestays for foreign tourists, 163 motels and inns, 46 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 46 convenience stores, 17 pharmacies, 3 laundries, 50 pubs and bars.
Hongdae
Subway from Hongdae: Gyeongbokgung ~29 min · Myeong-dong ~18 min · Hongdae (you’re there) · Gangnam ~43 min · DDP · Dongdaemun ~22 min.
From Incheon Airport: train about 56 min · limousine bus 6002, N6002.
Within 1 km of the station: 11 licensed hotels, 24 hostels, 1,288 homestays for foreign tourists (1,427 rooms), 28 motels and inns, 10 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 61 convenience stores, 22 pharmacies, 12 laundries, 159 pubs and bars.
Sinchon · Ewha
Subway from Sinchon · Ewha: Gyeongbokgung ~26 min · Myeong-dong ~16 min · Hongdae ~6 min · Gangnam ~46 min · DDP · Dongdaemun ~19 min.
From Incheon Airport: train about 64 min with 1 change · limousine bus 6002, 6018.
Within 1 km of the station: 6 licensed hotels, 26 hostels, 696 homestays for foreign tourists (566 rooms), 94 motels and inns, 10 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 54 convenience stores, 33 pharmacies, 21 laundries, 154 pubs and bars.
Itaewon
Subway from Itaewon: Gyeongbokgung ~26 min · Myeong-dong ~20 min · Hongdae ~21 min · Gangnam ~35 min · DDP · Dongdaemun ~19 min.
From Incheon Airport: train about 74 min with 1 change · limousine bus 6702.
Within 1 km of the station: 6 licensed hotels, 4 hostels, 197 homestays for foreign tourists, 13 motels and inns, 3 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 23 convenience stores, 5 pharmacies, 2 laundries, 154 pubs and bars.
Yeouido
Subway from Yeouido: Gyeongbokgung ~33 min · Myeong-dong ~27 min · Hongdae ~20 min · Gangnam ~33 min · DDP · Dongdaemun ~27 min.
From Incheon Airport: train about 73 min with 1 change · limousine bus 6019.
Within 1 km of the station: 6 licensed hotels, 0 hostels, 15 homestays for foreign tourists, 14 motels and inns, 1 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 33 convenience stores, 26 pharmacies, 0 laundries, 60 pubs and bars.
Seongsu
Subway from Seongsu: Gyeongbokgung ~31 min · Myeong-dong ~25 min · Hongdae ~35 min · Gangnam ~32 min · DDP · Dongdaemun ~16 min.
From Incheon Airport: train about 93 min with 2 changes · limousine bus 6013.
Within 1 km of the station: 3 licensed hotels, 7 hostels, 144 homestays for foreign tourists, 17 motels and inns, 6 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 39 convenience stores, 16 pharmacies, 6 laundries, 38 pubs and bars.
Gangnam
Subway from Gangnam: Gyeongbokgung ~36 min · Myeong-dong ~35 min · Hongdae ~43 min · Gangnam (you’re there) · DDP · Dongdaemun ~36 min.
From Incheon Airport: train about 100 min with 3 changes · limousine bus 6009, 6006, 6017, 6500, 6600, 6020.
Within 1 km of the station: 14 licensed hotels, 8 hostels, 66 homestays for foreign tourists, 26 motels and inns, 15 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 61 convenience stores, 56 pharmacies, 10 laundries, 100 pubs and bars.
Jamsil · Lotte World
Subway from Jamsil · Lotte World: Gyeongbokgung ~45 min · Myeong-dong ~39 min · Hongdae ~49 min · Gangnam ~19 min · DDP · Dongdaemun ~30 min.
From Incheon Airport: train about 102 min with 3 changes · limousine bus 6200, 6705A, 6006, N6703.
Within 1 km of the station: 9 licensed hotels, 2 hostels, 50 homestays for foreign tourists, 32 motels and inns, 3 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 32 convenience stores, 22 pharmacies, 5 laundries, 1 pubs and bars.
COEX · Samseong
Subway from COEX · Samseong: Gyeongbokgung ~48 min · Myeong-dong ~44 min · Hongdae ~52 min · Gangnam ~11 min · DDP · Dongdaemun ~35 min.
From Incheon Airport: train about 107 min with 3 changes · limousine bus 6103, 6006, N6703, 6703.
Within 1 km of the station: 10 licensed hotels, 6 hostels, 40 homestays for foreign tourists, 14 motels and inns, 5 serviced residences. Within 500 m: 39 convenience stores, 14 pharmacies, 3 laundries, 15 pubs and bars.
What these numbers do not tell you
Prices, noise in a particular street, and how a hotel looks are not in any public register — check reviews for the property you pick. Seoul is large: a hotel 900 m from the station is a 12-minute walk.
Plan the rest
Incheon Airport to your neighborhood — bus numbers and fares · Route finder: subway, bus, taxi · Trip cost calculator · What’s near me
✈️ Incheon Airport → Seoul🚦 Subway vs bus vs taxi🧮 Trip cost calculator📌 What’s near me🚇 Subway map
FAQ
Where should I stay in Seoul for the first time?
If you want short rides to the places most visitors go, Myeong-dong has the lowest average subway time to Gyeongbokgung, Myeong-dong, Hongdae, Gangnam and DDP (about 15 min). If an easy airport trip matters more, Hongdae is the quickest by train from Incheon (about 56 min). The table above compares 13 areas side by side.
Is it better to stay in Myeong-dong or Hongdae?
Myeong-dong is closer on average to the main sights (15 vs 22 min by subway) and has more licensed hotels nearby (55 vs 11). Hongdae has far more pubs and bars within 500 m (159 vs 35) and more hostels and homestays. Both have direct airport transport.
Is Airbnb legal in Seoul?
Short stays for foreign tourists in a resident’s home are licensed in Korea as "urban homestay for foreign tourists" (외국인관광 도시민박업). Seoul’s public register lists 7,374 of them operating (data 2026-10-03). Before you book a private home, ask the host for the registration.
Which area of Seoul is closest to Incheon Airport?
Hongdae is the quickest by train from Terminal 1 (about 56 min on our estimate). Areas along the AREX airport line — Hongdae and Seoul Station — need no change.
How are these numbers counted?
Hotels, hostels, homestays, motels and residences are the businesses operating in Seoul’s public licence registers within 1 km of each area’s subway station. Pubs, bars, convenience stores and pharmacies come from the national small-business store register (500 m). Subway times are our estimate from the station network (±10 min), not a timetable. We have not stayed in or rated any of them.
Sources (checked 2026-10-03): Seoul Open Data — tourist accommodation licences (LOCALDATA_031101) · Seoul Open Data — lodging licences (LOCALDATA_031103) · Seoul Open Data — urban homestays for foreign tourists (LOCALDATA_031104) · SEMAS — national store register · Incheon Airport — limousine bus information. Rules and prices change — the official page wins if it differs. Page rebuilt 2026-10-07.
