I stayed at the Lazy Fox Hostel in the Hongdae neighbourhood, a relaxed homely hostel with really friendly staff and a good mix of travellers. I did some research on the neighbourhoods using this simple tool from airbnb - this was a vastly useful way to choose the area that I wanted to stay in. You can pick and choose tags such as 'shopping', 'student life', 'famous for food' to find the right area. This helped me to pick Hongdae, which is well known for student life and creative fashion.
When I arrived, I spent my first afternoon getting to know the area. The thing that stood out the most was the long high street of sorts, packed full of independent fashion shops and places to eat. Dotted along the street were art murals and performers - groups of dancers with impeccable boyband hair, tastes of hiphop and a crowd pleasing sense of humour. All of this was only amplified when the sun went down, drawing huge crowds of young people lit up by the vibrant community.
I did a bit of shopping and fell in love with Korean style - feminine skirts and blouses with clean cuts that brought it forward in fashion, with pastel palettes and light fabrics. As in Hong Kong, shopping one-size-only stores was difficult - the average Korean dress is built for quite petite and slim frames, and many of the clothes would be too tight around curves. Still, there is something for everyone and a vast amount of choice.
That night, I met my roommates in the hostel and went for dinner with three Brazilian, Korean and Hong Kong girls. Along with dinner we swapped some drinking games and I learned how to drink soju - a delicious but dangerous fruity spirit - like a true Korean.
The next morning, I continued my shopping buzz and made my way to Ewha Womens University. This is a famous university known for its number of famous female graduates and sleek modern design, which smoothly slopes into the ground. Surrounding this is a total haven; incredible street food, and shops upon shops of fashion and modern skincare.
After this, I hopped on the subway and headed towards Dongdaemun, to have a look at the design plaza and find the Gwangjang markets - this however resulted in getting majorly lost until it was time to head back to Hongdae for dinner. Korean BBQ with an American from the hostel soon put things right, followed by a trip to a hidden little bar with more from the hostel. We were taken there by one of the volunteers - an excellent example of how Lazy Fox go out of their way to welcome you to the area.
The second part of my travel diary will hit on the beauty of Seoul's art culture, the history of Deoksugung palace, the manic Myeongdong street, and the peaceful views from the old city walls in Naksan art mural village. See you soon! x
All photos taken by Emily on a lovely little Canon EOS.
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