As a Seoul resident for 3+ years, I’m familiar both with the amazing convenience that Seoul’s integrated bus and subway system offers, but also how intimidating it can be at first. Especially when it comes to picking a place to stay!
If you look online most hip bloggers suggest that you should stay in the Hongdae or Gangnam areas for to the ‘scene’. The thing they don’t tell you is that they are in the far opposite corners of the city and not connected to the most convenient subway lines to see the top attractions. Most of these attractions are north of the Han River and those that are not are connected by the green subway line (Jamsil/Lotte Tower; Gangnam). While Hongdae is on the green line, it’s located in the northwestern corner of the city, with the above sites being located in the southeast corner of the city – making it a 45+ minute subway ride to get there. And on vacation 2 hour round trip is precious time wasted.
If you just intend on going out for just one night, I wouldn’t recommend picking your accommodation based on one evening, but consider the convenience of the trip at as a whole. An earlier end to the evening, staying out all night or getting a taxi (though that can be a bit hectic on a Friday night!) are all great solutions to getting back to your hotel after a night out. Taxis are not expensive compared to equally as developed western cities and the subway is open until about 11:45pm and reopens at 5:30am.
That brings us to Wangsimri.
Wangsimri has a nice selection of restaurants and cafes, so its far from a desert location to stay in.
Most importantly Wangsimri has one of the largest subway stations in South Korea – with 4 intersecting lines.
The Subway Lines & Tourist Sites
This is an underdog neighborhood, but one that has a lot of utility for a traveler who wants to see as much as they can throughout the city. So let’s consider these subway lines in reference to the bucket-list destinations on most traveler’s Seoul itinerary.
Zoom in and spend a little time studying the map. You will see it makes planning any trip a breeze.
The circle Green Line (line 2) can bring you directly to both Jamsil (Lotte Tower) and Hongdae. For those looking to party Hongdae, Gangnam and Itaewon are the go to spots. Itaewon, can be reached in 20 minutes by subway from the light green line, just a with a quick transfer at Sindang (신당). The other two party spots can be reached quickly though the other train lines (see below). Other tourist spots like Namsan Tower and Myeongdong can be reached in 20 minutes with a transfer to the light blue line (line 4), stopping at Myeongdong station.
The Yellow Line (“SB line or Suinbindang line”): heading south for a 6 stop and a quick transfer brings you Gangnam Station all in 20 minutes. If taken north one stop and transferring to line 1 (dark blue) it’s an easy trip north to Dobongsan Station (도봉산역) which is one of Bukhansan National Park‘s best hikes – Mt. Dobongsan.
The Purple Line (line 5) is only 5 stops and a quick transfer to the various palaces – but I would recommend getting off on the purple line “Gwanghwamun” (광화문) and walking through the giant memorial instead of transferring on the subway – this can be done in 15 minutes.
The Bluish-green Line (“GJ line or gyeongeijungang line”) offers quick access to the Han River / the Han River Park as well as Hongdae Station.
Lodging
For those staying in Wangsimri, I would recommend staying at Hotel Forestar. It’s a comfortable spot, not far from the subway station and would fall into an average travelers budget. For a lodging that is a step up and more apartment style with a nice city view, I would recommend staying at Boutique Nana.
Happy Exploring!
-Aurora
