Solo travel · Seoul · South Korea
Solo travel in Seoul
How to enjoy Seoul at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Seoul is excellent for solo travellers: well-lit streets busy until late, convenient public transport and a culture of solo dining (honbap) that has grown in recent years, though barbecue places still lean towards groups. Many solo travellers base themselves in Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong.
Key facts
- Base
- Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong
- Getting around
- Metro
- Emergency number
- 112 (police), 119 (fire and ambulance), 1330 (tourist helpline)
- Language
- Korean
Solo travel tips
- Look for restaurants with counter seats or single-portion menus; noodle shops, gukbap houses and convenience stores are easy solo options.
- Hostels and guesthouses in Hongdae, Jongno and Myeongdong are sociable and inexpensive.
- Join a free walking tour of the palaces or Bukchon to meet other travellers.
- Use Naver Map or KakaoMap for directions and Papago for translation.
- Carry a charged phone and T-money card for late returns; owl buses and taxis run after the subway closes.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for nightlife, budget, solo travellers and shopping
Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong
Around Hongik University, Hongdae is Seoul's youth and indie-music district, with street performers, live venues, clubs and inexpensive bars. Next door, Yeonnam-dong's Gyeongui Line Forest Park is a linear park along a former railway lined with cafés. Hostels and guesthouses are plentiful, and AREX trains run straight to Incheon Airport.
- Good
- Direct train to Incheon Airport; Good-value stays; Lively every night
- Watch out
- Noisy on weekends; About 25 minutes by subway from the palaces
- Nearby
- Gyeongui Line Forest Park, Mangwon Market, Hongik University
Great on your own
Palace · Jongno
Gyeongbokgung Palace
Visitors wearing hanbok, rented from shops near the gate, enter the palaces free; arrive early to photograph Gyeonghoeru before tour groups.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- Kids
Viewpoint · Namsan
N Seoul Tower and Namsan
Walk up through Namsan Park from Myeongdong in about 40 minutes, and stay for the city lights after sunset.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- Couples
- After dark
- Kids
Palace · Jongno
Changdeokgung and the Secret Garden
Spring blossom and late-October foliage are the best times for the Secret Garden.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Couples
- Nature
Neighbourhood · Jongno
Bukchon Hanok Village
This is a residential area with restricted visiting hours in its busiest lanes; keep voices low and avoid peering into homes.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- Couples
Street · Insadong
Insadong and Ssamziegil
Even international chains display their names in Korean script here — look for the Hangeul shop signs.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Art
- History
Architecture · Dongdaemun
Dongdaemun Design Plaza
Visit after dark, when the LED rose garden and the building's lit curves are most photogenic.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- After dark
- Photo spot
- Shopping
Meeting people
- Gwangjang Market food crawl — Graze through the market's central food alley: bindaetteok, mayak gimbap, yukhoe and kalguksu, eaten on benches beside the cooks.
- Pojangmacha night — Orange-tented street bars along Jongno 3-ga and around Euljiro serve soju, grilled fish and spicy stews to a mostly local after-work crowd.
- Hongdae — Live-music venues, clubs, street buskers and inexpensive bars around Hongik University, busiest on Friday and Saturday.
- Itaewon — International bars, craft beer and the LGBTQ+-friendly lanes of 'Homo Hill'.
Sensible precautions
Seoul has low street crime, but keep an eye on bags in crowded markets and nightlife areas. Check air-quality forecasts on fine-dust days in spring, and watch for flooding of underpasses during monsoon downpours.
- Emergency number
- 112 (police), 119 (fire and ambulance), 1330 (tourist helpline)
- Staying connected
- Free Wi-Fi is common on the subway, in cafés and public spaces; prepaid SIMs, eSIMs and pocket Wi-Fi are sold at Incheon Airport.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Seoul good for solo travellers?
Seoul is excellent for solo travellers: well-lit streets busy until late, convenient public transport and a culture of solo dining (honbap) that has grown in recent years, though barbecue places still lean towards groups.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Seoul?
Hongdae and Yeonnam-dong: University district of buskers, clubs, indie shops and cafés.