Hongdae Returns to Its "Post-Corona Peak"... Expecting the 'Red Road' Effect

Crowded Hongdae Street on the Afternoon of the 8th
Regaining Its Reputation as a Bustling Area Before COVID-19
Merchants: "Hope Red Road Creates Synergy Effect"

At 11 a.m. on the 8th, Hongdaeipgu Station was visited. Foreigners carrying suitcases as large as their bodies boarded the Airport Railroad and, upon hearing the subway announcement that they had arrived at Hongdaeipgu Station, began to line up at the doors one by one. The station was bustling not only with foreigners but also with Korean tourists pulling their suitcases, waiting for the elevator to the ground level.

On the morning of the 8th at Hongdaeipgu Station in the Seoul subway, domestic and international tourists are waiting for the elevator to the ground level carrying their suitcases. Photo by Seoyul Hwang chestnut@

With the lifting of COVID-19 social distancing measures, Seoul is bustling again. In particular, Hongdae, a representative tourist destination, is seeing a surge of foreigners, appearing to recover to its pre-COVID state.

According to the Seoul Open Data Plaza on the 10th, the number of passengers boarding Line 2 at Hongdaeipgu Station in April was 4,213,488. Considering that the number of passengers during the same period in 2019, before COVID-19, was 4,965,649, this shows a rapid recovery trend. During the same period, the numbers were 2,667,237 in 2020, 2,873,732 in 2021, and 3,290,859 last year. In fact, Hongdaeipgu Station, visited the day before, was noisy with a mix of languages including Korean, English, and Chinese, despite it being a weekday morning.

Along with the recovery from COVID-19, the 'Red Road' created on Hongdae Street is also having a positive effect on the local atmosphere. Mapo-gu Office has created a tourism-specialized street with a red-themed color scheme featuring anti-slip functions along approximately 2 km from Gyeongui Line Forest Trail to Hongdae Walking Street and Danginri Power Plant. Six zones from R1 (Red Retro Street) to R6 (Red Road Plaza) have been completed, and the R7 zone is scheduled to be finished next year. On the 13th of last month, a Red Road proclamation ceremony was held. A Mapo-gu Office official explained, "By connecting paths with similar colors, people can naturally stroll along Hongdae Street."

Domestic and international tourists are passing through the 'Red Road' R3 (Red Fashion Street) section located in Hongdae Street, Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Seoyul Hwang chestnut@

Kim Jeomdong (58, male), who runs a chicken restaurant in the R2 (Red Busking Street) section, said, "It seems to be the peak period since COVID," adding, "Sales have been on an upward curve for the past 5 to 6 months." Kim also said, "Visually, after the Red Road, the atmosphere has become lively as foreign tourists take photos on this street." Wang Guiseong (62, male), who operates a tanghulu (fruit candy) shop famous on social media in the R3 (Red Fashion Street) section, said sales have increased about tenfold compared to before COVID. Wang said, "As the road has become cleaner due to the Red Road, foreign tourists seem to really like passing through this street."

The number of vacant stores is also gradually decreasing. Lee Taejin, president of the Hongdae Small Business Merchants Association, said, "During the height of COVID, many merchants who could not endure closed their shops, resulting in many vacant stores," adding, "Since the beginning of this year, vacancies have been decreasing, and with the Red Road, there are no vacant stores anymore." Ko Jeonghyun (38, male), a real estate agent, explained, "I feel that the key money has increased by about 20-30%, and the vacancy rate is almost zero," adding, "It is too early to directly attribute this to the Red Road, but the increase in foot traffic has created a favorable atmosphere for merchants."

The section of Hongdae Street known as 'Red Road' R6 (Red Road Plaza) removed the existing public parking lot and created a pedestrian walkway. Photo by Hwang Seoyul chestnut@

However, some voices say that since the 'Red Road' was created recently, an adjustment period is needed. Lee Dongsin (56, male), who runs a restaurant in the R6 section (Red Road Plaza), said, "The original parking lot was removed, so reservation inquiries from customers using vehicles have decreased, and the age group of visitors has lowered, affecting some merchants." The R6 zone removed the existing public parking lot and created a pedestrian walkway for citizens. Lee added, "As a tourist special zone, it seems necessary to hold seasonal festivals or events to attract more visitors to Hongdae in the long term," and "Although it is still in the early stages, I hope the Red Road will bring good results for merchants." A Mapo-gu Office official said, "We are considering various measures such as creating seating areas, installing lighting, structures, and public restrooms."