HONGDAE STREET
The Hongdae area is known as a trendy cafe and nightlife area for students and is well known for its indie scene, urban street arts, and underground musicians. Many known bands like Jaurim, Crying Nut and Peppertones are from this street and started as indie bands. The area provides street art festivals and performances, as well as music concerts by independent artists and mainstream entertainers.
Under the influence of Hongik University (Hongdae) which is well known for its prestigious art college, the neighborhood was built on a foundation of artistic souls since the 1990s. In the early days, thanks to then-cheap rent, budget musicians and street artists started moving into the ateliers of the Hongdae area. Many have transformed now into cafes or live music venues and the area has a reputation as the mecca of urban arts and underground club culture.[1]
Like other multi-cultural metropolitan areas, Hongdae Street is undergoing gentrification. However, despite the recent explosion of upmarket brand shops that pushes artists to move toward the southern area near Hapjeong Station, the street still enjoys a reputation as the city's prime spot for indie musicians. Many live music venues and festivals draw revelers from a wide range of visitors.[2][3] YG Entertainment, the major K-pop agency is also located near the street.[4]
