Check out the 10 Best Things To Do in Hannam in this local’s guide!
Hannam is a hip neighborhood in Seoul that has a low-key vibe with high-key boutiques. You’ll find all the hot Korean and global brand flagship stores here.
But wade through the winding streets of Hannam, and you’ll discover many hidden gems that make Hannam so charming for both fashion lovers and people who love to peruse cute neighborhoods, like me!
Here are my honest tips for the 10 Best Things To Do in Hannam!
Best Things To Do in Hannam
Best Hannam-dong Shopping
High-quality, stylish basics at RECTO
The hot high-end Korean brand, RECTO, has a flagship three-story showroom that’s totally worth the visit. The shop feels like a luxury apartment with minimalist, wooden decor with lots of light, and is beautifully decorated with stylish furniture and curved ledges.
You can experience the top-end of Korean style at RECTO. Perhaps you’ll leave with an authentically Korean souvenir from RECTO, in the form of their high quality basics.
I love all my pieces from RECTO, including a brown oversized coat, a black leather skirt, and a grey knit long-sleeve top. They fit so well, look stylish, and are made from great quality materials that don’t seem to get scuffed up.
Do note that the pieces from RECTO are on the pricier side. Their tops and sweaters are around 150,000 won (~110 USD) and their jeans are 250,000-300,000 won (~190-225 USD).
Hip-hop inspired men’s wear at WARPED.
WARPED is a hip-hop inspired apparel store with bumpin’ music and cool memorabilia hanging on its walls. Come in for a vibe. There’s lots of women’s fashion shops in Hannam, but WARPED has plenty of unique hip-hop and skater inspired men’s apparel, like graphic tees and long sleeves.
You can feel the influence of American culture at WARPED. There’s a large U.S. base in Itaewon, which is the neighborhood next door, which has been full of American-influenced bars and culture for a while. WARPED seems like a nod and continuation of that shared culture.
Trendy Japandi and Nordic-style goods at mmmg
MILLIMETER MILLIGRAM, stylized mmmg, is a home goods and stationary brand with a colorful but muted palettes, with goods designed with modern Korean, Japanese and Nordic sensibility and simplicity.
mmmg’s blocky calendars and funky leather wallets can add a splash of personality to your personal collection, or can serve unique, small gifts if you’re traveling. Run your hands through the beautiful pottery and enjoy the simple, rustic furniture from Japan.
When I was younger, mmmg’s stationary is what brought me in. What catches my eye even more now are their simple but statement home goods.
mmmg’s table calendar costs 14,000 won (~10.50 USD), and their mugs cost 24,000 won (~18 USD).
If you’re a fan of cool gift shops, you’ll love Seochon! Check out the 10 Best Things To Do in Seochon!
Funky 5-story COMME des GARCONS flagship store
Check out Comme des Garçons’ five-story flagship store in Seoul! You may recognize the Japanese brand from its iconic heart-shaped logo with two eyes. This flagship store represents to me what the in-person shopping experience is like in Korea: electric, interesting and fun!
Although I must admit that I don’t always buy stuff from the store, I do love browsing through it because all of the items are so beautifully laid. I love the futuresque silver displays and the iconic polka dot patterned walls.
For reference, Comme des Garçons’ logo-printed t-shirts cost around 95,000-125,000 won (~70-95 USD), and pants will set you back around 250,000-400,000 won (~190-300 USD).
Best Art & Culture in Hannam-dong
Traditional & Modern Art at Leeum Museum
Leeum Art Museum, created by the Samsung family (known for their Android phones and TVs/displays), is one of the leading art museums in South Korea with both traditional and modern Korean and international art. Leeum conveys culture in a modern and digestible way in a stunning venue. I would definitely recommend visiting the Leeum as it’s for sure one of Seoul’s leading art museums and cultural hubs.
You’ll have plenty of opportunity to learn about Korea’s long historical past, as Leeum’s collection includes 20 national treasures, including a gold crown from the 5-6th centuries.
But for those who enjoy modern art, don’t worry, the Leeum definitely isn’t one of those art museums that “gives museum.” Departing from its collection of Korean national treasures and historical objects, the Leeum also owns a bright blue Snow White dwarf sculpture by Paul McCarthy and an abstract digital media piece with 3D graphics by Korean artist, Yeom Ji Hye, among many other contemporary pieces.
The permanent collection is free to view, and the special exhibitions cost 18,000 won (~13.50 USD). You can reserve tickets online.
Best Hannam-dong Cafes
Spacious & art-filled Crate Coffee
Crate is a hidden gem of a cafe! You wouldn’t suspect that such a gigantic cafe would be nestled in Hannam-dong. Their coffee is delicious, as are the baked goods and cakes.
Walk in and take in the huge displays of art (next to the bottles of wine) that grace the main wall of the cafe. A long black island constitutes the coffee bar, where you can observe the baristas prepare your java.
While tons of light enters the huge floor to ceiling-style windows of Crate Coffee, the decor is a modern moody, with black walls that form a certain elegance paired next to the concrete pillars and ledges that form the bones of the cafe.
There’s tons of seating inside, including the long table near the entrance, as well as cozy nooks with individual tables toward the back. There’s also a second floor to this cafe. During the warmer months, check out the wooden outdoor patio.
You’ll find plenty of work-from-home folks, given the generous seating and plug situation, but you’ll also find couples, friends and family chatting away. Crate Coffee is also the perfect oasis to rest your tired legs from shopping.
Churros with melted chocolate dip at Bonilla a la vista
Try the perfectly crisped churros with chocolate dip at Bonilla a la vista. All the cool kids are digging the churros from this little cafe, nestled in a winding street with tons of trendy shops.
If you’re from America, churros might not be anything new, so I understand if you’d rather to skip this spot. But I think it’s a fun way to observe what the young Korean trend setters are into!
The decor of the cafe is also unique and not something you can find outside of Seoul. It’s got this sleek but almost brutalist minimalist look, with steel tables and counters that remind me of a (clean and well-kept!) industrial kitchen. There’s minimal seating indoors, so Bonilla a la vista is a great spot to grab a quick pick-me-up snack or coffee.
I would recommend you try the deep chocolate churros, which cost 8,000 won (~6 USD).
If you’re looking for more amazing cafes, check out the 20 Best Coffee Shops in Seoul!
Best Hannam-dong Food
Frozen pork belly BBQ at Nari’s House
Sure, you’ve heard for K-BBQ, but have you tried Nari’s pre-frozen grilled pork belly?
Nari’s House started the Korean method of freezing pork belly before grilling it. This freezing method makes the pork belly BBQ at Nari’s House chewier and retain less of the gamey flavor of pork.
Expect lines at this classic Korean favorite. While you’re there, try the cheonggukjang, which is a Korean stew made from a fermented soybean soup base (if you’re a fan of miso soup, then you might like this hearty and flavorful soup, too!).
How to get to Hannam-dong
Ready to check out Hannam? Take the subway to Hangangjin station. Of course, you can take the subway to Hannam station, but there’s more hip stuff around Hangangjin.
Do expect to walk around a bit to enjoy the big shops off of the large street, Itaewon-ro, as well as the nooks and crannies of Hannam’s smaller, hipper streets. Several stores do have parking spots, but if you are traveling, a mix of the subway and walking around will do the trick.
The distance from Hannam-dong to Itaewon is about 800m (0.5 mi), which is about a 15 minute walk.
For a comprehensive guide to getting around in Seoul, check out this article!
Best Things To Do in Hannam (Conclusion)
In this guide, we went over the 8 Best Things To Do in Hannam, which is the most hip neighborhood for high-quality and trendy shopping in Seoul!
- High-quality, stylish basics at RECTO
- Hip-hop inspired men’s wear at WARPED.
- Trendy Japandi and Nordic-style goods at mmmg
- Funky 5-story COMME des GARCONS flagship store
- Traditional & Modern Art at Leeum Museum
- Spacious & art-filled Crate Coffee
- Churros with melted chocolate dip at Bonilla a la vista
- Frozen pork belly BBQ at Nari’s House
Thanks for checking out my guide on the Best Things To Do in Hannam!
Looking for more interesting things to do? Check out the 10 Best Non-Touristy Things To Do in Seoul!
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