A beauty half-day in Hongdae: getting there and getting around

Getting there

Hongik University Station is where three lines meet: Seoul Subway Line 2, the Gyeongui–Jungang Line and the AREX Airport Railroad. From Incheon Airport, take the AREX all-stop train — the Express train runs non-stop to Seoul Station and does not stop at Hongik University. For reference, AREX lists 59 minutes from Seoul Station to Terminal 1 on the all-stop train; Hongik University is two stops closer to the airport than Seoul Station.

Two places to know

Gyeongui Line Forest Park (nicknamed "Yeontral Park") is a 6.3 km park built on an old railway line; its longest stretch runs through Yeonnam-dong. It starts near Exit 3. Many Yeonnam salons and nail shops are a short walk from it.

The "Street You Want to Walk" near Exit 8 is Hongdae's busking street, now part of the Red Road — the city's name for the roughly 2 km route linking Hongdae's main streets, about 25 minutes on foot end to end.

Planning appointments

Color and perm appointments can take three hours or more, personal color sessions typically one to one and a half hours, and head spas 30 to 90 minutes. It helps to book the longest appointment first. Leave margin between bookings: several shops treat arriving 10–15 minutes late as a no-show.

Each shop page lists the nearest station exit the shop itself gives, plus its Korean address to show a taxi driver.

Sources (checked Nov 2026): AREX Airport Railroad (station information, Express and all-stop train pages); Visit Seoul (Gyeongui Line Forest Park; Hongdae R2 "Street You Want to Walk"); Seoul Media Hub, 5 Sep 2024 (Red Road); shop listings for typical session lengths.