Myeongdong is the first-timer's choice - central, on metro Line 4 and served by the airport limousine bus. Hongdae is younger and has a direct AREX train with no transfer. In Busan, Seomyeon sits where metro lines 1 and 2 cross. Check-in legally requires a physical passport.
- Myeongdong (Jung-gu, Seoul) is the first-timer's choice - central, on metro Line 4, and served directly by the airport limousine bus.
- Hongdae (Mapo-gu) is the younger district, and the AREX All-Stop train reaches it from the airport with no transfer.
- In Busan, Seomyeon is where metro lines 1 and 2 cross - the obvious base if you arrive by KTX.
- Check-in legally requires a physical passport for scanning at any licensed hotel.
- Hotels normally take a card pre-authorisation for incidentals, released at checkout.
- In a private apartment you are expected to sort waste correctly - Korea's volume-based bag system is a legal requirement and the fines land on the host, who passes them on.
Which district
- Seoul - Myeongdong (Jung-gu) - the default first choice for families and first-time visitors: central, right by Line 4 stations, and on the airport limousine bus routes so you arrive without an interchange.
- Seoul - Hongdae (Mapo-gu) - the student and nightlife district. Its practical advantage is the AREX All-Stop train straight from Incheon with no transfer.
- Busan - Seomyeon (Busanjin-gu) - the city's transport crossroads, where metro lines 1 and 2 intersect, and an easy base if you have come down by KTX.
At check-in
- A physical passport is legally required for scanning at any licensed hotel. A photo of it is not enough.
- Expect a credit-card pre-authorisation to cover incidentals; it is released when you check out.
If you are in a private apartment
Waste sorting is a legal obligation, not a house rule. Korea runs a volume-based bag system: general waste, food waste and recyclables go into separate streams, food waste into designated paid bags. Get it wrong and the fine goes to the property, which will pass it to you. Ask the host which bags to use before you generate any rubbish.
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