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A New Shopping Route on the Hills of a Wealthy Enclave
Hannam-dong in Yongsan District, Seoul, has long been known as an affluent neighborhood home to embassies and luxury residences. Lately, however, the gaze of fashion lovers visiting the area is drawn not to the residential streets, but to designer flagship stores, boutiques, and art spaces. A new shopping route is naturally forming along the steep hills and alleys of Hannam-dong, inviting people to explore emerging domestic brands in person.
The closest subway stop to Hannam-dong is Hangangjin Station on Line 6. That said, the main street has quite a steep incline; if you want to spare your legs, it is better to start from Exit 3 of Itaewon Station. Walking along Itaewon-ro offers a relatively gentler slope, allowing you to browse the brand boutiques one after another with ease.
The charm of this route goes well beyond the sheer number of shops. Hannam-dong is where you can see firsthand how homegrown brands—many of which first blossomed online and on social media—bridge the gap between their clothing and physical spaces. Distinct identities gather in one neighborhood, ranging from a womenswear boutique merged with a cafe, to a brand made famous by K-pop stars, to a shop born from a celebrity’s everyday style.
Similar to Seongsu-dong, But at a Different Pace
Seongsu-dong, which has grown into Seoul’s premier shopping and tourism district, has absorbed a massive share of pop-up stores and branded spaces. Its streets are packed on weekends as visitors flock to experience new product drops and limited-time events. The soaring popularity of Seongsu-dong proves that not only the shops selling goods, but the curated brand spaces themselves have become a core part of Seoul’s tourism appeal.
Hannam-dong shares similarities with Seongsu-dong in that domestic brands are clustered closely together. However, the visiting experience is much more relaxed. Rather than rapidly consuming large-scale pop-up events in one spot, it is more about wandering the hills and alleys to discover each brand’s permanent space. This is why Hannam-dong is emerging as an appealing alternative for travelers who want to focus on the clothes and the curation rather than navigating heavy crowds.
Calling this area simply the “next Seongsu-dong” obscures the real differences between the two neighborhoods. The essence of Hannam-dong lies in the physical convergence of emerging Korean designer brands, the K-pop stars who wear them, their online fanbases, and the founders’ personal tastes. Shoppers experience not just the merchandise, but the complete lifestyle and visual identity carefully built by each brand.
Open YY: Serving Coffee Alongside the Latest Collections
Open YY is a womenswear brand created by sisters Kim Ji-young and Kim Bo-young. At their Hannam-dong flagship store, visitors can check out the brand’s latest collections in person. Consumers who once viewed products merely through a screen can now immerse themselves in the physical arrangement of the garments and the overarching mood the brand offers, all in one cohesive space.
Inside the store, there is an in-house cafe serving specialty coffee. Instead of separating the shopping area from the lounging area, they are woven into a single visiting experience. Unlike standard retail shops where people buy items and leave quickly, this layout extends the dwell time, encouraging visitors to take a breather and fully absorb the brand’s vibe.
This approach beautifully captures the essence of the Hannam-dong shopping experience. Rather than hitting a single destination and leaving, the natural flow invites you to enjoy both the boutique and the cafe before strolling over to the next brand. Open YY’s space illustrates how Hannam-dong is evolving from a simple retail street into a neighborhood where you truly experience the worlds these brands have built.
Glowny: Cultivated by K-Pop and Social Media
Glowny currently stands as one of the most popular brands in Hannam-dong. Launched in 2020 by sisters Choi Jane and Choi Ji-ho, the label boasts a social media following of nearly 400,000. The spacious 660-square-meter Hannam flagship served as Glowny’s very first physical store, and the brand has since expanded with another location in Apgujeong.
Glowny’s signature items are its low-rise denim and basic T-shirts. The T-shirts, in particular, are famous for maintaining their fit even after multiple washes. By focusing on everyday basics you can wear on repeat rather than heavy embellishments, the brand leaves a distinct impression through tailored silhouettes and smart styling.
K-pop stars wearing their pieces have served as the vital link that makes Glowny recognizable to international visitors. IVE’s An Yu-jin has been spotted in Glowny, and aespa wore the Twinkle Miniskirt in their “Kiss and Tell” music video. Adding to their credentials, the founders were also featured in the Forbes “30 Under 30 Asia” list for the Retail and E-commerce category.
Àvie Muah: Born from Kang Min-kyung’s Everyday Style
Àvie Muah is helmed by Kang Min-kyung of the pop duo Davichi, and the brand opened its Hannam-dong location this past June. For years, Kang’s daily outfits have served as a go-to style reference for young Korean women. Her knack for showcasing wearable everyday combinations, rather than flashy stage costumes, naturally translated into genuine interest in her brand and its physical space.
Items that Kang wears on her personal YouTube channel often sell out immediately upon release. It is a seamless ecosystem where the founder’s content directly drives product sales. Consumers aren’t just picking items based on traditional ads; they watch how Kang pairs and wears the clothes in her daily life, then seek out those exact pieces to replicate the styling.
While Àvie Muah’s price points are on the higher side, it has secured a fiercely loyal fanbase. This underscores the fact that Hannam-dong’s brand street is not merely a destination for budget shopping. Visitors make nuanced decisions, weighing each brand’s price and design against the founder’s influence and whether the pieces genuinely fit into their own everyday lives.
Three Links That Make Hannam-dong a Destination
Open YY, Glowny, and Àvie Muah might share the same neighborhood, but their paths to growth are uniquely their own. Open YY emphasizes spatial experience by blending its collections with a cafe. Glowny taps into the power of everyday basics elevated by K-pop endorsements and a massive online following. Àvie Muah successfully translates Kang Min-kyung’s long-standing stylistic influence into a tangible retail space.
Exploring these three brands side-by-side reveals exactly why Hannam-dong is being hailed as the new epicenter for emerging K-fashion. Rather than cramming multiple labels into a corporate department store, individual founders and brands articulate their distinct identities within their own independent spaces. Visitors get a front-row seat to how Korean fashion is translating online clout and pop-culture influence into thriving brick-and-mortar stores.
Hannam-dong is not yet synonymous with the massive pop-ups and endless crowds of Seongsu-dong, and that difference is currently its greatest strength. Taking a leisurely stroll from Itaewon Station Exit 3 down the gentler slopes of Itaewon-ro, and taking your time to appreciate the clothes and spaces at each boutique, is the perfect way to experience the neighborhood. If you are hunting for fresh domestic brands on your next trip to Seoul, this quiet but dense creative hub is a highly practical choice.
Source: The Korea Herald “Gogo-ssing: Explore Korea” series, August 22, 2026.
