Seoul by Sound: LALAL.AI’s Playlist Guide to the City
3 Seoul districts, 3 distinct moods: Itaewon’s multicultural energy, Hongdae’s creative pulse, and Apgujeong’s understated luxury explored through local stories, favorite spots & curated playlists by LALAL.AI.
Itaewon • Hongdae • Apgujeong / Three Districts, Three Rhythms, One City
Seoul isn’t a city of one rhythm; it’s a mix of frequencies, layered like a playlist that shifts mood as you walk from one subway station to another. Some districts hum in youthful chaos, others glide in refined elegance, while a few pulse in beautifully blurred textures of culture and contrast.
That is the vision behind the LALAL.AI Seoul Neighborhood Playlist Series: matching each iconic district with a curated soundscape that captures its energy, history, and emotional temperature.
This edition features three districts: Itaewon, Hongdae, and Apgujeong. Each one distinct, each one alive, each with its own playlist.
So plug in, scroll down, and let Seoul’s neighborhoods speak to you in music.
Itaewon – Seoul’s Bellybutton: Where the World Meets the City
If you look at a map of Seoul, Itaewon sits almost exactly where a bellybutton would be. And honestly? It feels like one, a warm center where everything flows in, flows out, mixes, and somehow finds its own rhythm.
From the beginning, Itaewon was shaped by travelers and outsiders. In the Goryeo era, it was a horse-changing stop. In Joseon, it became a hub for foreign envoys, merchants, and guests. Even its name carries stories, some say it refers to pear trees, others to children of various origins who grew up in the neighborhood after the Imjin War.
After the U.S. military established its base in Yongsan post-1945, Itaewon transformed again. Bars, markets, jazz clubs, and late-night streets stitched together an identity that was equal parts neon, nostalgia, freedom, and heartbreak.
Today, Itaewon doesn’t just host cultures, it embodies them.It is Seoul’s most expressive neighborhood. Multicultural. Queer-friendly. Open-hearted.
Where else can you wander from Turkish delight to British brunch, pray at the Seoul Central Mosque, catch a jazz show, and grab Mexican tacos all in one night?
Team LALAL.AI’s Personal Picks: Places That Feel Like Itaewon
Here are five spots that hold Itaewon’s true essence: expressive, eclectic, human:
SCR (Seoul Community Radio) – DJ Bar
Organic vibes, diverse crowd, and consistently some of Seoul’s best underground DJ sets. The soundtrack of real Itaewon.
Also! Check their YouTube Live Sessions:
Grain House – Club & Bar
Underground parties, hidden artists, deep energy. Pure nightlife soul.
Itaewon Books
Global, nostalgic, intimate — a space that feels like reading the neighborhood itself.
Alpedo – Turkish Delight
A tiny mood lift in a single sweet bite.
Lavieen Coco – Custom Chocolate & Hot Cocoa
Warmth, nostalgia, and chocolate craftsmanship — especially magical on freezing Seoul nights.
Like Itaewon, our playlist has no single genre. It blends beautifully mismatched sounds — and somehow, it all works.
🎧 → Listen to the Playlist and let Itaewon set your rhythm
Hongdae — Seoul’s Creative Pulse: Where Youth and Music Never Sleep
If Itaewon is where cultures meet, Hongdae is where creativity is born.
Named after Hongik University, home to one of South Korea’s most prominent Fine Arts programs, Hongdae grew from an arts district to the beating heart of indie music, street culture, and Seoul’s underground scene.
In the 90s, cheap rents attracted students, dreamers, and experimental musicians. Soon, studios doubled as performance venues; alleyways became stages. Bands like Sister’s Barbershop, Crying Nuts, Peppertones, and Jaurim shaped the early sound of modern Korean indie.
And yes, Hongdae is where Korea’s underground club scene took its first confident steps. Rappers like Loco and Gray walked these streets long before billboards did.
Even after gentrification, Hongdae still carries its rebellious pulse: graffiti walls, street dancers, buskers, jazz cafés, and live music basements that never sleep.
Writer’s Picks: Places That Feel Like Hongdae
Here are some local favorites that capture Hongdae’s creative soul — hidden gems for wandering, listening, and living slowly:
Unplugged - Music Café with two dogs
Good playlists, cozy atmosphere, mini music & art book library — and two adorable baristas (with tails).
Tomoto Curry Haven
Comfort food that tastes like a warm hug after dancing all night or painting all day.
Hooligan - Brunch & Coffee Spot
Elegant aesthetics, smartly crafted lattes, and the sort of sunlight that begs for acoustic guitar.
White Rabbit - Authentic French Restaurant
Hidden, intimate, and perfect for an artsy date night.
Carousel Experimental Cocktail Bar
Part chemistry, part performance, all flavor.
Hongdae breathes creativity — in paint, in rhythm, in neon. It’s not just a destination — it’s a movement.
🎧 → Hear the pulse: Hongdae Playlist by LALAL.AI
Apgujeong — Where Luxury Meets Rhythm
If Hongdae is painted in neon and spray paint, and Itaewon in layered textures, Apgujeong is finished in marble gloss and late-afternoon champagne.
Located in Gangnam-gu, Apgujeong is often described as Seoul’s most high-end residential and lifestyle district. But beneath its polished façade lies a story of history, aspiration, and curated beauty.
From Seagulls to Style
Apgujeong traces its name to a Joseon-era pavilion built by scholar Han Myŏnghoe. Its Hanja (鷗亭洞) translates to “Seagull Pavilion”, symbolizing balance, contemplation, lightness — a space for quiet perspective.
Centuries later, the seagulls are gone, but the sense of elegant aspiration remains.Apgujeong isn’t fast — it glides. It isn’t loud — it whispers in style.
The Fashion Triangle: Where Seoul Walks in Style
Apgujeong Rodeo Street, Cheongdam Fashion Street, and Garosu-gil form what many call Seoul’s Golden Triangle of Style.
These aren’t just shopping districts; they’re stages for self-expression — filled with gallery-lit cafés, minimalist dessert studios, private Pilates clubs, fragrance labs, and boutiques that look more like architectural exhibits.
It’s refined, but not unkind. Quiet, but not cold. Expensive—yet welcoming, if you know where to look.
Places That Feel Like Apgujeong’s Soundtrack
Our team didn’t curate a full luxury tour (we’re manifesting that black card moment), but we did gather three spots that feel like songs:
Corte Studio
Think velvet lighting, smooth R&B, groovy bass, and subtle hip-hop vibes — like stepping into a 2000s neo-soul music video. An upscale lounge, not a club. Mood: Wear black, think slow, feel grown.
Taco
Even elegance needs good tacos. Honest, flavorful, and best enjoyed with tequila cocktails and slow jam playlists.
Panid M. Moony
Soft sunlight, Parisian pastel tones, and delicate pastries. Quiet luxury, without pretentiousness.
So, What Does Apgujeong Sound Like?
Not EDM. Not indie coffeehouse.Apgujeong sounds like silk R&B, 90s groove, emotional slow jam, smooth vocals.Artists like Kaytranada, Crush, Miguel, GSoul, Aaliyah.
It’s whisper elegance. Velvet energy. Low BPM confidence.
🎧 → Listen to the Apgujeong Playlist on Spotify
Apgujeong is not just a place. It’s a feeling.
To sum it up, each district has a different rhythm, but together, they create a soundtrack of Seoul — layered, evolving, alive.So, Explore more of our Seoul Neighborhood Playlist Series on Spotify. Follow LALAL.AI for curated vibes, local stories, and sound-driven Seoul
Stay tuned. Stay groovy. Stay music.
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