The Kondae area in Seoul is a university district that is popular with young people and is famous for its shopping and nightlife. Let’s take a look at the top 10 things to do in Kondae if you’re going to study at Konkuk University.
10 things to do in Kondae as a Konkuk university student
Kondae district takes its name from Konkuk university, which is located in the area: Kon from Konkuk and Dae from daehakkyo, which means university. Keep reading to learn 10 things to do in Kondae as a Korean language student at Konkuk.
1. Shopping at the Common Ground
Among of the top things to do in Kondae a visit to the Common Ground (커먼 그라운드) is a must. This shopping centre is built inside large repurposed shipping containers. There are clothes, electronic accessory shops and very nice cafes. These containers have been repainted blue on the outside and many people take pictures of themselves with the containers as background, which is apparently very Instagrammable.
2. Snacking on the bungeo-ppang of the stalls
Passing by exit 2 of the subway station and heading towards the university along the main street (Neung-Dong-Ro, 능동로), you will find various street food stalls. Among them, there is always one selling bungeo-ppang (붕어빵), a Korean fish-shaped batter cake filled with red bean jam (pat, 팟) or cream (shu cream, 슈크림). It also comes in a small size and at a very low price (usually 1,000 won per piece, i.e. a little less than one dollar), so make the most of it and try both types!
3. Strolling around Seoul Children’s Grand Park
Continuing down Neung-Dong-Ro and going past the university, you’ll come to a very large park called Eorini Daegongwon (어린이대공원, also known by its English name Children’s Grand Park). Here you will find traditional style pavilions, art installations, a zoo and even a small amusement park. In addition, this park is very atmospheric in spring because of the cherry trees in bloom.
4. All-you-can-eat Samgyeopsal
If you get hungry, a must-try in Korea is the ‘all-you-can-eat’ samgyeopsal. In Korean, they do not use the English phrase ‘all-you-can-eat’, instead using the expression 무한리필 (muhanripil, i.e., literally, infinite refill). For those who don’t know, Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) is grilled pork belly, served raw and then cooked directly by diners on a grill in the middle of the table. It is excellent accompanied by soju (소주), the Korean spirit par excellence. Pork and other meats in Korea are very cheap compared to those in most Western countries, which is why you can afford to grill at 무한리필 without sacrificing quality. Of course, the quality at 무한리필 might not be as high as what you can find in regular restaurants, but this applies to any kind of food. In Kondae, we particularly recommend the restaurant 김덕후의곱창조 (Gimdeokhueui-gopchangjo).
5. Taking a break in a Comic & Book Café
One of the best things to do in Kondae and in Korea in general is to visit their Comic Cafés. They are cafés where you can, for an hourly rate of about two dollars, stay inside reading comics or books of all kinds provided by the venue, all while you dine. You can sit and read anywhere inside, from classic chairs with a table to beds with a built-in mini-desk. In Kondae, there is one such café right across from subway exit 6 and it is called 놀숲 (Nolsoop). It is easy to recognise because on the sign, just below the name, is the English wording ‘Comic & Book Café’.
6. Walking along the Han River
Not far from Kondae but within easy walking distance is one of the many Han River parks. The one near Kondae is called Ttukseom Hangang Park (뚝섬한강공원) and is great for walking, exercising, or picnicking. It is not uncommon to find people running or using the installed sports equipment. At the same time, you can easily see people relaxing in tents or getting food from delivery apps, which deliver directly to the park. In summer, it is also possible to go windsurfing in the river.
7. Shopping at the Lotte Department Store
For those who don’t shop enough at Common Ground, Kondae is also home to one of Korea’s largest mall chains, the Lotte Department Store (롯테 백화점). Inside this huge shopping mall there are lots of big brand shops, two supermarkets, a large bookstore, and several places to eat.
8. Eating jjajangmyeon at Hongkong Banjum 0410
Getting back to food, one of the must-try dishes in Korea is jjajangmyeon (짜장면), or noodles in black bean sauce. It is actually a Sino-Korean dish, as it is said to have been invented by the Chinese community in Incheon. In any case, it is now a well-established dish in Korean cuisine, although it is more commonly seen in restaurants specialising in Chinese cuisine. In Kondae, the place to eat the best jjajangmyeon is Hongkong Banjum 0410 (홍콩반점 0410), near subway exit 1.
9. Getting your tarot cards read
Are you looking for unique things to do in Kondae? Along the main street, Neung-Dong-Ro, there are also tarot card reading booths. These are plastic tents inside which a person will perform a tarot card reading (타로, taro) or saju (사주) for anyone who is interested, but mostly couples. Saju is used to determine compatibility in love based on the year, month, day and time of birth of the two. Right here in Kondae, you can find one of the tarot card booths made famous by a TV programme. There is always a long queue, because apparently its predictions are very accurate. If you want to give it a try, you can have your tarot cards read for only 5,000 won (about $3.70)!
10. Walking around the Konkuk University campus
Finally, to wrap up our list of things to do in Kondae, we recommend a visit to the Konkuk University campus. It is not only frequented by students, but also by people who simply want to stroll through its beautiful campus. In the middle of Konkuk University campus you will also find a large artificial lake. Moreover, some scenes of the famous drama Goblin, starring Gong Yoo, were filmed there. We recommend studying Korean at Konkuk for their courses that start from the very basics and are designed to let students from any country or language background learn easily!
This brings us to the end of our top 10 things to do in Kondae. Apart from these, we also recommend trying karaoke (노래방), arcades, chain coffee shops, taking a trip to the market…the list is endless! The most important thing is to have fun and experience new things.
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