Seoul's Mullae-dong ranked sixth on the World's Coolest Neighbourhood list selected by Time Out, a famous British travel and culture magazine.
On the 24th (local time), Time Out announced 38 of the world's coolest neighborhoods based on 2025. The magazine placed Mullae-dong in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, at No. 6, introducing it by saying that it was once the center of Seoul's steel and metalworking industry and today has become the city's most atmospheric arts hub.
It added that during the day you can hear hammering from workshops still in operation, and at night alleys adorned with glittering neon signs and murals transform into design studios, cafes, restaurants and bars.
It continued that the neighborhood's rugged industrial framework remains visible: factories with red-brick facades and warehouses with corrugated roofs have been reinvented as cafes, jazz bars and creative spaces, and that this contrast only adds to its appeal.
It also said that young artists and entrepreneurs flock here for affordable rents and its raw charm, while visitors come to experience a cultural fusion that ranges from underground exhibitions to natural wine bars and live music venues.
Time Out also suggested an itinerary for visitors to Mullae-dong, first recommending a morning coffee at a cafe converted from a factory and browsing for souvenirs at a gift shop. For lunch, it recommended popular spots such as sashimi restaurants.
In the afternoon, it recommended stopping by a perfume studio to make your own scent, taking instant photos with friends, enjoying wine and pasta at a Western restaurant, and wrapping up the evening at a pub.
Since 2018, Time Out has selected the world's coolest neighborhoods each year through a judging process. This year's No. 1 is Jinbocho in Tokyo, Japan. Also a historic college district, Jinbocho is home to more than 130 secondhand bookstores and is called a "paradise for bibliophiles."
Nos. 2–5 went to Borgerhout in Belgium, Barra Funda in Brazil, Camberwell in the United Kingdom and Avondale in the United States.