Have you heard of the neighborhood of Mullaedong before? If you haven’t, you’re likely not the only one as many Seoul residents have difficulty pinpointing the area on a map.

The mullaedong area is a largely urban and industrial neighborhood in southwest Seoul. Located by the old railroad tracks going up to Seoul Station, Mullaedong traditionally has been a working class neighborhood mostly known for its steel mills and workshops. Even today, you’ll find workers laboring hard by cutting, sawing, and torching amid the rows of steel and metal shops with only the sound of drills, hammering, and welding to be heard. But in recent years, the demography has been diversifying and now you can easily spot friends, couples, and other young folks roaming around.

The reason behind the area’s spark in interest? As artists were being pushed out of traditional artsy neighborhoods such as Hongdae by soaring real estate prices, many were enticed by Mullaedong’s cheap rent and began setting up personal studios, workshops, and more in the neighborhood. The talented and creative mark on the urban and somewhat gritty neighborhood is evident by the various colorful wall murals and art installations that are scattered around the industrial area. The bright and sometimes whimsical drawings marks a stark contrast to the somewhat darker neighborhood making it a favorite of photographers- both amateur and professional.

The vivid and colorful murals are found all over the neighborhood making them fun to pose with. Seoul has its share of other art mural villages such as the Ewha art village near Daehakno but Mullaedong’s art village stands out for its industrial setting. Against the monotone steel and dark sheds, the various murals stands out even more and providing a unique atmosphere.

Also worth checking out are the various iron sculptures scattered around the neighborhood. Using the metal and iron pieces that are so common in the area, you can spot quite a few creative pieces in the neighborhood including a giraffe, a gentleman with a black hat, and even a metal robot.

A few small and independent galleries are scattered about with many of them being open to the public and without admission charges. Among them, the Seoul Art Space Mullae is a self-described creativity support center for artists and often hosts various exhibitions and performances in its exhibition space.
In between exploring you can take a break at the restaurants, cafes, and even bakeries that have set up shop in the area. You’ll find few, if any, chain or global brands here as most of the establishments are independently run. And since many of the spaces have been renovated from old workshops and sheds into small quaint spots the setting is truly unique. Some establishments even feature works by local artists. Best of all, as a still relatively unknown area, prices for a meal or a cup of coffee is very cheap, making the area an excellent choice to visit for frugal travelers.

But if you’re wanting to visit, you may want to do it soon. In addition to a decreasing need for the various independent metal factories, the slowly growing popularity of Mullaedong may soon catch the interest of chain and global brands. In other words, catch Mullaedong’s unique and creative spirit before it’s too late! To get to Mullaedong’s creative art village area simply come out of exit number 7 of Mullae Station, on subway line number 2, and walk straight for a few minutes.