<i>Vogue</i>’s Guide to Seoul’s Stylish Neighborhoods — vogue.com

As with all things, it started with Prada. In 2008, Miuccia commissioned a shape-shifting tetrahedron to be built on Seoul’s north side by architect Rem Koolhaas. Dubbed the Prada Transformer, the pop-up pavilion exhibited contemporary art, film, and fashion for six months, drawing fashion insiders new to Seoul’s urban sprawl. Suddenly, the rest of the industry was scrambling to get there. Karl Lagerfeld chose the city to reprise his Chanel resort collection in 2011, and Calvin Klein Collection’s Francisco Costa followed him not six months later. This fall, an exclusive exhibit on Coco Chanel’s legacy opened at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, attended by Caroline de Maigret and Soo Joo Park, while J.Mendel opened two Seoul stores—its first in Asia​. But despite all the buzz, the curated shops, and quirky cafes, the city remains a bit of a mystery, even among the most seasoned travelers. Never fear: From the Shibuya-style lights of Myeong-dong to the galleries of Samcheong-dong, here is Vogue’s guide to nine Seoul neighborhoods.

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