Journey was opened on a whim in 2012 by two friends who met traveling in Australia. They were drawn to the area because of the relatively cheap rent and its proximity to a university. Others quickly caught on and the neighborhood became dotted with unique restaurants with their own flavors. But Journey’s kept its place in Sharosu-gil with its simple but delicious burgers as well as a large selection of beers and wines from around the world. If you order two bottles of beer you’ll get an order of fries on the house, and with one bottle of wine, you’ll get a cheese platter.
With buildings spread out over its vast campus, the prestigious Seoul National University is quiet and peaceful. As one of the most competitive schools to get into, the students here are notoriously studious—so much so that the stereotype is that they don’t know how to have fun. However, once you see their go-to party district, Sharosu-gil, it’s likely you won’t believe this to be true. Alive with bustling bars and pubs every evening, Sharosu-gil attracts students and businessmen alike. The name parodies the posh Garosu-gil and the suffix is a nod to the Seoul National University main gate said to resemble the character “샤” (phonetically “sha”). Just a couple years ago, this street was a mainly residential area and the remnants of that still show: dry cleaners and tailor shops with retro signs, along with butchers and street food stalls reminiscent of traditional Korean marketplaces. However, these stores now have trendy, young venues as neighbors. A plastic covered pocha selling tteokbokki stands alongside a shiny new burger place boasting authentic American cuisine. Foreign dishes from South America to France have made their way here in places that offer cozy and friendly atmospheres. One-fifth of the length of Garosugil, the neighborhood is rapidly developing and it’s an exciting time to see it form into an area that is cheaper than Itaewon and quieter than Hongdae. This weekend, forget those spots and stop by Sharosu-gil to let loose alongside some of Korea’s most esteemed students.
