Seoul Subway Line 2 Guide: Hongdae, Gangnam, Seongsu, Jamsil

Seoul Subway Line 2 — the iconic Green Circle Line — is the single most useful subway line for tourists. In one loop, it connects Hongdae, Sinchon, Ewha, Seoul National University of Education (Seocho), Gangnam, Samseong (COEX), Jamsil, Konkuk University, and Seongsu. If you're only going to master one line, make it this one.

Route Overview

• Color: Green (line 2 on the map)
• Length: 60.2 km, 51 stations — the longest circular subway line in the world
• Time to circle: ~87 minutes one full loop
• Ridership: Busiest line in Seoul, ~1.4 million daily riders

Line 2 runs in both directions (inner and outer loop), so you can reach most destinations from either direction. Check your Subway Korea app to see which way is faster.

Must-Visit Stations

Hongik University (홍대입구, 239)

Hongdae — Seoul's youth, art, and K-pop street-scene capital. Exit 9 for the main strip, indie shops, and busking. Exit 1 for the new AK& Hongdae mall and cafes. Also a transfer to AREX for Incheon Airport and Gyeongui–Jungang Line for west-side journeys.

Sinchon (신촌, 240)

University town with budget eateries, 24-hour karaoke, and the best K-drama café aesthetic in Seoul. Yonsei University is a 10-minute walk from Exit 3.

Ewha Womans University (이대, 241)

The iconic EWHA campus gates at Exit 2 are a must-photograph for fans of Korean university culture. Street shopping around the station is budget-friendly.

Gangnam (강남, 222)

The beating heart of Gangnam-daero. Exit 10/11 for the main boulevard, karaoke rooms, and shopping. Transfer here for the Shinbundang Line to reach Pangyo or Sinsa. See the K-Pop Demon Hunters mural culture on the way to Apgujeong (one stop on Line 3).

Samseong (삼성, 219) — COEX Mall

Exit 5 or 6 leads into Asia's largest underground mall, home to the Instagram-famous Starfield Library and the giant COEX K-Pop Square digital wave screen.

Jamsil (잠실, 216) — Lotte World Tower

Exit 1/2 drops you right at Lotte World amusement park and Lotte World Tower (Seoul's tallest, 123 floors). Exit 3 for Seokchon Lake cherry blossoms in spring. Transfer to Line 8 here.

Konkuk University (건대입구, 212)

Young, affordable eat-and-drink district — Common Ground (container shopping mall) is 5 minutes from Exit 6, and the late-night Konkuk food street buzzes until dawn.

Seongsu (성수, 211)

The hottest popup and flagship-store neighborhood in Seoul. Exit 3 opens right onto Yeonmujang-gil, where weekly K-beauty, streetwear, and lifestyle brand popups fill the warehouses. For every current popup, see our Seongsu Popup Week roundups.

Transfer Tips

• Sindorim (신도림, 234) — transfer to Line 1 toward Incheon or south Seoul
• Wangsimni (왕십리, 206) — transfer to Lines 5, Suin-Bundang, Gyeongui-Jungang — great for reaching east Seoul
• Euljiro 3-ga (을지로3가, 203) — transfer to Line 3 for palaces and Insadong
• Dongdaemun History & Culture Park (동대문역사문화공원, 205) — transfer to Lines 4, 5
• Hapjeong (합정, 238) — transfer to Line 6 toward Itaewon

Pro tip: Line 2 is brutally crowded during rush hour (7:30–9 AM, 5:30–7:30 PM). Tourists can avoid the crush by traveling 10–4 or after 8 PM.

Line 2 Tips

• Loop direction matters. Inner loop (내선) and outer loop (외선) trains share platforms at most stations but leave in opposite directions. Check the final destination sign before boarding.
• Branch lines: Line 2 has two short branches — Seongsu Branch (Seongsu ↔ Sinseoldong, 5 stations) and Sinjeong Branch (Sindorim ↔ Kkachisan, 6 stations). For the main attractions, stay on the circle line.
• Late night: Last trains from Gangnam run until ~11:50 PM in both directions. After midnight, use night buses N13 or N26 back to central Seoul.