Myeong-dong is a major commercial district in Seoul, and it attracts equal numbers of locals and tourists with its selection of designer boutiques and periodic fashion exhibitions. The apparel and accessories available in Myeong-dong include well-known international brands, and most of the clothing is of a higher quality than that found at street-level traditional markets.
While hotels in Myeong-dong cater mainly for visiting shoppers, there are a few local attractions off the shopping strip. In all, there are around 300,000 square meters of retail space here joined by cafés, restaurants and night clubs that attract tourists and a younger crowd of locals.
The Myeongdong Catholic Church is a primary sightseeing attraction. The building is physically imposing, done in 19th-century Gothic Revival style. But this cathedral is best known for the role it has played in past protests and labor movements. The government balks at entering the church to arrest protesters, so it remains a popular place to stage anti-government movements.
Other than the cathedral, non-shopping attractions in Myeong-dong are limited to the Seoul Animation Center and Myeongdong Art Center. Line 4 of the subway runs through the middle of this fashionable district, and passengers disembark at Myeongdong or Chungmuro subway stations. Accommodation in Myeong-dong is concentrated around these two stations.
