HiKR Ground - Seoul’s Best Free K-Pop & Cultural Attraction Guide

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Overlooking Cheonggyecheon Stream in downtown Seoul, time to ‘K-Pop’ along to HiKR Ground, a free cultural center dedicated to all aspects of Korean life.

Opened in 2022 and a modern visitor attraction brought to life by cutting edge technology, there are five floors of activities, pop-up exhibitions and a cafe – it is perhaps best known as the place in Seoul to shoot your own K-Pop style videos at no cost!

Many of the exhibitions are temporary so you never know what to expect at HiKR Ground – but most people head straight to floor two where there are permanent music K-Pop video stages where you take photos in a Korean laundry set, Seoul Subway recreation, a space-shuttle or on the epic and immersive ‘My Stage’.

Give a ‘Korean Wave’ and say Hallyu to our guide to HiKR Ground in Seoul with photos.

You might like – Our guide to South Korea K-Pop: 15 K-Pop activities & things to do >

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Table of Contents

HiKR Ground opening hours and admission

HiKR Ground is open from 10am to 7pm daily – please note though the K-Pop level 2 section and HiKR special exhibition on level 4 is closed on Mondays. Last admission is 20 minutes before closing time.

HiKR Ground offers free admission including the K-Pop music video sets – no admission tickets are required.

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How to get to HiKR Ground in Seoul

HiKR Ground is accessible by Seoul public transport – you can take line 1 to Jonggak Station (exit 5) and it is a 2 minute walk.

Alternatively take line 2 to Euljiro 1 (il)-ga Station and it is a 4 minute walk from exit 2, or take line 5 to Gwanghwamun Station and it is an 8 minute walk from exit 5.

Check out our guide to using the T-Money card on Seoul’s public transport system here >

If you are using Seoul City Bus Tour, get off at the Jonggak / Street of Youth stop.

From April to October, try and combine your visit to HiKR with a visit to the spectacular Seoul Outdoor Library which pops up along the Cheonggyecheon Stream outside – Seoul does these types of events so well!

You might like – Our guide to K-Pop shops in Myeongdong or 40+ things to do in Myeongdong

You might like these Seoul neighbourhood guides:
Hongdae
Myeongdong
Insadong
Ikseon-dong
Gangnam
Seongsu-dong
Euljiro
Itaewon
Dongdaemun

Or check out our best neighbourhoods in Seoul Guide >

What to expect at HiKR Ground

Likely best known for its K-Pop offerings (especially its epic ‘My Stage’ on level 2 when you can choose VR backgrounds on a huge stage), HiKR Ground is well worth a visit for any visitor to Korea (especially given it is free and no booking is required).

Upon arrival, you are greeted by staff plus the reception area has one of the biggest video walls we’ve ever seen in our life – it is so bright at night if you are passing by!

Grab an introduction leaflet (available in several languages including English) and then either take the bright purple stairs up to the next level or jump into the elevator on your right.

You might like – Our guide to 90 things to do in Seoul >

Floor by floor guide to HiKR Ground

We last visited HiKR Ground in October 2024 where there were several temporary exhibitions on level 4 including the Squid Games-esque and very Instagrammable ‘Mysterious Local Store).

Sadly level 3 was closed for a new installation on our visit so we have no pictures of this.

After entering on the ground floor / first floor, head on upto K-Pop Ground on floor 2

K-Pop Ground – Level 2

This is most likely the reason you are reading this as HiKR Ground is perhaps Seoul’s most famous free K-Pop attraction – well, that and all the K-Pop shops in Myeongdong.

K-Pop Ground lives up to the hype and it has several Korean studio sets where you can film yourself attempting to sing / dance in a K-Pop video; some of the sets even have phone / selfie mounts so you can take pictures easier.

This is also great for solo travellers in Seoul or if your friends are terrible at taking photos!

The K-Pop photo and video sets at HiKR are:

The Seoul Subway set – this is so much fun, a replica of a Seoul Metro carriage with huge LED screens projecting images like fiery lanterns.

P.S. Such is the popularity of these Metro K-Pop videos, we recently went to Taiwan’s first ever Seoul Subway style Korean photo booth in Ximending. See it here >

My Stage – a huge video wall and illuminated stage which we’ve seen on loads of TV programmes and travel documentaries.

Get up on stage with your friends and perform K-Pop classics; there is even a control booth where you can change the stage background and music tracks. This is so much fun (for all ages – we watched a group of senior citizens dance!) and it is the most popular thing to do at HiKR Ground.

Korean Coin Laundry – pose with huge washing machines, neon lights and super soap suds. Just don’t bring your actual laundry!

Color Room – the walls continually change their shade plus you can put your phone on a 360 mount that spins around the stage and takes an epic video of you. Tip – it looks better if you don’t move and you let the camera do the work. Learn from our mistake!

Space Ship K Pop set – make your dance video go intergalactic with this out of the world K-Pop video set.

HiKR Ground Seoul k-pop stage intergalactic

There were also hands-on activities on floor 2 on the day we visited where you could take a picture of yourself, print it out and bling the frame with stickers, cut outs and more

Try this – Seoul Hallyu K-Pop tour >

3F – HiKR Atrium

Alas this floor was closed for a new exhibition installation when we visited but there is usually a vertical video wall, Korean artwork and special exhibitions.

You might like – Things to do in Seoul at night or Seoul with kids

4F – HiKR Now

A bright and vibrant exhibition space, this has lots of Korean wave content including a showcase of all the different types of Korean games and playground fun from South Korea’s various regions.

There were also sets like a K-Pop bedroom where you can capture ‘once in a lifetime’ photos (their words) recommended by local photographer Geumsson.

We loved the Squid Games-esque lounge area called ‘Mysterious Local Store’ – it was very vivid in its use of colors and totally Instagrammable.

Try this – Full day tour In The Soop BTS Ver in PyeongChang Filming Location >

Floor 5 – HiKR Lounge

Head on up to the top floor for the best views of Cheonggyecheon Stream or enjoy sweet treats, sublime smoothies or a caffeine fix at the Knotted Cafe.

This is a nice area to relax in, especially if you worked up a sweat in the K-Pop video sets on level 2!