What is a Hongdae guy?
A Hongdae guy is a stereotype of a Korean man who pursues foreign women for casual sex. Real-life Hongdae guys (also known as Hongdae boys) hang out in the Hongdae neighborhood in Seoul and hit on female tourists or students from other countries. They approach these women in public or clubs and ask them out or try to get their phone numbers. Their ultimate goal isn't to chit-chat, but to hook up with them for sex. While they can be persistent, they're rarely violent. Hongdae is located close to Hongik University. It's a cultural hub for college-age students and young tourists, famous for its vibrant nightlife. Some Hongdae boys won't take "No" for an answer, which can make interacting with them extremely uncomfortable. If, for example, a woman refuses a Hongdae guy's advances, he might keep trying to flirt with her anyway. It's rare for a Hongdae guy to assault a woman, but these incidents occur occasionally. Some women reported being chased or stalked saying "No" to a Hongdae guy. In one case, a South Korean man was arrested for drugging and sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman he met in Hongdae. Important note: "Hongdae guy" is, first and foremost, a stereotype and doesn't include every man in South Korea. It also doesn't include every South Korean man in Hongdae.
Who originated the Hongdae guy?
Content creator Sean Solo popularized the Hongdae guy as a stereotype. Solo (who is South Korean himself) is famous on social media for uploading funny Shorts on his YouTube channel and his TikTok account. His most popular character is the Hongdae guy, who embodies all the worst characteristics of a South Korean man who flirts with women in Hongdae. A great example of Solo's comedy is this TikTok he posted on May 30, 2025, in which the Hongdae guy tries to chat up a German woman. The video begins with the German woman saying she just wants to go home, but Hongdae guy insists on asking her more questions. In the end, he asks if she wants to go for a ride in his BMW. She says, "You have BMW?" and he replies, "BMW: Bus, metro, walking." Solo doesn't think that all men in Hongdae fit into this stereotype. Instead, he specifically mocks the men who are so desperate to have sex that they pursue women relentlessly. In a clip from a podcast interview posted to YouTube Shorts, Solo says that he wishes he could tell Hongdae guys to use the time and energy they put into hooking up with women into self-improvement. That way, they could attract women instead of having to chase after them. Hongdae boy content is mostly enjoyed by audiences in foreign countries. Not all South Koreans are aware of this stereotype. Instead, they associated a "Hongdae guy" with someone who dresses in fashionable, rapper-inspired streetwear and has their own individual style.
What is the "Are you open-minded?" meme?
Related memes feature Hongdae guys asking "Are you open-minded?" Some Hongdae guys think that being open-minded means you're "open" to having casual sex with other people. They might ask a woman if she's open-minded to find out if she's willing to be their sexual partner. It's been circulating on TikTok for a few years, but it became more popular after Sean Solo parodied it in his Hongdae guy series. In this TikTok posted on April 11, 2025, Solo uses the open-minded meme to contrast the behavior of an average Korean man with a Hongdae guy. The average Korean guy finds a phone that a girl has dropped, politely asks if it's hers, returns it, and then keeps walking. The Hongdae guy asks the girl if it's her phone, but when he hands it back, he says he put his phone number in it and she should call him if she's "open-minded."
Hongdae Guy Controversies
Hongdae guys are controversial because of their pushy, cringey flirting. An important characteristic of the Hongdae guy stereotype, as parodied by South Korean content creator Sean Solo, is their overt, pushy, and cringey flirting tactics. Solo mocks them for approaching foreign women on the street, giving them awkward compliments, fishing for their phone number, and asking for personal details (like if they're "open-minded" to having sex with a stranger).
Hongdae guys behave in toxic ways to uphold their "bad boy" persona. Some Hongdae guys act manipulative and controlling toward women because they're trying to cultivate a "bad boy" image for themselves. Some women think this persona is attractive and put up with the Hongdae guy's behavior, thinking he's simply being masculine and romantic. Some toxic ways a stereotypical Hongdae boy may act include trying to control your social and private life, lying to you, and love-bombing you. For some Hongdae guys, the way they dress is essential to keeping up their "bad boy" impression. They'll wear black leather jackets and tight or sagging pants and get lots of tattoos to imitate rappers. Some Hongdae boys treat women poorly without establishing a relationship first. In real life, women have complained that they were followed or even chased around Hongdae by one or more South Korean men. And while it's extremely rare for these encounters to become violent, there have been occasions where a Hongdae guy assaulted a woman.
Hongdae guys think they're more open to sex than South Korean women. Some Hongdae men believe that women in other countries are more open to casual sex than women in their own nation. Meanwhile, some foreign women (especially tourists from the West, where South Korean content is trending) may be feeding into that stereotype by fetishizing South Korean men. A few of them have traveled to South Korea specifically to find a male partner similar to characters they've seen in Netflix K-dramas. For that reason, Hongdae men may sometimes assume that every woman from another country wants to have sex with them.
The stereotype is funny, but this behavior is real and problematic. Most videos on social media (like those posted by Sean Solo) about Hongdae boys are intended to be funny. But they shouldn't be dismissed as mere comedy skits. They're parodies of a real problem in Hongdae. The truth is some (although definitely not all) South Korean men genuinely embody the Hongdae guy's over-the-top, toxic characteristics and flirting tactics.
Hongdae Hookup Culture Explained
Hongdae in South Korea is famous for its youth and hookup culture. The Hongdae neighborhood in the Mapo district of Seoul surrounds Hongik University and is a hub for college-age students. It's full of interesting shops and restaurants, as well as trendy bars and clubs. It's also a popular spot for single men and women to go to hook up (have casual sex) with other singles for one-night stands. Young men and women visiting South Korea from other countries frequently go to Hongdae. They may go to socialize or experience the food and shopping, or they may go to find someone to share a romantic night with.
Single people in Hongdae find hook-ups in hunting clubs or on the street. Hongdae is home to several hunting clubs, which are clubs or bars where single people go to find romantic partners (as explained in this TikTok uploaded by @hahasammii). However, Hongdae guys sometimes approach women they see in the street without waiting for them to go inside an establishment.
Hongdae Guys & Gender Inequalities in South Korea
The Hongdae guy stereotype may be a consequence of gender inequalities. In South Korea, young women feel that they aren't treated equally to men economically, politically, or socially. In protest, millions of women are refusing to have babies, which is contributing to the country's already low birth rate. Many young men, on the other hand, feel they are more disadvantaged and have fewer options to make a living than they used to. Combined, these anxieties may also be among the reasons that Hongdae guys choose to pursue foreign women so aggressively. Some South Korean women have adopted the 4B Movement, a lifestyle that completely rejects heterosexual relationships with men (including dating). Meanwhile, young South Korean men have grown increasingly unsupportive of women's empowerment policies and movements.
Can foreign women visit South Korea safely?
Yes, foreign women can still safely go to South Korea for tourism, work, or school. According to the US Department of State, South Korea is a very safe country for foreigners. Violent crime is also uncommon. However, crimes are more likely to happen in busy areas, like cities and tourist sites. Be aware of your surroundings at all times, use common sense, and understand cultural expectations in areas like Hongdae.
Final Thoughts
A Hongdae guy is a stereotype of a Korean man who flirts with foreign women. Men who fit this stereotype approach women tourists or students in the Hongdae neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea, and ask for their number or if they're "open-minded" (i.e., open to having casual sex). In most cases, Hongdae boys are bold and persistent, but not violent, and women from other countries can still feel safe visiting South Korea. They also don't reflect all South Korean men. Although the stereotype was created mainly to make foreign audiences laugh, it's also a real issue in this particular area of the country.
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