A French Museum, Japanese Ramen & Hawaiian Coffee? Welcome to Seoul’s New Yeouido Hotspot

Pompidou Centre Hanwha, the Korean branch of France's famed modern art museum, has drawn more than 300,000 visitors in its first 100 days. The figure signals how quickly Seoul's Yeouido district, long known as an office zone that emptied out after dark, is evolving into a destination for art, dining, shopping and culture.

Hanwha Life, which operates the venue, opened the new cultural complex earlier this year inside the 63 Building, a landmark on the Han River. The space previously housed an aquarium and older food and beverage facilities. Hanwha Group signed its agreement with Pompidou Centre in March 2023, then spent 18 months renovating the space before its June 2026 opening.

The layout is the key. Hanwha designed the flow so visitors who finish the exhibition can move naturally into cafes, restaurants and shops without leaving the building. The first space they see is a branch of Japan's %Arabica Coffee, placed up front to draw the eye. From there, the path leads to lifestyle shops like Roomeing & Hey, Present Moment Hoho, and Fauchette, along with furniture stores.

Hanwha also focused on bringing international food and beverage brands to South Korea for the first time. The first Korean flagship store of French dessert house Pierre Hermé Paris has become a draw on its own. Ramenya Yashima, which ranks highly in Tokyo's ramen scene on the Japanese review platform Tabelog, opened its first Korean location here. So did Island Vintage Coffee, a chain often listed as a must-visit stop in Hawaii. The retail area holds 25 stores in total, and food, beverage and lifestyle spaces have recorded around 150,000 transactions since the renewal.

Yeouido first began drawing attention as a retail district rather than an office cluster when The Hyundai Seoul opened in 2021. If The Hyundai Seoul helped revive the area around Yeouido Station, Pompidou Centre Hanwha is extending that cultural and retail activity toward the Han River.

Tourists are increasingly combining a visit to the 63 Building with dining, shopping and views of the Han River. The 63 Building's observation deck, known as Sky Art on the 60th floor, offers night views of Seoul, while visitors can also explore the shops and restaurants below.

The shift points to a broader change in how Seoul's business districts are being reimagined. In Yeouido, a neighborhood once defined by its empty evenings, art, food and retail are giving visitors more reasons to stay after work and return on weekends.