Seoul's Jongno 3-ga rises to world's coolest neighborhood

Seoul’s Jongno 3-ga has risen to No. 1 on Time Out’s 2026 list of the world’s coolest neighborhoods after placing third five years ago. The historic downtown area was praised for blending old Seoul with new energy, including pocha, independent businesses and hanok. Time Out said the neighborhood has grown cooler through late-evening outdoor dining and its open-air atmosphere. The ranking also drew international attention, with CNN covering it and promoting it on social media.

Jongno 3-ga last appeared on Time Out’s list in 2021, when it ranked third behind Copenhagen’s Nørrebro and Chicago’s Andersonville.

Rabat’s L’Ocean District ranked second in 2026, followed by Neos Kosmos in Athens.

Los Angeles’ Chinatown ranked fourth, the highest-ranked U.S. neighborhood, and Govanhill in Glasgow rounded out the top five.

Published Sep 18, 2026 1:37 am KST

Updated Sep 18, 2026 1:43 am KST

Time Out Travel highlights Seoul’s Jongno 3-ga after naming it the world’s coolest neighborhood in 2026. Captured from Time Out Travel Instagram

Seoul’s Jongno 3-ga has gone from cool to coolest, taking the No. 1 spot on Time Out’s list of the world’s coolest neighborhoods in 2026 after ranking third five years ago.

The historic downtown neighborhood was praised for its mix of old Seoul and new energy, from late-night food stalls, or "pocha," to independent businesses and traditional Korean houses, or "hanok."

Time Out said Jongno 3-ga has only grown cooler since its previous appearance, citing the rise of late-evening outdoor dining, independent businesses and shops.

The neighborhood’s appeal increasingly stretches across generations. Today, younger crowds are flocking to the area, drawn by its affordable food and relaxed, open-air atmosphere.

"Jongno 3-ga thrives as a social intersection," Time Out wrote, describing a neighborhood where different generations and communities have long crossed paths.

Nearby Ikseon-dong has become a magnet for cafes and boutiques tucked into century-old hanok, while Seosulla-gil offers another side of the neighborhood, with craft workshops, jewelry studios and bars.

The ranking has put Jongno 3-ga in the international spotlight, with CNN featuring the neighborhood in its coverage and both CNN and Time Out promoting the selection on social media.

Time Out, a global media brand covering city life, culture and travel, compiles the annual ranking through its international network of local experts and editors. Neighborhoods were assessed on factors including food and drink, nightlife, independent businesses, livability and community.

Jongno 3-ga last appeared on the list in 2021, when it ranked third behind Copenhagen’s Nørrebro and Chicago’s Andersonville. Five years later, it has climbed to the top.

Rabat’s L’Ocean District ranked second this year, followed by Neos Kosmos in Athens. Los Angeles’ Chinatown came in fourth, the highest-ranked U.S. neighborhood, while Govanhill in Glasgow rounded out the top five.

首尔钟路三街在《Time Out》杂志2026年全球最酷街区榜单中跃升至榜首，五年前该街区位列第三。这个历史悠久的市中心区域因其融合了老首尔风情与现代活力而备受赞誉，其特色包括路边摊、独立商铺和韩屋。《Time Out》指出，钟路三街的魅力在于其深夜户外用餐和开放式的氛围。该榜单也引起了国际关注，CNN对此进行了报道，并在社交媒体上进行了推广。

Jongno 3-ga 上一次出现在 Time Out 的榜单上是在 2021 年，当时它排名第三，落后于哥本哈根的 Nørrebro 和芝加哥的 Andersonville。

2026 年，拉巴特的 L'Ocean 区排名第二，雅典的 Neos Kosmos 区紧随其后。

洛杉矶唐人街排名第四，是美国排名最高的街区，格拉斯哥的戈万希尔位列前五。

发布于2026年9月18日凌晨1点37分（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月18日凌晨1点43分（韩国标准时间）

《Time Out Travel》杂志将首尔钟路三街评为2026年全球最酷街区后，重点介绍了该街区。图片来自《Time Out Travel》Instagram账号。

首尔钟路三街从“酷”跃升为“最酷”，在《Time Out》杂志评选的2026年全球最酷街区榜单中荣登榜首，而五年前它还排名第三。

历史悠久的市中心街区因其融合了老首尔的风情和新的活力而备受赞誉，从深夜小吃摊“路边摊”到独立商铺和传统韩屋“韩屋”，应有尽有。

《Time Out》杂志称，钟路三街自上次出现以来变得越来越酷，并指出，深夜户外餐饮、独立企业和商店的兴起就是明证。

这个街区的吸引力正日益跨越年龄层。如今，年轻人纷纷涌向这里，被这里价格实惠的美食和轻松惬意的露天氛围所吸引。

《Time Out》杂志写道：“钟路三街是一个繁荣的社会交汇点”，这里不同世代和社区长期以来一直在这里相遇。

附近的益善洞已成为咖啡馆和精品店的聚集地，这些咖啡馆和精品店都藏身于百年历史的韩屋中；而西雪罗街则展现了该街区的另一面，那里有工艺作坊、珠宝工作室和酒吧。

该排名使钟路3街成为国际关注的焦点，CNN在其报道中重点介绍了该街区，CNN和Time Out都在社交媒体上推广了这一评选结果。

全球知名媒体品牌《Time Out》专注于城市生活、文化和旅游，它通过其遍布全球的本地专家和编辑网络编制年度排名。排名依据包括餐饮、夜生活、独立商户、宜居性和社区氛围等因素。

钟路3号街区上次出现在榜单上是在2021年，当时排名第三，位列哥本哈根的诺雷布罗和芝加哥的安德森维尔之后。五年后，它跃居榜首。

今年，拉巴特的海洋区排名第二，紧随其后的是雅典的新世界区。洛杉矶的唐人街位列第四，是美国排名最高的街区，而格拉斯哥的戈万希尔则位列第五。