What Is a Hongdae Guy? The Real Reason Your TikTok FYP Is Filled With These ‘Desperate’ Men
Excuse me! You probably have seen this viral TikTok trend where a Korean man goes up to a woman behind the camera and openly flirts with them. This phenomenon has been popularized now as the “Hongdae Guys.” But who exactly are they?
The trend was popularized by South Korean TikToker Sean Solo (@itsseansolo) where he makes a funny parody of regular Korean men vs. Hongdae men. These Hongdae men are usually forward with their advances, asking these unsuspecting women to put their numbers in their iPhone 16 Pro Maxes and if they’re open-minded. The Hongdae man is overtly complimentary and tries to win over the girl in unconventional ways that are sometimes, a little bit cringe. So, what’s the difference between what’s on the screen and reality?
What is a Hongdae boy?
A Hongdae boy is a young male adult who usually roams around the neighborhood of Hongdae, Seoul, South Korea. Hongdae is a hub for clubs and nightlife for both foreigners and locals. Usually, the local men attempt to pick up unsuspecting tourist women by using pickup lines or, for some people, by exuding creepy behavior.
Sean Solo’s TikToks also satirize how a Hongdae man approaches women of different ethinicities and nationalities. He’s used examples of a Hongdae man approaching a Middle Eastern woman, Black woman, Indonesian woman etc. Though these Hongdae men try to push buttons, Sean Solo’s videos always emphasize how normal Korean men act as well, which is pretty courteous and nice in comparison.
Some TikTok fans have noticed that Sean Solo’s parodies aren’t far from their original source. One TikTok shows a guy in Seoul’s subway station asking for a girl’s WhatsApp by calling her “the whole universe.” A commenter noticed, “oh so the hongdae guy wasnt exaggerating 😭.” The TikTok star then made an exact parody of the moment.
However, TikTok didn’t introduce this behavior in the neighborhood. A Reddit thread dating back three years ago discussed how the neighborhood has changed and is filled with “creepy” and “horny men.” all “the young new visitors to korea make hongdae their spot to hang (they don’t know any better) so all the creepy dudes use it as a playground to prey on young impressionable girls or anyone with a pulse,” a Reddit user commented. “it’s like impossible to go to hongdae and not be harassed, i hate it there”
Sean Solo also revealed his own thoughts about Hongdae Boys. “I absolutely detest Hongdae,” he said. “I don’t hate Hongdae as an area. I hate how Hongdae because of the way it makes me feels.” He explains about how smells the “desperation” in the air from men who prey on drunk girls. “As a guy, it just puts me in a depressive state. I’ll tell those guys, ‘Hey listen, if you time and energy to put all of that in Hongdae, why don’t you use that money and time to work on yourself, or to self-improve, to start attracting women. How are you going to live that kind of lifestyle?”
