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Hostel Korea Original

1.0 star property
Start your day connected with in-room WiFi then dive into the city's rich history or take a refreshing dip in the nearby outdoor pool.

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Photo gallery for Hostel Korea Original

A modern kitchen with a black countertop, white appliances, and a chalkboard menu. - Hostel Korea Original (Seoul)
A hotel room with a bed, a desk with a TV, a red bucket, and a wardrobe. - Hostel Korea Original (Seoul)
A staircase leading to a room with a green wall and a Hostel logo. - Hostel Korea Original (Seoul)
A hostel with a sign reading "Hostel Korea". - Hostel Korea Original (Seoul)
A hallway with a black door, a staircase, and a hanging plant. - Hostel Korea Original (Seoul)
Close to Korea University and Dongdaemun History and Culture Park, Hostel Korea Original offers a convenient stay with laundry facilities, a business center, in-room WiFi. Guests can also enjoy outdoor pool access nearby, concierge services at their fingertips and tour/ticket assistance to help plan their trip.

Reviews

7.0 out of 10
Good

Popular amenities

  • Free WiFi
  • Business services
  • Laundry
  • Kitchen

Room options

Available filters for rooms
Showing 9 of 9 rooms

View all photos for Single Room, Shared Bathroom (Type A)

A small, neatly organized bedroom with a single bed, a desk, and a small cabinet.

Single Room, Shared Bathroom (Type A)

  • 8 sq m
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Single Room, Private Bathroom (Type B)

A small, compact room with a bed, a desk with a chair, a small refrigerator, a television mounted on the wall, and a window with a curtain.

Single Room, Private Bathroom (Type B)

  • 8 sq m
  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Twin Room, Shared Bathroom (Type A)

A bunk bed room with a desk and a chair.

Twin Room, Shared Bathroom (Type A)

8.0 out of 10
Very good
(1 review)
  • 9 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Twin Room, Private Bathroom (Type B)

A bunk bed room with a desk, a small stool, and a window with curtains.

Twin Room, Private Bathroom (Type B)

  • 9 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Triple Room, Shared Bathroom

A dormitory room with bunk beds, a small desk, and a window with blinds.

Triple Room, Shared Bathroom

  • 10 sq m
  • Sleeps 3
  • 1 Twin Bed and 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Double Room, Shared Bathroom

Double Room, Shared Bathroom | Iron/ironing board (on request), WiFi (free), bed sheets

Double Room, Shared Bathroom

  • 9 sq m
  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Double Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Twin Room A (Shared Bathroom)

A room with two beds, a TV, a window, and a desk.

Twin Room A (Shared Bathroom)

  • Sleeps 2
  • 2 Twin Beds OR 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Single Room A (Shared Bathroom)

A small, compact room with a single bed, a bedside table, a small desk with a chair, a window with blinds, and a wall-mounted mirror.

Single Room A (Shared Bathroom)

  • Sleeps 1
  • 1 Twin Bed
  • Free WiFi

View all photos for Twin Room B (Private Bathroom)

A small, single-bed room with a bunk bed, a ceiling fan, a mounted TV, and a fire extinguisher on the wall.

Twin Room B (Private Bathroom)

  • Sleeps 2
  • 1 Twin Bunk Bed
  • Free WiFi

About the neighborhood

Located in Jongno-gu, a neighborhood in Seoul, Hostel Korea Original is in a shopping district and near a metro station. Bukchon Hanok Village and Myeongdong Cathedral are notable landmarks, and travelers looking to shop may want to visit Myeongdong Street and Namdaemun Market. Check out an event or a game at Gocheok Sky Dome, and consider making time for Lotte World, a top attraction not to be missed. Visit our Seoul travel guide
View more Hostels in Seoul
Map
20-12, Jong-ro 65-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Seoul, 110-863

What's nearby

  • A cityscape at dusk with illuminated buildings and a fountain in the foreground.
    Cheonggyecheon
    7 min walk - 0.4 miles
  • A large stone building with a central tower, surrounded by well-maintained lawns and trees.
    Korea University
    12 min walk - 0.7 miles
  • A busy urban street at night with illuminated signs in multiple languages, including English and Korean.
    Dongdaemun History and Culture Park
    17 min walk - 0.9 miles
  • A modern architectural structure with a curved facade, a large sculpture, and a busy urban street with pedestrians.
    Dongdaemun Design Plaza
    18 min walk - 1.0 mile
  • Dongmyo Shrine
    5 min walk - 0.3 miles

Getting around

  • Sinseol-dong Station
    5 min walk
  • Seoul Station
    16 min drive
  • Incheon Intl. Airport (ICN)
    72 min drive

Restaurants

  • Taco!-Querer!
    4 min walk
  • 마실정육식당
    8 min walk
  • Yukjeon Gukbab Sinseol-Dong Station Branch
  • Don Chicken Premium Oven Chicken
    2 min walk
  • 육전국밥
    4 min walk

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Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
  • Available in some public areas: Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • No onsite parking available
  • 24-hour roundtrip airport shuttle on request for a surcharge

Things to do

  • Outdoor pool (guest access)
  • TV in common areas

Family friendly

  • Access to nearby outdoor pool
  • In-room refrigerator
  • Laundry facilities

Conveniences

  • Guidebooks
  • Laundry facilities
  • Limited-hour front desk
  • Luggage storage
  • Safe at front desk
  • Shared microwave
  • Shared refrigerator
  • Water dispenser

Guest services

  • Concierge services
  • Housekeeping (on request)
  • Multilingual staff
  • Tour and ticket assistance

Business services

  • Business center
  • Computer station

Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • No elevator
  • Wheelchair accessible (may have limitations)
  • Wheelchair-accessible lounge
  • Wheelchair-accessible registration desk

More

  • 1 building
  • Mosquito nets
  • Smoking not allowed

Room amenities

Bedroom

  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • Hair dryer
  • Shower
  • Slippers
  • Towels provided

Food and drink

  • Refrigerator
  • Shared kitchen access

More

  • Heated floor
  • Heating
  • Iron/ironing board on request
  • Laundry detergent

Policies

Check-in

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: midnight
Early check-in subject to availability
Contactless check-in available
Express check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 18

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM
Contactless check-out available
Late check-out subject to availability
Late check-out fee: KRW 1000
Express check-out available

Special check-in instructions

The front desk is open daily from 9:30 AM - 11:00 PM
Front desk staffed during limited hours
If you are planning to arrive after 2:00 AM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools

Access methods

Front desk (limited hours)

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are available for KRW 6000.0 per day
Cribs (infant beds) are not available

Property payment types

Important information

Optional extras

  • Airport shuttle fee: KRW 45000 per vehicle (one-way)
  • Late check-out fee: KRW 1000 (subject to availability)
  • Rollaway bed fee: KRW 6000.0 per day

The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards, debit cards, and cash
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector

We should mention

This property does not have elevators

Property class

Property class, provided by our rating system, is based on property type, amenities, and services.

Frequently asked questions

Does Hostel Korea Original have a pool?

Yes, this property has outdoor pool access.

Is Hostel Korea Original pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking?

Hostel Korea Original doesn't offer parking.

What time is check-in at Hostel Korea Original?

Check-in start time: 4:00 PM; Check-in end time: midnight.

What time is check-out at Hostel Korea Original?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM. Late check-out is available for KRW 1000 (subject to availability).

Does Hostel Korea Original provide a shuttle to the airport?

Yes, there's an airport shuttle that runs on request. A fee of KRW 45000 per vehicle applies.

Where is Hostel Korea Original located?

Located in Jongno-gu, this hostel is within a 15-minute walk of Cheonggyecheon and Korea University. Dongdaemun History and Culture Park and Dongdaemun Market Mall are also within 1 mi (2 km). Sinseol-dong Station is only a 5-minute walk and Dongmyo Station is 8 minutes.

Can I cancel my reservation for free and receive a full refund?

Yes, this property offers free cancellation on select room rates, because flexibility matters! Please refer to the property cancellation policy on our site for more details about any exclusions or requirements.

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Reviews

Hostel Korea Original Reviews

7.0

Good

6.6

Cleanliness

7.4

Location

7.4

Staff & service

6.6

Property conditions & facilities
Rating 10 - Excellent. 63 out of 343 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 135 out of 343 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 85 out of 343 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 27 out of 343 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 33 out of 343 reviews

Reviews

Verified review

6/10 Okay

elena

Clean and tidy place. Its okay for a few days..
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Yong

Liked: Staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Easy access to rail and bus stations. Lots of restaurants nearby.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Affordable & small rooms but worth it

Stayed in small room in property that includes TV & twin bed. Good for solo traveler. Bathrooms have toilets & showers in same room. Good location about 5 minute walk from subway & airport bus.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Jelena

Good location. Scruffy, but quiet
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Sam

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Cheap place to stay. They didn't have the double bed we reserved so put in a twin room. Hot rooms no A/C. Toilets and shower are in the same small room so needs cleaning frequently which does not seem to happen. Kitchen is alright nothing special. Found used floss sticks on the desk upon entry to the room as well which questioned the cleanliness. Good location, close to metro and markets.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Tyler

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities
Great for maybe a night or two!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2026
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Saleh

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Dirty 🙁
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Michael

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very nice for the cost! Inexpensive place to sleep and leave my bags in a central area it was easy to see so much of Seoul. The place was quiet and nothing was too dirty. Would absolutely stay here again!
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Laura

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
This place is definitely cheap which is great, but the building is a little rundown and the bathrooms were very unkept.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

James

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Please buy a normal hotel room not this
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

??

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
very good!!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Steven

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Disliked: Staff & service
It's great value. Clean. Private room. There's no one at the front desk until later in the afternoon, so don't lock yourself out of the room early on a Sunday morning.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024
Verified review

6/10 Okay

kristy

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service
The location is convenient, close to underground. Around 15 mins if walking to Dongdaemun. The room especially the toilet is smelly even not in use for a day.
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Samson

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
We did not check in at this location. The rooms were noticably dirty and smelly. Insects were visible and sheets were stained. An alternative room had similar problems with smells and cleanliness. Hotel management continues to be evasive and has not responded to Expedia requests for a refund. Will be escalating my complaints.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2025
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Walter

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very difficult to find the location. Most importantly, I booked a single room with private bathroom but the room was suddenly not available, I had to use a shared bathroom and they rejected my request for any refund!
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2024
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Kitman

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Dirty Very quite district and feel unsafe to go back at night Staff are not always here and answer the phone call
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2023
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Winnie

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
No elevator. Crowded and cluttered common areas. Slow wifi. No AC, only fan in room 209. Tight and absolutely filthy. I put my hand on the bed to get a feel for the bed and I felt gravel/sand. I wanted to plan ahead by asking about breakfast and self check in. I was asked to wait and that made it difficult for me to make others plan or to simply plan ahead. I was kept waiting for self check in at midnight. Old stale smell in common areas, lobby, room, etc. Staff are either absent or unapproachable. Did not receive a guide to navigating the hostel so I had to ask, "Is there breakfast? Where is the first floor kitchen?" Eventually, I just started to figure it out myself. Not a community vibe in this hostel or area. Very cold and standoffish personalities. Most people here are odd. Unable to look up or say hi while in the same kitchen or hallway or staircase, weird. I'll say hello to acknowledge them and they look me dead in the eyes, stay silent, and look away..??? Would not recommend this hostel unless you are desperate.
Stayed 6 nights in Mar 2026
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort

Do not stay here

I am appalled that this property remains open and is even an option for anyone to stay in. To begin with, there were no staff to help us check in or out despite assurances to a 24 hour desk. They lost our booking and insisted it did not exist and forced us to wait in the middle the night despite the booking being confirmed and accurate. When we were finally given a room it was so filthy that we left within 20 minutes and were forced to book a more expensive hotel. Bugs crawling over the floor, clearly unwashed sheets that were strained and had hairs on them, mould on the walls and ceiling fan. There’s budget travel and then there’s this. You don’t get what you pay for. You receive a health hazard. When we left, there was no one at the desk to help us check out and the front door was left wide open.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2025
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Daniel

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
First, this hotel is hard to find even if you have Google Maps. Then, there is often no front desk staff. Then it is DIRTY. I am actually concerned about whether this place meets fire codes. Here was my big problem: the wifi died in my room. I was told by a staff member that I just had to accept that - people in another room had possibly done something to the router. Because I need wifi for work, I rebooked to another hostel. I expected Hostel Korea to return my fees for the days I did not stay there. They promised wifi, I was told I could not have it, and I had to find a place where I could do work. First a guy agreed in writing to refund my fees, then he refused to pay me. It was crazy. Poor moody guy. So I am assuming that if a person has trouble here, the person will not be helped and if he/she leaves to find a more responsible hostel, the person will not receive a refund even if the owner/manager initially agrees. Furthermore, Expedia will do nothing to help you. So this is it for Expedia. I'll use another service. I know this hostel is cheap and many of us are on a budget, but I do not think it would be wise to go into a dirty place where they may just not help you and you will feel forced to move anyway. Tyere is a really nice hostel called Sunrise Inn Dongdaemun very close by. They will treat you with respect there and it is CLEAN.
Stayed 9 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Jonathan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Muy accesible
Stayed 18 nights in Jun 2026
Verified review

4/10 Poor

Verified traveler

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
フロントに誰もいない、外出中なのでLINEやWHATSAPPで名前を送れとあるが送っても何の返事もないので電話したら2回とも途中で切れた。部屋番号だけLINEで来たが鍵がもらえないと意味ない。もうひとり韓国の人も困って電話していた。20分くらいして？やっと「ごめん」と言ってフロント係（電話の声で予想したように韓国人に見えない男性）が来たらチェックイン機械（使えない）のボックスからカードキーを渡されてようやく部屋に入れた。 場所は一号線東大門からふたつめで悪くないしホテル高価な週末で8000円台もしかたないがチェックインできないなんてあんまりだ。 酷暑の日なので部屋に冷蔵庫欲しかった（逆に強すぎるエアコン止められなかった）　トイレがシャワー室兼ねるので水浸しで気持ち悪かった。
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

RUMI

Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
台所が埃と油分ベタベタなので、清潔にしてほしい。 また電子レンジやお湯をもらう程度なら問題ないですが、調理器具がIHで使い方が判らず、使い方の表示も欲しいです。 駅・スーパーに近く、散策がてら東大門まで歩ける距離と立地はいいので、宿は寝るだけと割り切る節約志向派ならお勧めします
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Kady

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Catastrophique . Très sale. Mauvaise odeur dans la chambre et odeur d'humidité. Cheveux retrouvés par terre, sous le lit et dans la salle de bain. Toilette sale. Lavabo sale. Poussières sous le lit, faux ongles par terre. Frigo pas vidé. Salle de bain pareil, pate dentifrice trouvée. Lavabo bouché. Pas d'eau chaude pendant mes 2 derniers jour. Chambre pas nettoyée, très sale Une experience horrible.
Stayed 13 nights in Apr 2025
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

YOONSU

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
프론트카운터가없어서 이용하는데 많은 어려움이있었고 가격저렴한거빼고 정말로 전부다 별로입니다
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Yoshino

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
価格と、交通の便を考えるとかなり良かったです。地下鉄も近いですが、なによりバス停が近く、本数も多く、ソウルのほとんどの地域に1本で行くことが出来ます。空港リムジンバスも来ます。 他のクチコミ通り、水周りは共用かつ古いのもあり、気になりますが、数日なら我慢できるかと。わたしはリピートありです。 部屋に冷蔵庫もあり、テレビもあります。(210号室はテレビがつきませんでしたが)
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2025