As of February 2026, Seoul has a total of 136 public smoking booths — a very small number compared to roughly 300,000 no-smoking zones.
On top of that, the distribution is heavily uneven — 11 districts have no public smoking booths at all.
Having been active in Hongdae for 10 years, there’s a question I hear often: “Where can I smoke around here?”
Let me go through each area one by one in this post.
What We’ll Cover Today
- Overview of Seoul’s smoking booth situation
- Smoking spots in Hongdae and Mapo
- Smoking spots in Myeongdong and Jung-gu
- Smoking booths in Gangnam, Seocho, and Teheran-ro
- Smoking spots in Itaewon and Yongsan
- How to find smoking booths using Naver Map
Seoul Smoking Booth Overview — Know This First
From what I’ve organized, Seoul’s smoking booth situation is more complicated than you’d think.
Seoul public smoking booth status as of February 2026:
Of the 136 total, 37 are in Hangang Parks. Only 99 are available on regular streets.
Of these, about 40 are concentrated in Seocho-gu alone — roughly 30% of the total in just one district.
In contrast, Jongno-gu, Dongdaemun-gu, Mapo-gu, and Dongjak-gu each have just 1 booth.
11 districts have no public smoking booths at all. In these areas, you need to find a designated open smoking zone or search for private smoking facilities on Naver Map.
There’s also one important change. From April 24, 2026, using liquid e-cigarettes in no-smoking zones also results in a 100,000 KRW fine. E-cigarettes are now fully subject to the same rules as regular cigarettes.
Hongdae & Mapo Area
Hongdae is one of the most visited areas in Seoul by foreigners. Yet Mapo-gu has just 1 public smoking booth.
A question I hear often: “Where can I smoke near Hongdae Station?”
In reality, most of the area around Hongdae Station is designated as a no-smoking zone. You need to move into back alleys or side streets well away from station entrances.
You can check Mapo-gu’s public smoking booth locations at the Public Data Portal — Mapo-gu Smoking Booth Status.
Usually, people smoke in the back alleys inside Hongdae. However, avoid residential alleys and stick to back streets in commercial areas.
However, as the number of foreign tourists increases, Hongdae has installed trash cans and ashtray dozens of meters apart to smoke on the Red Road street of Hongdae, although it is not a smoking booth.
Myeongdong & Jung-gu Area
Myeongdong is one of the areas in Seoul with the highest concentration of foreign tourists. No-smoking zones are also densely designated here.
According to Seoul Open Data Plaza, outdoor smoking facilities in Jung-gu include the Nakwon Music Arcade Piloti (Nakwon-dong 260-1), the side of Lotte Department Store (Euljiro 30), and the side of KEB Hana Bank headquarters (Euljiro 35).
Myeongdong’s main street is almost entirely no-smoking. If you want to smoke in Myeongdong, move off the main street and look for back roads toward Euljiro or a designated smoking facility.
You can download the full list of Seoul’s outdoor smoking facilities as an Excel file from Seoul Open Data Plaza.
Gangnam, Seocho & Teheran-ro Area
The Gangnam and Seocho area has the most smoking booths in Seoul.
Seocho-gu alone has about 40 public smoking spots — roughly 30% of all Seoul booths concentrated in this one district.
Seocho-gu smoking locations can be checked in real time at the Seocho-gu No-Smoking Zone & Smoking Location Guide Map. Click the smoking spot icon on the map to even see a road view.
Here are some of the key smoking spots.
Near Gangnam Station exits 7–8, there is a designated smoking area.
Near Express Bus Terminal Station exit 3 and in the Gyeongbu/Honam line plazas, there are also smoking areas.
Near Sadang Station exits 1–2, there is also a designated smoking area.
In January 2026, Gangnam-gu installed 2 new separated smoking booths on Teheran-ro — in front of DB Financial Center (Teheran-ro 424) and Samwon Tower (Teheran-ro 124).
These booths feature sealed spaces for regular cigarettes and semi-open spaces for e-cigarettes. They also have air purification systems, so almost no smoke leaks to nearby pedestrians.
Itaewon & Yongsan Area
Itaewon has many foreign residents and visitors. Yongsan-gu also doesn’t have many public smoking booths.
Itaewon’s main street is mostly a no-smoking zone. If you want to smoke, you need to move off the main street into side roads or alleys.
Moving toward Seoul Station, you can use the smoking room inside the station. Seoul Station, as a major transportation hub, operates a designated smoking room.
For Yongsan-gu smoking zone info, search “용산 흡연 구역” on Naver Map to check nearby locations.
Hangang Park Smoking Areas
Hangang Park is the outdoor space in Seoul with the best-equipped smoking booths.
Since November 2022, 37 open-type smoking booths have been installed in Hangang Parks including Yeouido, Ttukseom, and Banpo.
Inside each booth, there’s a fire extinguisher, ashtray, and trash can.
All of Hangang Park is a no-smoking zone, but you can smoke freely inside the designated booths.
If you’re enjoying a picnic or outdoor activities at Yeouido, Ttukseom, or Banpo Hangang Park and need to smoke, check the booth locations in advance.
How to Find Smoking Booths on Naver Map
The fastest way to find a smoking booth on the go is to search on Naver Map or Kakao Map.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown.
Step 1: Open the Naver Map app.
Step 2: Type “흡연 부스” (smoking booth) or “흡연 구역” (smoking area) in the search bar.
Step 3: Smoking spots near your current location will appear on the map.
Step 4: Click a pin to see the exact location, road view, and user reviews.
For Seocho-gu smoking spots, you can get more accurate information at the Seocho-gu Official No-Smoking & Smoking Map, which is updated as of April 2026.
Seoul’s full outdoor smoking facility data can be downloaded from Seoul Open Data Plaza.
Smoking Booth Prep Checklist for Seoul
If you’re a smoker in Seoul, just prepare these things.
- Install Naver Map — essential for real-time smoking booth searches.
- Carry a portable ashtray — needed when there’s nowhere to dispose of butts in areas without booths. Available at convenience stores.
- Bookmark the Seocho-gu smoking map — save the Seocho-gu Smoking Map before visiting Gangnam or Seocho.
- Habit of checking signs before smoking — always check for no-smoking signs before lighting up anywhere.
- E-cigarette users take note — from April 24, 2026, e-cigarettes in no-smoking zones also carry a 100,000 KRW fine.
Are Seoul smoking booth locations now clear by district?
The key point is this: Seoul has about 300,000 no-smoking zones but only 136 smoking booths. Without knowing the locations in advance, finding a place to smoke can be harder than you’d expect.
Using Naver Map search and the Seocho-gu official smoking map makes it much easier to find a spot.
In the next post, I’ll cover a complete guide to smoking booth locations in Seoul’s Hangang Parks — organized by Yeouido, Ttukseom, Banpo, and Mangwon.
There’s more useful info to know before visiting Korea. Also check out the previous post: [Complete Guide to Korea Street Smoking Rules]
Smoking booths in Korea
① Gangnam-gu Teheran-ro Separated Smoking Booth (Official photo, installed January 2026)
② Gangnam-gu Teheran-ro Separated Smoking Booth Interior (Official photo, January 2026)
③ Seoul Euljiro Smoking Booth (Official Seoul Metropolitan Government installation photo)
④ Seoul Street Smoking Area (General outdoor open type)
⑤ Myeongdong Smoking Section (Myeongdong street smoking section)
⑥ Hangang Park Smoking Booth (Official photo from 2022 installation)
⑦ Seoul Street Smoking Area Sign (General street)
