1975 Yurim Inn

We stayed eight nights, and for a budget place it was a good option, under $35 a night. The room was small but clean and had a fridge, table, chairs, electric blanket, and other useful things. There’s a cozy shared area with a sofa, blankets, and books where you can wait before the 4 PM check-in. The bed is quite small. It may not suit someone over 90 kg alone, or a couple where each person is over 65 kg. I saw a Western couple leave because of this, and they couldn’t get a refund, so check the bed size before booking. The bathroom had a slight sewer smell, which seems common in Seoul, but opening the window and using room spray helped. The location is handy, with metro and bus stops nearby. A friendly English-speaking staff member comes by each day to help and clean, and you can borrow things like umbrellas and a scale for free. Finding the place took a little effort. It’s on the second floor next to a claw machine shop, so email the owner ahead for the door and room codes. Check-in is self-service.

Seoul is expensive, so I found the price here to be the best deal. They provide an electric sheet, which made the stay not bad at all.

The sheets and pillows were clean, though the bathroom smelled musty and the bathtub was dirty. It’s around a 5-10 minute walk from Fengtian Station, but the hotel can be hard to find. A sign on the first floor saying “1975” would help first-time guests know to go up to the third floor. On check-in day, the owner emails the entrance code for 3F and the room code. You then check in using your room number. I had to email the owner to get the Wi-Fi password.