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Mapo District () is one of the 25 districts of Seoul, South Korea. Mapo has a population of 381,330 (2015) and has a geographic area of 23.87 Square kilometre (9.22 sq mi), and is divided into 24 dong (administrative neighborhoods). Mapo is located in western Seoul on the northern bank of the Han River, bordering the Gyeonggi Province city of Goyang to the northwest, and the Seoul city districts of Gangseo to the west, Yeongdeungpo to the south, Yongsan District to the southeast, Jung to the east, and Seodaemun and Eunpyeong to the north.
Mapo is home to several universities and government buildings, and is well known for the Hongdae area club district around Hongik University. Mapo is connected to the Seoul Metropolitan Subway's Line 2, Line 5, and Line 6, as well as the AREX, and the Korail Gyeongui-Jungang Line, which all pass through this district. The Seoul World Cup Stadium, a famous landmark in Seoul, is located in Sangam-dong in northwest Mapo.
During the Joseon period, Mapo held geographical and economic significance due to its location along the Han River. It served as a key river port and ferry crossing, situated near Ha-joongdo (modern-day Yeouido), linking to inland routes that led to places such as Siheung. Mapo was one of the "Five Ports of the Han River" (오강, 五江), alongside Ttukseom, Noryang, Yongsan, and Yanghwajin. These ports were central to unloading, storing, and redistributing goods that traveled via the Han River, which served as a vital transportation route through central Korea. Mapo, along with Yongsan District and Yanghwajin, handled large quantities of grain from the southern provinces, as well as seafood like shrimp and croaker brought in from the Yellow Sea, making it a key hub in the redistribution of Agriculture and Marine life.
A major administrative shift occurred in 1910 under Japanese colonial rule. Hanseongbu was renamed Gyeongseongbu and placed under Gyeonggi-do's authority. The following year, it was granted official administrative status through Gyeonggi-do's ordinance. During this reorganization, Yongsanbang and Seogangbang were reclassified as Yongsan-myeon and Seogang-myeon, each overseeing numerous small districts.
Mapo's position as a transportation and commerce hub continued through the early years of the 20th century. In 1910, the first Tram line of Seoul was extended from Seodaemun to Mapo, and it became an even more accessible and important ward. The new infrastructure heightened its role as a distribution point, particularly for seafood. But with the devastation of the streetcar system and closure of Han River transportation routes during the Korean War and peninsula division, Mapo lost much of its historical role as a hub of movement and commodity redistribution.
In 1913, another reorganization placed much of what we now consider Mapo-gu into the western portion of Gyeongseong-bu, while Seogang-myeon was incorporated into Goyang-gun, also within Gyeonggi Province. Over the next decades, administrative boundaries were adjusted several times. A significant development came on October 23, 1944, when parts of Seodaemun-gu and Yongsan District were separated to formally establish Mapo-gu as an independent district.
At the time of its founding, Mapo-gu comprised 23 towns, including names like Gongdeok-jeong, Ahyeon-jeong, Hapjeong-jeong, and Mangwon-jeong. Following Korea's liberation from Japanese rule in 1945 and the arrival of the U.S. military government, various administrative terms were updated—for instance, "jeong" became "dong," and district offices adopted new titles.
By 1955, further restructuring took place, streamlining the smaller districts into 19 administrative dongs such as Ahyeon-dong through 5-dong, Daeheung-dong, Singongdeok-dong, and others. Later adjustments in the 1980s, including those made in 1985 and 1989, redefined some neighborhood boundaries—for example, parts of Yonggang-dong were folded into Yeomni-dong, and segments of Mangwon-dong were reassigned to nearby Seogyo-dong and Hapjeong-dong.
An office district has developed around Gongdeok Station and the Digital Media City area, while large commercial districts have formed around Sinchon Station, Hongdae (Hongik University) Station, Hapjeong Station, and Mangwon Station. The economic strength of the area comes from the businesses and shops concentrated in these areas. In particular, the Hongdae Street area near Hongik University Station has grown into a major tourist destination since the 2020s, attracting visitors from around the world, with foreign consumer spending becoming a driving force of Mapo District's economy.
It is also part of the "Mayongseong" (Mapo, Yong-san, Seongdong) trio, a popular real estate term. The four subway lines are strategically located, providing excellent metro access throughout the district. Additionally, Hongdae (Hongik University) Station serves as a transfer point for Line 2, the Airport Railroad, and the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, while Hapjeong Station connects Lines 2 and 6, serving as a transit hub toward northwestern Gyeonggi Province.
International schools:
In the 2008 revamping of the precinct ( dong) administration, some smaller precincts were merged to form larger precincts, effectively reducing the number of precinct administrative offices. As a result, the number of precinct offices decreased to 16 from 24. However, addresses remained the same.
These are the revamped administrative precincts:
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