Public Toilets in Myeongdong: 24-Hour Restroom & Backups

Public toilets are hard to spot on Myeongdong's streets. One underground arcade restroom is open around the clock; the department stores are only usable during store hours. Here are the locations and times that could be checked, by category.

Last checked: 2026-09-22·Desk-researched — not yet verified on site

Myeongdong Underground Arcade public restroom (24 hours)

Underground 72 Namdaemun-ro, a public restroom run by the Seoul Facilities Corporation's arcade division. Its opening time is registered as "always", which makes it the option in Myeongdong that does not depend on the hour. It is split by gender — seven stalls on the women's side, two stalls and five urinals on the men's — and both sides have an accessible stall, a changing table and an emergency bell. The arcade connects to Euljiro 1-ga Station Exit 7; shops run 09:00–22:00 but the passageway stays open 24 hours.

Department stores — Lotte and Shinsegae main branches

Lotte Department Store main branch (81 Namdaemun-ro) runs 10:30–20:00 Monday to Thursday and 10:30–20:30 Friday to Sunday, and its listing places accessible restrooms on B1 and the 6th floor. Shinsegae main branch (63 Sogong-ro) runs 10:30–20:00 and is listed as having an accessible restroom without naming the floor. Both are store-hours only.

Lotte Department Store (Main) →Shinsegae Department Store (Main) →

Subway stations — toilets mostly outside the gates, and re-entry is free

Of the 313 stations on Lines 1–9 run by the city, 256 (82%) have their restrooms outside the fare gates. Since 1 July 2023, if you exit for the toilet and tap back in within 10 minutes there is no extra fare. The rule covers all of Line 2 and Line 4 between Jinjeop and Namtaeryeong, so both Euljiro 1-ga and Myeongdong stations qualify. It applies once per journey and requires a prepaid or postpaid transit card.

Cafes — doors are locked with a separate code

Cafe toilets in busy areas are often locked, and the code is usually on the door, at the counter, or printed on your receipt. Order first, then check the receipt — that is the reliable order of operations.

Tips

Removing paper bins from Korean public toilets started in January 2018 — flushing the paper is the standard.
Korean public toilets almost always have paper, but in some it sits in a large dispenser outside the stalls rather than inside — take what you need before you go in. Keeping pocket tissues in your bag covers the times it has run out.

Myeongdong · Places

Daiso Myeongdong Station

다이소 명동역점

A multi-floor Daiso at 134-1 Toegye-ro, near Myeongdong Station. It is a fixed-price household-goods chain, so souvenirs, beauty items, snacks and travel supplies are all in one building. The Korea Tourism Organization lists it as a tax refund shop.

No Korean phone needed

Dakjinmi Gangwonjip

닭진미강원집

A chicken-soup and boiled-chicken restaurant inside Namdaemun Market, at 22-20 Namdaemunsijang-gil. DiningCode lists it 08:00–20:30, closed Sundays. Dak-gomtang (chicken soup) is listed at 10,000 won, a meat set meal at 12,000 won and a whole chicken at 23,000 won. It is a hot-soup breakfast option in the market, Monday to Saturday.

No Korean phone neededNot confirmed

Embassy-front Exchange

대사관앞환전

An exchange office on the ground floor of 26 Myeongdong 2-gil. Its official site, which carries the company's business details and counter rates but is built and run by a third party (Trip Onda), gives 09:00–21:30 on weekdays, weekends and public holidays alike. Two Japanese travel guides both describe it as a popular exchange within walking distance of Myeongdong Station Exit 5, and one says there is always a queue. The official site posts its counter rates.

No Korean phone needed

Gimbap Cheonguk Myeongdong

김밥천국 명동본점

A branch of the gimbap and snack-food chain at 114-3 Toegye-ro, near Myeongdong Station Exit 4. DiningCode lists it as open 24 hours, every day, and a visitor blog says the same. It is the fallback before anything else opens. A May 2026 visitor post gives ramyeon at 4,500 won and omelette rice or spicy pork rice at 8,500 won; DiningCode's menu shows lower, apparently older, prices.

No Korean phone neededNot confirmed

Sources