"Seoul's Nightlife Transformed: Why Fewer People Ride the Subway After Midnight"

Seoul Metro: Late-Night Subway Ridership Drops 23.7% in Six Years
Gangnam Station Sees Numbers Halved... "Sober Life" Trend Accelerates

The number of people taking the Seoul subway after midnight has dropped by nearly 5,000 per day over the past six years. The once bustling nighttime scenes of Seoul, crowded with company dinners and late-night gatherings, are quietly changing.

Yonhap News Agency

According to analysis by Seoul Metro released on June 5, the average number of passengers boarding the subway on weekdays after 24:00 decreased by 23.7%, from 20,516 in 2019 to 15,653 in 2025. This rate of decline is more than three times greater than the overall decrease in passenger numbers across all time slots during the same period, which was 7.5%.

Comparison of Passenger Numbers. Provided by Seoul Metro.

This downward trend was also evident in major commercial districts. At Gangnam Station, which has the highest number of late-night passengers, the daily average plummeted by about 46%, from 1,109 people in 2019 to 599 people in 2025, practically halving. Other stations in concentrated commercial areas—Hongdae Entrance Station (590), Jamsil Station (483), Konkuk University Entrance Station (443), and Hapjeong Station (428)—still rank among the top for late-night usage, but their absolute numbers have shrunk significantly.

Seoul Metro attributed the main causes to changes in lifestyles since COVID-19, such as the widespread adoption of remote work and the establishment of a culture of returning home early. The company also explained that the growing 'Sober Life' trend, especially among younger generations who are increasingly avoiding alcohol, has contributed to the reduction in late-night drinking and gathering culture.

Ma Haekeun, Head of the Operations Division at Seoul Metro, stated, "Since COVID-19, citizens' mobility patterns have become more regular and centered on daily routines," adding, "We plan to continuously improve our services by enhancing both operational efficiency and safety in line with changing transportation demand."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.