Actually, Myeong-dong is not an original name and it was not known as a commercial area at first. During the Joseon Dynasty era, it was mostly a residential district called Myeongryebang (). Later on, under the Japanese colonization, the name was changed to Myeongchijeong (). It started to be more like a commercial district during that colonial period. Finally it was changed to the current name, Myeong-dong in 1946, after independence. 