Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

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Hand of statue in front of War Memorial at dusk.

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Overview

Defined by the off-limits US army base that eats up a great chunk of Yongsan-gu, this area has long been Seoul's ‘foreign’ hangout for hamburgers, hookers and everything else. Nowadays, Itaewon (and adjacent 'hoods Hannam-dong, Haebangchon and Gyeongridan) boasts one of the most dynamic restaurant scenes in Asia, with a new global food trend emerging every five minutes. This diversity extends to the nightlife, with craft beer, underground clubs and something for every sexual persuasion. In daylight hours, the area has several major museums you won’t want to miss.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

National Museum of Korea

Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

This vast and imposing concrete slab of a museum takes visitors on a fascinating journey through Korea's past from prehistory all the way to the Korean…

Detail of ROK Airforce plane outside War Memorial and Museum, north of river.

War Memorial of Korea

Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

This huge museum documents the history of the Korean War (1950–53) using multimedia exhibits and black-and-white documentary footage, along with artefacts…

Leeum Samsung Museum of Art

Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

Amid the celebrity-owned apartments on the leafy southern slope of Namsan is Korea's premier art gallery. Beautifully designed and laid-out, it balances…

Itaewon Bugundang History Park

Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

Even longtime residents of Itaewon might be surprised if you tell them that it is indeed possible to find historical relics in the heart of the…

Stairway Flea Market

Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

Held on the last Saturday of each month, this market attracts hundreds of shoppers to Usadan-ro on top of Itaewon Hill, where local artists sell their…

National Hangeul Museum

Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

Give your Korean-language skills a brush up with this museum dedicated to hangeul, the much-lauded Korean alphabet and writing system created in the 15th…

Seoul Central Mosque

Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

Its twin minarets rising tall and resplendent over 'Halal Hill', Seoul's impressive mosque, which opened in 1976, caters primarily to the Arabic, Asian…

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