Itaewon

Itaewon (Korean: 이태원, 梨泰院, [itʰɛwʌn]) refers to an area surrounding Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is served by Seoul Subway Line 6 via Itaewon, Noksapyeong and Hanganjin stations. About 22,000 people reside in the district and it is a popular area for residents of Seoul, tourists, and U.S. military personnel.

Local attractions

Many restaurants serving international dishes are in this area including cuisine from India, Pakistan, Turkey, Thailand, Germany, Spain, Italy, England, France and Mexico — foods that are not widely available in Korea. Essentially, it's known as "Western Town," reminiscent of many Chinatowns in Western countries.

Itaewon is, along with Insadong and Seoul Tower, one of the most popular areas in Seoul for tourists. Major hotels such as the Grand Hyatt and local landmark Hamilton Hotel are here as well as dozens of shops and services aimed at tourists. High-quality leather products are sold at reasonable prices (though haggling is expected) as well as traditional Korean souvenirs.