 | Seoul Itaewon Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 16 |  |
 | |  |  | Itaewon: Mafia Stuff In Itaewon. | Tip Rating:    |  |  | |  |
I normally feel pretty safe in Seoul, even in Itaewon. Rarely if ever do I put myself in a position to find trouble, and even less often do I go out looking for it. That's not to say that it doesn't happen though. Itaewon can be a lot of fun, but there is also a bit of risk if you are all alone. Take for example my Russian Mafia story from my 2001 trip. I was coming back from having my Bulgogi Pizza at the Pizza Hut in Itaewon and decided to walk some of it off. I figured I would walk down to the Hanvit Bank and catch a taxi home. Instead, I was cornered by some Russian men who (very persuasively) insisted that I join them upstairs at a strip club with real Korean women. I was escorted up a large amount of stairs by four very large men and made to pay a cover charge. Soon, I was in a dark room with two other men who looked scared to death. All three of us were at tables far apart from each other, and a group of russian women were all seated in a corner. Not sure why, but a record was put on, and they took turns going over to a shower curtain where they would change into a bathing suit and then to a small platform where they would gyrate for a few minutes to the music.
To continue the story. This continued for about an hour as bills for beer and a plate of fruit I never ordered appeared. Finally a young Korean woman showed up, shaked herself in a bathing suit and flirted with the Russian guys. I made a dash for the restroom and left when the coast was clear (naturally leaving the bills paid for, so as not to incur the wrath of these guys.) In short, if you see a bunch of men grouped together and trying to get people to go into a building, give them a wide path. Also, try not to make eye contact and just keep going in the direction you were, without stopping. If this doesn't work, not sure what to tell ya. But I would avoid be persuaded to go into strange buildings with large groups of strange people who apply pressure to you.
For the most part, I found Itaewon to be a safe place to hang out. And if you were there with locals, or groups of people you won't have any trouble. Best alternative is not to go around alone, but if that isn't possible, just keep you eyes open and avoid anything suspicious. Leave a Comment
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| | | | Itaewon: Itaewon | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Do not shop for souvenirs in Itaewon unless you have money to burn. If you do decide to shop here, be sure to barter. If you start at half the marked price, you may end up with a fair price. Itaewon does have a huge variety of souvenirs such as faux mink blankets, traditional masks, paintings and drawings, lamps, pottery, and just about anything else you can think of... Prices are just cheaper elsewhere. In Songtan, 45 km to the south, most things are about 1/2 price. In Insa-dong just a few km north, quality is much higher. Even in Namdaemun, things are typically more authentic and higher quality, while at lower prices. Itaewon does have a large number of name-brand American stores such as Nike, North Face, Columbia, and Reebok, but prices are very high, even when compared to the states. You can often find better prices just by shopping online.
Any of the smaller cities throughout Korea have much less expensive shopping. Leave a Comment
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Ahh Itaewon... Love it and hate it. Don't be fooled ~~almost everything here is marked up in price! From Photo delevopment to tea sets. The antique replica market under Helios seems to be on the up and up though and prices are reasonable. There is also visible prostitution on the hill and girly bars scattered around if this offends you.
But as far as foreign food- it can't be beat for quality. Great Thai, Indian, Italian, French food places as well as foreign food supermarkets offer reasonable prices. (since you can't get them anywhere else!)
If you're looking for souveneirs- insdie the Mall in Namdaemoon has much better selection and better prices. Insadong also has many beautiful things- but is also pricy... better value than Itaewan though. Leave a Comment
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