| Itaewon tips and photos posted by real travelers and Seoul locals. • 18 Photos • 16 Reviews See all Seoul Tourist Traps |  | Seoul Itaewon Reviews | 1 - 10 of 16 |  |
 If you see this man in Itaewon, run for your life! by kdoc13 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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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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The shopkeepers may speak some English, but the items are over-priced. Not worth the subway ticket. The atmosphere seems forced and disengenous, as though the whole place was designed solely for foreigners.
I understand that the western restaurants here aren't bad, but I didn't have the opportunity to try them out. I went in the morning when it was dead, but I hear nightlife here can get interesting.
I think Insadong has much more of a traditional shopping atmosphere, although it's not much cheaper. And if you're looking for a real bargain, Dongdaemoon or Migliore may be a better bet. Leave a Comment
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 Itae Won by darthmilmo I do not know why so many tourists fall for this poor excuse of a market. It?s not even a third of the size of the 'Dongdaemun Market' and 'Namdaemun Market.' In fact, the only reason I visit it is that I was near the area. Its a few minutes walk from the War Memorial and since I was done early I walked to Itae Won to see what I was missing. Indeed, I wouldn?t have missed much. I wouldn?t buy anything in here folks for you can get it cheaper on the other markets. Leave a Comment
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We walked through on the way to the Korean War Museum. I was pretty shocked to see how americanized this area was. On the outskirts it's your basic Korean neighborhood. But, the more touristy parts are not worth going to at all. Most of the people we saw were western and probably soliders (not that there is anything wrong with that, but not really a reason to travel). Stay away unless you know someone on the base. There are much nicer places to spend your time.
Get off Itawon St. and into the back streets. Atleast you can experiance a true Seoul meal there. Leave a Comment
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If you ever find yourself in an area full of americans, such as the Itaewon Clubbing District, or around the Yongsan U.S. Army Garrison, stay away from the parked cabs looking for customers! They target foreigners, and double their prices! Just stand on the street and hold your hand down and wait for another one. Leave a Comment
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ITAEWON - As there is a major US Army base in the area, the shops here grew up to serve foreign clientele. The prices can be quite expensive but most of the shop owners can speak and understand English and Japanese. Get your souvenirs at Namdaemun Market instead! Leave a Comment
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As you're traveling through, you'll have a number of people trying to convince you to come to their stores to get hand-made suits and shoes for ridiculously low prices. Some of these shop owners are very good, but some will sell you crap and you won't figure it out until you get home. You will also find fake Rolex, Tag Heuer, Ralph Lauren, etc. Some of the stuff you'll find (namely clothing) is the real deal, but for some reason it didn't pass the quality check by the company so local vendors sell it.
When buying those discounted Polo shirts, make sure the name is spelled properly (eg. Ralph Lauren and not Ralf Lavren). If ou're shopping for suits or other clothes, know what you're looking.
You can shop at the places where the locals shop for suits and shoes, but you'll generally pay more. Find a local U.S. military person there...they are usually there for one or two years and have scoped out the best places to buy quality suits and other clothes. Leave a Comment
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Knock offs of every imaginable watch, leather purse, etc.
Be ready from some sharp dealing.
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My 1st time in Korea, read a lot about Seoul and Itaewon. It is a very big let down, day and night. Its raining, and the fake apparels by the road side is not as I had expected. Compared to the sprawling bangkok with lots more everywhere. At night, the bars are too mild for my liking. I ended up early to bed and read the emalis.
I wanted to get a korean handphone as mine doesnt work in Korea. Too bad, the salesmen dont speak english and they arent any cheaper back home in Malaysia or Singapore. I went to 2 so called 'Guro and Gassan digital complex' on the metro map, got lost somewhere down in the metro changing trains. Both has NO digital complex anywhere near them! I ended up just looking at stadiums, the sport complex which had a design Olympiad on, and the world cup stadium. I like the area around Hongik Uni sation for shopping and nightlife, catering to the young koreans (there was a scuffle with police when I was there last night, but well under control). Leave a Comment
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