Korean Job Discussion Forums

Oreovictim · Joined: 23 Aug 2006

So what's your opinion on Itaewon? Do you like it or hate it?

I went there for the first time yesterday. The ethnic restaurants rock, but, man, what a creepy place at night. My coworker compares it to Mos Eisley Spaceport in Star Wars. " . . . you will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villiany." - Obi-Wan Kenobi

flotsam · Joined: 28 Mar 2006

Wow golly.

Are you new here, buddy?

MollyBloom · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Location: James Joyce's pants

I think it's a great resource: you can find a plethora of deals, great food, interesting people. I definitely think it is sketchy when the sun goes down.

Meggiebea · Joined: 20 Oct 2006 Location: Uijeongbu, South Korea

Is that the 'English section' of Seoul?

cibomatto · Joined: 30 Aug 2006 Location: NY

As a service member I tend to stay clear of Iteawon. I have been there once when I first arrived during th evening and I was not too impressed. Drunken wild people everywhere is not my personal idea of fun however I am sure it has its value for some people. I understand shopping during the day is pretty good and thats the place you could go to if you crave a variety of food.

There are sooo many great spots in Korea, I personally enjoy Hyehwa as it seems to be where most of the performing arts take place

jaganath69 · Joined: 17 Jul 2003

tiger fancini · Joined: 21 Mar 2006 Location: Testicles for Eyes

I also like it during the daytime, it is pretty good for shopping and you can get plenty of bargains. For a tall guy, its much easier and cheaper than shoping in a dept. store.
For a night out, I find that once a month is a happy medium for me and generally seem to have fun if I stick to this. However, if I go more than once a month then I tend to come away despising the place.

dog_disco · Joined: 25 Apr 2006

...I like the place in the afternoons. Its a sociology experiment. I get off the subway + suddenly I am no longer the only white person around. It goes to being basically 1/3 Asian, 1/3 white, 1/3 black. In fact, in seven months here, Itaewon is the only place I have ever seen black people. From multi-cultural Canada, it is somewhat of a "return to normal". Having said that, the place is crass + sketchy ("custom suit, sir, sir, custom suit?") but that's part of the charm. Never been there at night, I am married, so I don't have the interest to.

cubanlord · Joined: 08 Jul 2005 Location: In Japan!

Ianinilsan · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Location: South Korea

It is a strange place with some bad people. Just get what you need and get out of there.

rawiri · Joined: 01 Jun 2003 Location: Lovely day for a fire drill.

I fail to see what is so sketchy about Itaewon at night. I'm assuming some of the folks on this board have had incredibly sheltered upbringings. If you want to see sketchy then go to areas in the west after dark with major drug problems and get back to us. Itaewon is one of the better places to hang out after dark if you want to take a little break from the norm during your stint in korea. It's nice to be able to shoot some pool, eat food other than fatty meat and lettuce leaves, see races other than koreans, and yes, check out the freaks. You can easily find a fight in Itaewon if you so desire, the chances of you finding one without looking is pretty slim, probably on par with the rest of korea really.

The mos isley analogy only really applies to old seoul town, a bar run half way up hooker hill, and then only after about 4 am.

If in your various travels round the world, adventuring here and there, Itaewon is the sketchiest place you get too, and having a hawker trying to sell you a suit is the worst thing to happen to you then you should count yourself pretty lucky.

cdninkorea · Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Location: Seoul

JeJuJitsu · Joined: 11 Sep 2005 Location: McDonald's

Dev · Joined: 18 Apr 2006

I don't like Itaewon at night. It looks like a war zone.

Octavius Hite · Posted: Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:02 pm Post subject:

Mos Isley no, more like Rick's Casablanca (and yes I know Mos Isley is a veiled reference to Casablanca) the town has its charms. The variety of people makes me think I am back in Toronto or Vancouver and thats nice. Theres decent food to be had and a great middle eastern shop for groceries!

The rampaging drunks, well thats a charm that all of Korea shares. One night in Myeong-dong at 8pm we saw three fights in 45 minutes and so many wasted ajosshi's I thought I was at a New Year's party, again this was at 8pm. So there are many places in Korea where the streets are covered in puke and the whores are on the prowl, I mean guys haven't you been to Bangkok or Manila, those places are Mos Isley!