By I think this make sense considering the jobs most foreign workers in Korea work are not in Itaewon:
Itaewon may be the hottest hangout spot among foreigners, but the southwestern Seoul district of Daelim-dong is their No. 1 place of residence.
The National Statistical Office (NSO) said Thursday that 255,207 foreigners currently reside in Seoul and 35,438 of them live in Daelim-dong, a ward of Yeongdeungpo-gu.
This area has long been a foreign enclave with dozens of factories and industrial facilities, including the Guro Industrial Complex, naturally drawing the biggest flock of residents, who are mostly from neighboring Southeast Asian countries.
Contrary to popular belief, Itaewon fell behind in the residential ranking as it came in 27th, according to the NSO.
Thousands of visitors go in and out of the eat-drink-and-play neighborhood, but the government data showed that less than 2,000 foreigners currently live in the central Seoul district.
Another traditionally popular region among foreigners ― Hannam-dong ― ranked toward the bottom of the roster at 18th place.
The NSO said 2,673 non-Koreans currently reside in the area that is dense with foreign embassies. [Korea Times]
Personally I would never want to live in Itaewon. Too much of a ghetto for me. Anyone else reading this would want to live in Itaewon if given the choice?
9:36 pm on October 29th, 2009 1
i would NEVER live in Itaewon. youre right it is a ghetto.
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October 30th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Have you actually taken the time to go outside of hooker hill and explore Itaewon?
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10:12 pm on October 29th, 2009 2
I don’t know why the reporter sounds surprised. After all, it’s not a residential neighborhood.
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10:29 pm on October 29th, 2009 3
I live right behind Iteawon, below the hyatt hotel, it is one of the best areas in Korea. I have my own personal parking space behind a gate and a huge house. I have live in Korea for 20 years and this is by far the bast area I have lived in. I can here the bar music and people yelling at night but when I am inside I here nothing. I can walk 1 minute and be at some great restaurants and shopping and I have a Cold Stone at my disposal. It is certainly no ghetto where I am living.
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2:32 am on October 30th, 2009 4
I grow weary of the Itaewon is a ghetto meme. Perhaps that was true at one time, but with the exception of the Hill and Nigerian alley, Itaewon has seen a remarkable transformation over the past few years. To be sure, it is still an entertainment district, but most of sleazy bars are gone, replaced by some very nice western style pubs. And the upscale restaurant selection has quadrupled. Take a hike up the alley behind the Hamilton Hotel and you’ll see what I mean.
As for living there, well, as one commenter noted, it’s not exactly a residential neighborhood. Plus, it is quite expensive (who’d a thunk ghetto rent could be so high?). I live a block off the main drag, but I have a Hannam-dong address. It may as well be Itaewon, but technically its not. And yeah, a lot of embassies have amabassdor residences up around the Hyatt.
Guess they just like the slummin’too.
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7:36 am on October 30th, 2009 5
I live on the south side of Itaewon, just five minutes walk from the Hamilton Hotel and I would argue that my neighbourhood is one of the best in Seoul. No high rise apartments, just three or four storey villas with small shops, restaurants and a very strong sense of community.
North of the main strip may be swanky diplomat land, but head south towards Bogwang-dong and you’ll find the heart of Itaewon. I live within a few minutes walk from some fantastic restaurants and a supermarket that sells fresh parsley and coriander along with access to book stores and other goods that you’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere in Korea. There’s no noise, no drunkeness and no problems where I live; some streets in Itaewon may be dodgy, but that shouldn’t mean that you write off the whole area as a ghetto.
The rent is reasonable, the people are friendly and the goods and services available are outstanding, plus you’re just a hop, skip and a jump away from Yongsan and are smack, bang in the geographical centre of Seoul.
I urge you not to dismiss Itaewon as a ghetto, but to understand how much more this area means to those of us who live here.
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10:20 am on October 30th, 2009 6
Having lived in Itaewon and Hannam Dong off and on over the last several years I have to say I agree with what most of you are saying, Itaewon is by no means a ghetto. While every section of Seoul, including Gangnam and Apgu, have some suspect alleyways and side streets, to use a blanket statement like ghetto is inacurate. Them main street in Itaewon has more good food and fun than almost any other district in Seoul. The only other areas that come close would be the College districts like Hongdae. My favorite thing about Itaewon is that you can find EVERYTHING here. We have friends from all over the city and they always want to come to our house to hang out, go to dinner, go out for drinks etc. And oh by the way, I’d much rather pay 4-5 million won for my 70 pyeong villa than pay 8-10 million for a high-rise of the same size and quality. Plus I actually know my Landlord.
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October 30th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I should clarify that by saying main street of Itaewon I am including the food and drink establishments behind the Hamilton. As most of you know thats where most of the really good food is.
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11:25 am on October 30th, 2009 7
I must admit that I underestimated Itaewon. Until recently, I had only been along the main road with all the shops. I did not think much of it or the shopping so I didn’t spend much time there. I recently discovered the hidden treasure of restaurants in the alley behind the Hamilton Hotel which was mentioned in a previous posting. We now frequent the restaurants even though they can be quite pricy often costing us 80,000 to 100,000 won per dining experience. We are not the clubbing type anymore so I can’t say much on that but I do know a couple single gentlemen who live in the area and enjoy it. I don’t think I would want to live there unless I were single or I was really into the nightlife. The shady parts are pretty interesting too.
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11:42 am on October 30th, 2009 8
We used to live in the area between the Chunghwa Apts and Itaewonno… down a twisty-turny alley… only about $350/month for a ground floor studio; but well within walking distance of everything and/or bus stops and taxi stands…
The only reason we moved was my job…
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7:42 pm on November 14th, 2009 9
Well I wondered why my husband of 25 years decided to live in Iteatwondong when he moved there from the US. He was there for three months and filed for divorice. Left me my tow kids and my breast cancer in the dust.
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November 15th, 2009 at 4:31 am
If he marries a Korean girl, especially one he might meet there, to “replace” you, just sit back, smile, and be satisfied. Very soon, he will be MISERABLE beyond words, and you can giggle yourself to sleep every night. I get to hear it every day at work, and I have seen how some of these shrews publicly treat their meal tickets — errr— husbands.
The horror!
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