Global culture to food: what Itaewon means to foreigners

Police officers stand guard behind a cordon in the Itaewon district of Seoul, South Korea on Oct 30. Photo: Bloomberg

Itaewon has long been a neighbourhood where people can experience and enjoy a variety of international cultures. International visitors and foreign residents could feel at home in the community, while many Koreans would visit in search of an international vibe.

“I don’t feel homesick very often, but when I do, there is usually something I can feel comfort in there. In Itaewon, I am just one of hundreds of foreigners and no one will pay particular attention to me. So it feels a bit liberating,” said Mitch Goshorn, a 37-year-old American citizen living in Seoul.