Yongsan, Seoul: neighborhood guide

Yongsan sits in the middle of Seoul, between Jongno and Jung to the north and Gangnam to the south. The district covers the southern slopes of Namsan and the flat land along the Han River, so you get pine-covered hills, one- and two-storey houses on quiet lanes, and a few very busy roads.

Itaewon is the part most visitors know: the most international strip in Korea, with Mexican, Turkish, Middle Eastern and Indian kitchens, souvenir and T-shirt stalls, and a nightlife scene that runs late. The US military presence nearby shaped it, and English works better here than almost anywhere else in the city.

The rest of the district is calmer and more institutional. Ichon and Seobinggo hold the National Museum of Korea and the National Hangul Museum. Samgakji has the War Memorial. Yongsan Station is a rail hub for the southwest of the country. The former US base area is being redeveloped, so expect construction and changing streets over the next few years.

Choose Yongsan if food variety and evenings matter. Itaewon puts Korean, Middle Eastern, Indian and Mexican food within a few blocks, and the bars stay open later than in most districts. Choose it too if you are leaving Seoul by train to the southwest, because Yongsan Station is right there.

Skip it if your plan is palaces, hanok lanes and market food in Jongno and Jung, or if you want Gangnam shopping and offices. Those districts put you closer to what you came for. Yongsan is a short subway ride from both, so it works as a base, but you will spend 20–30 minutes each way.

Within the district: Itaewon for nightlife and first-time visitors who want English menus; Ichon and Yongsan Station for families, museum days and early trains; the Namsan hillside for quiet guesthouses if you do not mind the climb.

Itaewon is the reason many people stay here. You can eat Turkish, Lebanese, Indian, Mexican and Thai food within a few minutes' walk, alongside Korean barbecue, fried chicken and late-night snack bars. Prices run higher than in student areas, and quality varies, so look at what is busy at dinner time.

Around Yongsan Station and Ichon the food is more everyday Korean: office lunches, noodle shops, cafés and department-store food halls. The electronics market area has cheap, fast canteen-style meals for shoppers.

For a proper Korean barbecue dinner, Itaewon and the streets near Samgakji both work; expect to pay per portion of meat plus sides. Vegetarian and halal options are easier here than in most of Seoul, partly because of the mosque and the international community.

Itaewon Station is on Line 6, and all exits lead to the main street. Yongsan Station is the big rail hub: Lines 1 and 4 plus the Jungang Line, and Honam and Jeolla line trains to Jeonju, Mokpo, Gwangju and Yeosu. Note that Gyeongbu-line trains to Busan and Daegu leave from Seoul Station instead.

From Incheon Airport (ICN), take the AREX train to Seoul Station and change to Line 1 or 4, or take a taxi for the last stretch. From Gimpo (GMP), Line 5 plus a transfer, or a taxi, is simpler.

Subway service stops before the bars close, so plan a taxi or stay out until the first trains. Within the district, buses and taxis cover the hills better than walking, especially between Itaewon, Ichon and the Namsan slopes.