Itaewon Class (이태원 클라쓰) is a 2020 South Korean television series starring Park Seo-joon, Kim Da-mi, Yoo Jae-myung, and Kwon Nara. Based on the webtoon of the same name, it is the first series to be produced by the film distribution company Showbox. It aired on JTBC in Korea from January 31 to March 21, 2020, and is streaming worldwide on Netflix. Itaewon Class' final episode recorded a 16.548% nationwide audience share, making it the third-highest viewership rating in JTBC and the seventh highest-rated drama in Korean cable television history. And due to this drama, a lot of people would like to know more about 이태원. 이태원 is now a really famous place all around the world now.
Itaewon (이태원) is the area surrounding Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is served by Seoul Subway Line6 via Itaewon, Noksapyeong, and Hanganjin stations. About 22,000 people reside in the district and it is a popular area for residents of Seoul, tourists, expats, and U.S military personnel. It is known as Seoul's International District and is the home of many foreigners in South Korea.
The name Itaewon was originally derived from the name of an inn located there during the Joseon Dynasty. Today it's called Itaewon alluding to its abundance of pear trees. According to a historical record, the name was also written using different Hanja characters that alluded to foreign babies. When the Japanese invaded Seoul (1592-1593) during the Imjin War a group of Japanese soldiers seized a Buddhist temple in what is now Itaewon where Buddhist nuns lived. The soldiers stayed at the temple for a while and raped the Buddhist nuns. When the soldiers left they burned down the Buddhist temple. The raped Buddhist nuns now homeless settled nearby and eventually gave birth to children. People from neighboring villages named the location Itaewon after the pregnant Buddhist nuns. During the Imjin War this was also where surrendered Japanese soldiers (이타인/異他人) lived.
There are a lot of key landmarks and attractions in Itaewon.
- Namsan Tower: Namsan Tower is located outside of Itaewon, but you can get a stunning view of the tower just by taking a short walk from the subway station. Head toward the mountain from Itaewon Station. You’ll find yourself in a densely forested area that will make you forget you’re in the heart of the city. Follow the hiking trail near Hangangjin Station and head up the wooden stairs leading to the Grand Hyatt for an amazing view overlooking Namsan Tower, Itaewon-dong, Hannam-dong, Gangname, and the Hangang River. From there you can visit Namsan Park, which has many trails leading all the way to the tower.
- Itaewon Antique Furniture Street: Itaewon is packed to the brim with unique antique shops, thanks to its interesting history as a favorite stomping ground of American troops after World War II. Because so many US troops were stationed at nearby Yongsan Garrison, it became very common for the troops to sell all of their furniture and belongings on this street before returning to America. Today, you can find all kinds of Asian and European antiques tucked inside the small shops that line this street.
There are a lot of festivals in Itaewon such as the Global village festival and the Halloween festival. Every autumn, the Itaewon Global Village Festival takes place in the Itaewon Special Tourist Zone. It usually takes place during the second week of October. Highlights include a parade with over 800 participants, a cultural fashion show, a huge variety of performers and street artists, free concerts, food vendors, and more. On Halloween, Itaewon, known for being a hub for the international community in Seoul, is perhaps the busiest area to head out to at night, with party-goers often spilling into the side streets as the bars reach full capacity.
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I have never watched Itaewon class but it is definitely on my watchlist! I think throughout these past years Itaewon changed dramatically I remember when I went in 2018 it seemed just like another trendy part of Seoul. My group leader told us how before 2014 it was a really dangerous neighborhood and impossible to walk around in at night. Sadly, because of COVID and the Itaewon club cases, I fear the loss of business will cause it to return to its bad past.