Things to do in Itaewon, Hannam & Yongsan

Sights· 1

1. Haebangchon Hillside Neighborhood

   A hillside neighborhood of old shops and foreign-run cafes.

   Haebangchon is a hillside neighbourhood below Namsan, settled by people who gathered here after liberation in 1945. Old shops sit among eateries, cafes and pubs run by foreign residents along steep lanes, and Sinheung Market has operated since 1953.

   Why go

   A large foreign-resident community means international restaurants cluster here, and younger Koreans also climb up for the market's shops and cafes with Namsan views.

   Good to know

   The climb is long, and Seoul city's guide suggests taking a village bus up from Namyeong or Sookmyung Women's Univ. stations. There is no parking in the lanes. Visitors' drinking and smoking traces in residential alleys have been criticised, so keep quiet and take your trash with you. A slope elevator was installed at the nearby 108 Steps, but check on site whether it is running.

   Sources: mediahub.seoul.go.kr · en.wikipedia.org

Culture· 2

1. Leeum Museum of Art

   A private art museum on a hillside with tickets sold on site.

   A private art museum on a Hannam-dong hillside with permanent displays of traditional and modern art plus special exhibitions. It is about a five-minute uphill walk from Hangangjin Station.

   Why go

   If you could not book ahead you can still get a ticket on site, so the visit does not need a rigid schedule, and it fits easily into a Hannam-dong and Itaewon day.

   Good to know

   Closed on Mondays, New Year's Day, Seollal and Chuseok. Special exhibitions open for booking on the official site 14 days ahead and on-site tickets exist, but queues grow when it is busy, so booking is safer. Allow extra walking time for the slope.

   Sources: english.visitkorea.or.kr · english.visitseoul.net

2. National Museum of Korea

   A national history and art museum where most visitors are Koreans.

   Korea's national general museum in Yongsan, with permanent halls for archaeology, history, calligraphy and painting, sculpture and crafts, and Asian art, plus an outdoor garden. The grounds are big enough that seeing everything in one visit is hard.

   Why go

   Koreans make up the overwhelming share of visitors, so going to an exhibition here is an everyday cultural habit. The permanent halls let you skim the arc of Korean history in one place.

   Good to know

   There is no weekly closing day; it shuts only on New Year's Day and on Seollal and Chuseok. It runs later on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Some galleries close temporarily for maintenance, so check the official notices for the hall you want.

   Sources: museum.go.kr · english.visitseoul.net

Premium experiences· 2

Fine dining, art, hanok stays, concert halls

1. Amorepacific Museum of Art

   An art museum inside the Amorepacific headquarters in Yongsan.

   An art museum on the first floor of the Amorepacific headquarters in Yongsan, in a building said to take its form from white porcelain. It shows Korean ancient art alongside Korean and international contemporary art, and has a museum shop and a small library of exhibition booklets.

   Why go

   It belongs to a Korean beauty company, so it pairs naturally with a trip that also includes beauty appointments. It is a short walk from Sinyongsan Station, in the same district as the National Museum of Korea.

   Good to know

   Closed on Mondays, New Year's Day, Seollal and Chuseok. Entry conditions depend on the exhibition, so check the official site before you go. Sinyongsan Station exit 1 is very close.

   Sources: english.visitseoul.net · english.visitkorea.or.kr

2. Soseoul Hannam

   A contemporary Korean course restaurant in Hannam-dong.

   A restaurant in Hannam-dong that reinterprets Seoul's food heritage as modern Korean cooking, with lunch and dinner courses. The menu includes aged kimchi and charcoal-grilled octopus alongside traditional Korean liquors, and the MICHELIN Guide Seoul 2026 lists it with one star.

   Why go

   It sits on the Hannam-dong side of Yongsan, so it fits a day that also takes in Leeum Museum of Art and the Hannam galleries. VisitKorea describes the meal as a course of about an hour and a half.

   Good to know

   It takes reservations only, and the restaurant manages its own booking, so contact it directly. Lunch and dinner courses differ, and the open days should be confirmed when you book.

   Sources: korean.visitkorea.or.kr

Where K-celebs eat· 14

Spots stars and well-known people have visited

1. Apgujeong Jinju Hannam Directly Operated Branch

   A Hannam-dong pork belly restaurant visited by Sung Si-kyung and Park Seo-joon

   The Hannam directly operated branch of a pork belly restaurant.

   Who’s been

   Sung Si-kyung · Park Seo-joon

   Why go

   Sung Si-kyung and Park Seo-joon appear together at this restaurant in an episode of Sung Si-kyung's official YouTube series.

   Sources: mukzip.club

2. Bunjiro Sounds Hannam Branch

   A Hannam-dong tonkatsu restaurant where musical actor Kim Ho-young ate on TV

   A Japanese-style tonkatsu (pork cutlet) and udon restaurant in Hannam-dong.

   Who’s been

   Kim Ho-young

   Why go

   On TV Chosun's 'Huh Young-man's Baekban Trip' (aired June 2026), musical actor Kim Ho-young ate here and said there was no need to go to Japan.

   Sources: mukzip.club

3. Donga Naengmyeon Itaewon Branch

   A Hannam-dong naengmyeon restaurant BTS's Jin named a regular spot on TV

   The Itaewon branch of Donga Naengmyeon, a cold noodle restaurant in Hannam-dong.

   Who’s been

   BTS Jin

   Why go

   BTS's Jin introduced this place as his regular on a TV show, and the warm broth was mentioned as well.

   Sources: mukzip.club

4. Guldari Sikdang

   A Mapo kimchi stew restaurant visited by Olympic shooter Jin Jong-oh

   A kimchi stew (kimchi-jjigae) restaurant in Mapo, Seoul.

   Who’s been

   Jin Jong-oh

   Why go

   In the Rio Olympics special of SBS's 'Top 3 Chef King', shooting gold medalist Jin Jong-oh visited this restaurant with Baek Jong-won and ate kimchi stew, stir-fried pork and rolled omelet. Jin said it tasted like stew reboiled several times at home.

   Sources: mukzip.club

5. Hannamdong Hanbang Tongdak

   A Hannam-dong herbal wood-fired chicken shop that posted SEVENTEEN Dino's visit

   A shop in Hannam-dong serving whole chicken roasted over wood with herbal (hanbang) ingredients.

   Who’s been

   SEVENTEEN Dino

   Why go

   The shop itself announced that SEVENTEEN's Dino visited.

   Sources: mukzip.club

6. Horongbul

   An Itaewon traditional-liquor pub that announced a visit by SEVENTEEN's Vernon

   A traditional-liquor gastropub in Itaewon.

   Who’s been

   SEVENTEEN Vernon

   Why go

   The restaurant itself announced that SEVENTEEN's Vernon visited.

   Sources: mukzip.club

7. Itaewon Hwaro

   An Itaewon grill restaurant that said BTS Jungkook dined late after a show

   A meat-grill restaurant in Itaewon.

   Who’s been

   BTS Jungkook

   Why go

   The restaurant itself announced that BTS's Jungkook had a late dinner here after the Gwanghwamun show.

   Sources: mukzip.club

8. Jinmi Sikdang

   A Gongdeok-dong crab restaurant listed as Huh Young-man's regular

   A restaurant in Gongdeok-dong serving ganjang-gejang, crab marinated in soy sauce.

   Who’s been

   Huh Young-man

   Why go

   A February 2015 newspaper feature on celebrities' regular restaurants named this place as the regular spot of cartoonist Huh Young-man.

   Sources: mukzip.club

9. Kushiraku

   An Itaewon skewer pub that announced a visit by TWICE's Dahyun

   A Japanese-style pub in Itaewon serving grilled skewers.

   Who’s been

   TWICE Dahyun

   Why go

   The restaurant itself announced that TWICE's Dahyun visited.

   Sources: mukzip.club

10. Oneul

    A hanjeongsik restaurant where Kim Jong-kook and Yoo Jae-suk ate on Running Man

    A hanjeongsik (Korean set-meal) restaurant in Dongbinggo-dong.

    Who’s been

    Kim Jong-kook · Yoo Jae-suk

    Why go

    In episode 550 of SBS's 'Running Man' (aired April 2021), Kim Jong-kook and Yoo Jae-suk ate a spring-greens hanjeongsik together here. The episode was about the cast members' real regular restaurants.

    Sources: mukzip.club

11. Pachamama Bakery

    A Samgakji salt bread bakery visited by three LE SSERAFIM members

    A bakery cafe in Samgakji.

    Who’s been

    LE SSERAFIM Kazuha · LE SSERAFIM Kim Chaewon · LE SSERAFIM Huh Yunjin

    Why go

    It is introduced as a place visited by LE SSERAFIM's Kazuha, Kim Chaewon and Huh Yunjin, with its salt bread mentioned.

    Sources: mukzip.club

12. Sutjang

    A Samgakji charcoal pork restaurant that posted a visit by SEVENTEEN members

    A charcoal-grilled pork restaurant in Samgakji.

    Who’s been

    SEVENTEEN S.Coups · SEVENTEEN Mingyu · SEVENTEEN Vernon

    Why go

    The restaurant itself announced that SEVENTEEN's S.Coups, Mingyu and Vernon visited.

    Sources: mukzip.club

13. Yasunoya Main Branch

    A Yongsan restaurant where Epik High ate lamb on Sung Si-kyung's YouTube

    The main branch of a Japanese restaurant in Yongsan-gu, shown on video serving lamb chops and lamb meat.

    Who’s been

    Epik High Tablo

    Why go

    In a video on Sung Si-kyung's official YouTube channel, uploaded in November 2023, the three members of Epik High appear as guests and eat lamb chops and lamb meat here.

    Sources: mukzip.club

14. Yetjip Guksu

    A Samgakji noodle shop where then-President Yoon Suk-yeol ate with aides

    A long-running noodle shop near Samgakji Station, whose signature dish is janchi guksu (banquet noodles) in anchovy broth simmered over briquette fire. It is described as 35 to 40 years old.

    Who’s been

    Yoon Suk-yeol

    Why go

    President Yoon Suk-yeol was reported to have visited this shop with aides in May 2022 and eaten onguksu (warm noodles in broth, also called janchi guksu). Some aides added gimbap, and several outlets covered the visit the same day.

    Sources: mukzip.club