Itaewon
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The Last Gulps of the Canary in the Itaewon Coal Mine
After climbing a dusty, graffiti-strewn staircase to the entrance to Seoul Pub, one encounters a handwritten sign hanging on the glass door: “No drunken, fighting, sleeping, bothering, picking up.” Inside the bar, owner Jung In-chul explains that the sign is an expression of his desire to maintain a family-like atmosphere
A Complex Issue: The Apart-ization of South Korea
Itaewon has a reputation as Seoul’s ‘foreign’ area. Standing next to U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, it has long catered to the off-base needs and urges of military personnel, gaining a sleazy reputation in the process. Many South Koreans were afraid to set foot there until a few years
Itaewon Bar Apologizes to Indian Student for Foreigner Ban
In June, a video of Kislay Kumar, a student from India, being turned away from a bar in Seoul briefly went viral due to the brazenness of the discrimination he faced on the basis of his nationality. In a video of the incident, a bouncer can be heard saying, “No
End of Itaewon As We Know Nears
Rendering of Hannam Newtown District 3 as it would look after redevelopment (courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government) Itaewon in central Seoul is one of South Korea’s most diverse and interesting neighborhoods. American soldiers from the nearby military base are a fixture. Diplomats from around the world are stationed at
Quiz: Are You A South Korean Hipster?
For hipsters, the hipster culture is so yesterday. (Or, if you’re a hipster, you probably won’t call yourself one) Many contemporary subgroups have now, ironically enough, become mainstream enough to no longer be deemed “cool,” as in fringe, niche, or esoteric enough to decorate the consumer with a
Jungle: A Drag Queen and Man
“Have you heard of Junglé?” Alex, a young French director, asked me with excitement. On Jun. 16, I met up with Team Ohioh, a Seoul-based French-Korean video production team at their office in Seoul. The only thing I had been told in prior to this rendezvous was that we would
"No Kazakhstan, No Pakistan, No Mongolia, No Saudi Arabia."
When Kislay Kumar headed out on the town on a recent Friday, he had no way of knowing that later that night he would end up being the latest chapter in South Korea’s national debate over race and inclusion. After two a.m., Kumar and a group of friends
Justin Lim, South Korea's Unsung LGBT Icon, Dies at 32
Though I did not know Justin Lim personally, it is difficult for anyone having ventured into the wild Itaewon gay scene to not know of Lim or his legacy. Some of the best nights out in Seoul were created thanks to Lim, a South Korean man who was open to
Choi Soon-sil Gate Parodies: Let the Fun Times Roll
There’s a lot of rage, disappointment, and feelings of betrayal over president Park Geun-hye’s alleged relationship with Choi Soon-sil. We say ‘alleged’, because much remains to be credibly confirmed in this dramatic, unfolding saga. (For an in-depth discussion of the Choi Soon-sil scandal, check
Itaewon's Homo Hill: A Show That Never Ends
For many who make up Seoul’s gay scene, Saturday night begins on a narrow strip of a road, up a short but meandering incline behind the Itaewon fire station. “Homo Hill,” as this place is unofficially known, is a consortium of multiple bars and clubs serving cheap drinks and