Itaewon Special Tourist Zone (이태원 관광특구)

10.3Km 2024-11-27

196 Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Itaewon was the first special tourist zone in Seoul, designated in 1997. It is a multicultural place where over 20,000 foreigners live and is widely recognized by international visitors.

The name Itaewon started to spread worldwide in the 1980s when Korea hosted the 1986 Seoul Asian Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, as well as many international conferences. Since then, Itaewon has become a popular travel destination. Clothes and accessories with unique designs, and leather products in particular are famous. This is a go-to place for both shopping and entertainment. The street is crowded with shops selling clothes and bags, as well as hotels, restaurants, entertainment facilities and travel agencies. With about 2,000 shops and stores lining every street, visitors can experience a multicultural atmosphere. Also famous in the district is Antique Furniture Street where more than 100 shops selling furniture and antiques stretch from Hamilton Hotel toward Bogwang-ro.

Travelers can taste authentic cuisine and experience culture from around the globe on World Food Street where there are 40 restaurants operated by foreigners. Since the late 1990s, an increase in the number of tourists from Southeast Asia and the Middle East has transformed the streets from being US Army-oriented into culturally diverse. Various performances and events are held in the area. In particular, Itaewon Global Village Festival, held every October, is a famous festival. Tourists can pay in US dollars, Japanese yen, or another currency freely. In addition, visitors can use various languages like English, Japanese, and Chinese with the sellers.

Doosan Art Center (두산아트센터)

10.3Km 2021-11-01

15, Jong-ro 33-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-708-5001

Doosan Art Center, which opened on October 1, 2007, is structured around three different spaces: The Yonkang Hall, exclusively designed for musical performances, Space 111, a “space for art incubation,” and the Doosan Gallery, built for installations.
The Yongang Hall, a theater with 620-person seating capacity, has specially designed lightings and a world-class audio-visual system to provide a second-to-none sensory experience.
Space 111 can accommodate a broad range of performing arts, from theater and dance to film and music concerts. The Doosan Gallery is open to the public, and art exhibitions and performances here can be enjoyed free of charge.
All three theaters include spacious lobbies with handicapped access, designated seating for parents with infants, and meeting areas. Rest rooms are also available nearby, in order to avoid long queues and long walks during intermission.

Innisfree - Daehangno Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (이니스프리 대학로)

10.3Km 2024-04-19

51, Daehak-ro 11-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

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CheongKwanJang - Doksan Sageori Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (정관장 독산사거리)

10.3Km 2024-04-18

1F, 409, Siheung-daero, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul

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Sooyeon Sanbang (수연산방)

10.4Km 2025-10-23

8 Seongbuk-ro 26-gil, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

Sooyeon Sanbang is a traditional tea house located in Seongbuk-dong. It was originally built during the Japanese colonial period and was the hanok of the literary figure Lee Taejun. Today, it is operated as a tea house by the writer's granddaughter. The name Sooyeon Sanbang means "a house where literati gather in the mountains." Visitors can enjoy traditional teas such as daechucha (jujube tea) and ssanghwacha (medicinal herb tea), along with snacks like injeolmi (bean-powder-coated rice cake).

The Hyoosik Nouvelle Seoul Itaewon (더휴식 누베르 서울 이태원점)

10.4Km 2025-04-08

11 Usadan-ro 14-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

The Hyoosik Nouvelle Seoul Itaewon aims to rediscover Seoul through creativity and inspiration. The overall design of the hotel is inspired by French avant-garde, using a variety of objects and props to create an artistic and stylish atmosphere. The hotel has Collection T room type, a twin bedroom; Collection D room type, a double bedroom; and Collection S room type, a single bedroom. On the first floor of the hotel is a guest lobby and a pasta restaurant. The hotel's parking lot is limited in space, and therefore guests are advised to use a nearby public parking lot.

Seoul National Cemetery (국립서울현충원)

10.4Km 2024-03-07

210, Hyeonchung-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul
+82-2-813-9625

Seoul National Cemetery is a national cemetery for individuals who worked or fought for Korea and sacrificed their lives. It encompasses those who fought for Korea's independence from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, those who perished in the Korean War (1950-1953), and former presidents, totaling over 165,000 individuals. There are exhibition halls and parks with related artifacts. Shuttle buses are provided for the convenience of visitors.

Korea Furniture Museum (한국가구박물관)

10.4Km 2025-10-24

121 Daesagwan-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul

The Korea Furniture Museum, located on a hill in Seongbuk-dong, Seoul, is a special museum that displays items related to Korea's traditional living culture. The museum exhibits wooden furniture made in the late Joseon dynasty by material (persimmon tree, maple tree, paulownia tree, zelkova tree, pine tree, papers, etc.), by the type of space (men’s quarters, women’s quarters, kitchen, etc.), and by regional characteristics. It also exhibits interior decorations, flower walls, chimneys, and yards, as well as ten traditional Korean houses.
This museum operates through a guided tour (maximum of 20 people per group) only, suitable for showing Korea's housing culture that harmonizes furniture and nature. The old household items, “furniture,” are displayed in rooms outside glass storage boxes, allowing visitors to experience a beautiful traditional culture.
Since it was selected as the official luncheon venue for the spouses of leaders of 20 countries at the 2010 G20 Seoul Summit, there has been a steady stream of state guests and worldwide celebrities, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife, the German President, the Prime Minister of Hungary, the Prime Minister of Singapore, the King and Queen of Belgium, the King of Sweden, the head of the IMF, and movie stars Brad Pitt, and Victoria Beckham.

In addition, it was selected as the "most beautiful museum in Seoul” by CNN in 2011. The museum also served as an interview location for BTS members, who are receiving global attention. As such, it is attracting attention as a representative tourist destination in Seoul and a cultural space preferred by government ministries and companies. Tours require reservations, which can be made through the website.

Pureun Arboretum & Hang-dong Railroad (푸른수목원&항동철길)

10.4Km 2025-01-17

240 Yeondong-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul

Pureun Arboretum is a botanical garden boasting well-established ecological parks and scenic walking trails. It encompasses diverse themed gardens, including the Wildflower Garden, Hydrangea Garden, Conifer Garden, Broadleaf Tree Garden, Bulbous Plant Garden, Wetland Garden, and Rose Garden, complemented by an Visitor Center. The Forest Learning School, functioning as a greenhouse, showcases plants from various corners of the globe and hosts educational programs. Visitors can avail themselves of facilities like the book café, a café, and a library. Additionally, the arboretum is intersected by the abandoned railroad tracks of Hang-dong.

Lloyd - Daehangno Branch [Tax Refund Shop] (로이드 대학로)

10.4Km 2024-04-17

1F, 31, Daemyeong-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul

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Itaewon Special Tourist Zone (이태원 관광특구) - Area information - Korea travel information