Itaewon, the set of the recent high-profile drama “Itaewon Class,” is a place where countless cultures coexist and converge. The Pharos wondered how the cronyism of the protagonist “Park Sae-roi” meshed with the freewheeling Itaewon culture. The Pharos wanted to visit and find out more about Itaewon’s open character and brightness. In other words, the Pharos wanted to find out what “class” was in Itaewon. Therefore, the Pharos would like to introduce some of the attractions, food, and exotic Itaewon sentiments that captivated young people.

“Langman”, a vietnamese restaurant - Address: Langman, Itaewon-ro, 16-gil 11, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

First, we visited a special Vietnamese restaurant called “Langman.” Langman means “romantic” in Vietnamese. Langman uses various ingredients which come from Vietnam and doesn’t use chemical seasoning. Before we entered this eatery, we didn’t think it was special. However, as soon as we entered the restaurant, we were entranced by the interior design and exotic mood. Langman’s main menu item is “banhxeo”, which is served with various vegetables, pork and shrimp on top of rice flour dough. The menu also included rice noodles and “bun cha”, a representative Vietnamese dish that mixes rice noodles, grilled pork and vegetables together. Usually, if we go to a Vietnamese restaurant, we notice the smell of cilantro. However, cilantro was served separately. Therefore, we could eat dishes to our taste. Also, the taste of the food was not burdensome for Koreans, either. If you want to eat Vietnamese food in Itaewon in a place where you can feel the atmosphere of Vietnam, you may want to try Langman.

Itaewon antique furniture street - Address: The whole area, Noksapyeong-daero, Bogwang-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Itaewon is known to have an antique furniture street with an exotic feeling in addition to restaurants with the foods of various cultures. The antique furniture street was started when the U.S. soldiers who had served in Korea sold the furniture they used before they went to their homeland in the 1960s. Since then, as the market has been gradually revitalized, Asian, European, and American furniture sellers have gathered in Itaewon. From antique teacups to decorative items, there are various antique items. If you walk down this street, you can see elegant and noble furniture that you might have seen in older movies. You can also easily see colorful lights, unique teacups and decorative items that seem to be the only ones in the world. However, the road may be confusing for people who have not visited this street. Therefore, it is better to check the locations of stores on a map of the furniture street and the items of each store through the site of the Antique Furniture Street Association (http://itaewonantique.com/) before you go. This site also introduces furniture maintenance tips, lectures about making furniture and information about various antique furniture festivals. It would be a good idea to visit the antique furniture street at the time of one of the festivals that are announced on the site.

Tapas Bar, a Spanish restaurant - Address: 27th Street, Itaewon-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 49

Finally, the Pharos headed to “Tapas Bar,” a Spanish restaurant. The restaurant is located near Exit 4 of Itaewon station, an area that is packed with exotic bars and restaurants. It's almost as if we are traveling abroad. The interior was decorated with props and posters that fit the Spanish sentiment, making it seem like a local restaurant in Spain. On a TV monitor hanging in the middle of the restaurant, they play video clips of a traditional Spanish sport, bullfighting, and a game video of FC Barcelona, a Spanish professional football team. Looking at the pre-set menu on the table, there was such a variety of Spanish dishes that we got a recommendation from a server. The server recommended a Spanish-style shrimp dish, “Gambas,” a Spanish-style vegetable pizza, “Brava Chorizo Coca,” and a Spanish beer, “Estrella Dam,” a draft beer. He said it was the hottest food in the restaurant. We ordered the recommended food and looked around more inside the eatery while the food was being made. Various glasses of beer are on display in the center of the restaurant, arousing the temptation of drinkers to want beer. There is an open-air terrace for free communication with citizens and visitors to Itaewon. The outdoor terrace is a perfect place for enjoying the bright and free-spirited scenery of Itaewon. After 15 minutes, the food began to come out, and the food had a uniquely spicy and pungent taste. However, it’s a perfect fit for people who like unique and startling flavors. Also, Spanish food goes well with beer, so the Pharos recommends this restaurant to people who love it.

Itaewon has often been regarded as a livelier and brighter place than is usual in Seoul. Despite the effects of COVID-19, quite a few people came and went. If it had been a routine time without COVID-19, we would have probably felt more energy. When COVID-19 ends, the Pharos hopes you can visit Itaewon with your friends, family, and lovers to relieve your daily boredom and gain energy. 

74th Cub Reporter Lee Joo Haeng - silkyshine@naver.com 

74th Cub Reporter Yoo Hyung Jin - yoo9428@naver.com