[Yongsan's Future] "Learn K-Culture in Itaewon"... Yongsan, the Global Hub Within Seoul

Itaewon Global Village Center On-Site Report
"Class Applications Up 30%, Even Waitlists"
Yongsan, a Sanctuary for Foreigners
Slowed by COVID-19 and Disasters, Gradually Recovering

"Itaewon is still a ‘village for foreigners.’"

On the morning of the 16th at the Hangul Museum located in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, about 30 foreign students repeatedly pressed their camera shutters as they looked at calligraphy phrases written in various fonts. They kept shouting "Beautiful" and couldn’t take their eyes off the font that read "Walk only on flower paths." In the following calligraphy writing class, the students smiled proudly as they looked at their own handwriting, clumsily pressed stroke by stroke with a brush.

Foreign visitors at the Korean Alphabet Museum in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on the 16th are watching calligraphy being written.
[Photo by Junyi Park]

The calligraphy class held that day was attended by foreigners of various occupations and nationalities, including expatriates, students, and general workers. Most of them live in Seoul or visited for short- or long-term stays. The Itaewon Global Village Center, which hosted the class, explained, "Those who attended today are only a portion of the total students," adding, "Recently, participation applications have closed quickly, and there is even a waiting list."

'Foreigners heading to Itaewon to learn 'K-Content'

On the 16th, foreigners visiting the Korean Alphabet Museum in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, are touring the permanent exhibition hall. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

The Itaewon Global Village Center was established by Yongsan-gu in 2008 to provide foreign residents with information necessary for daily life and cultural events. Catherine Corteza, director of the Itaewon Global Village Center, said in an interview, "Even as recently as 2019, not many people were interested in Korean culture," adding, "Even if we held cooking classes, people were reluctant to sign up if the dishes were unfamiliar beyond bibimbap or gimbap."

She continued, "After the COVID-19 pandemic ended, foreigners coming to Korea started signing up in large numbers even for cooking classes like ‘pajeon’ (Korean pancake), and recently, Korean language classes have even added intermediate and advanced levels," explaining, "It seems this is because many people come to Korea after watching Korean content like ‘K-movies’ and ‘K-dramas’ and developing a fondness for the country."

According to the center, the number of applicants for Korean cultural experience classes increased by about 30% compared to last year. Currently, about 50 to 60 foreigners attend Korean language classes daily. Corteza explained, "In the past, there were only one or two classes per week, but now three to four classes are held weekly."

Yongsan-gu is a representative area frequently visited by foreigners coming to Korea. With 57 embassies located there, it has long had many foreign residents and visitors. Corteza said, "Itaewon is not only symbolically considered the area foreigners think of when visiting Korea, but it also has a concentration of convenience facilities such as foreigner senior welfare centers and English-speaking banks," adding, "Because of this natural interaction, many foreigners start by visiting Itaewon."

Street vitality recovering after COVID-19 contraction

According to Seoul’s registered foreigner statistics, the number of foreigners residing in Yongsan-gu last year was 13,955, an increase of about 1,700 compared to 12,185 in 2013, ten years ago. The countries of origin were diverse, including China, the United States, Taiwan, Canada, and India. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of foreign residents nationwide decreased, and the number of foreign residents in Yongsan-gu also sharply declined. After the Itaewon tragedy in 2022, the number of foreign residents in Yongsan-gu decreased by about 679.

As the shock of COVID-19 weakens, the number of foreign tourists visiting Yongsan is increasing again. Yoo Tae-hyuk, president of the Itaewon Tourism Special Zone Association, said, "During COVID-19 and after the tragedy, there were no foreigners visiting Itaewon at all," adding, "Now, more foreigners are returning to restaurants and shops. The situation has almost fully recovered to the level just before the pandemic."

Editor's NoteYongsan, which once held the ‘forbidden land,’ is entering a new turning point. The Yongsan US military base, which had been off-limits to the public for over a century, has been transformed into Yongsan Park, a space for all citizens. With the presidential office relocation, it has established itself as the new center of power in South Korea, and development plans have begun in earnest. There are also ongoing demands to expand its role as a center of history and culture. Despite being a ‘golden land’ along the Han River connecting Namsan and the Han River in the heart of Seoul, it still contains underdeveloped residential areas. Experts say that to enhance Seoul’s global competitiveness as a city where power, business, history, and culture coexist, attention must be paid to Yongsan. In that sense, Yongsan represents both the present and future of Korean cities.