Ask a local EP 04 | Won Seop & Sae Byeok | Lifelong Itaewon Locals

Q . Could you briefly introduce yourself?

Hello, my name is Lee Won Seop. Itaewon is my hometown. I was born and raised in Itaewon, and still live in Itaewon.  I’ve been running a hostel for foreigners for about 10 years now, and I’m doing it very happily.

Hello, my name is Im Sae Byeok.  I came to unfamiliar Itaewon and have been happily helping with the hostel business, which has broken many of my own prejudices.

As you may know, Itaewon originally had a U.S. military base. Although it has since been relocated, many facilities catering to foreigners were established because of it. These facilities attracted a large number of foreign visitors. Over time, many bars, international restaurants, and clubs emerged here. Young Koreans and foreigners began to flock to this area to enjoy these cultural elements.

When I moved to Itaewon and started helping my husband with the hostel business, I came to realize something. Talking to people from so many different countries, I felt that Itaewon is truly diverse. Even now, I think it's one of the most interesting neighborhoods in Seoul, where so many unique stories continue to unfold.

Q . Could you recommend must-visit place in Korea?

📍Muntalo / 230 Itaewon-ro, Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul

The restaurant we’re introducing today is called Muntalo. It’s a place that holds a lot of fond memories for us. They offer every dish you’d expect to find in a traditional Japanese Izakaya, but their main specialty is skewers.

When we first started dating, we went to Muntalo and I really wanted to get closer to him. So, even though I can only handle about three glasses of beer at most. (Won Seop: She had six or seven glasses that day), I drank a lot. He’s older than me, but after drinking, I started to drop honorifics. His already big eyes got even bigger in shock. But I was having such a great time, saying how much I loved the place, enjoying myself, and drinking more. I didn’t realize how delicious the skewers grilled over charcoal were, but I kept eating them as we had such a fun and memorable time there.

Since it’s been around for such a long time, you can really feel the history of the place. Of course, the food is absolutely delicious. If you ever visit Itaewon, I highly recommend stopping by a place called Muntalo!

Thank you so much for listening to our story. Our guesthouse, full of Itaewon’s history…what’s the name again? We look forward to seeing you at G Guesthouse. Thank you! 😊

@gguesthouse