What Itaewon Is Like These Days
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- čas přidán 28. 01. 2023
- I went back to Itaewon in Seoul for the first time since the crowd crush incident that happened last year at Halloween. I also give a brief history on the area and explored some new bars and places that I had never been to before. Hopefully if you guys ever visit Korea, you might think to visit this area and some of the places here!
A link to Mama Kim's documentary: vimeo.com/202589481?fbclid=Iw...
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Here's a link to Mama Kim's documentary mentioned in the video: bit.ly/3DpvnxA
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님 바보에요? 설연휴에 당연히 지방가고 없는거라는거 생각안드심? 며칠전에도 사람들 꽤 다녔음. 이상하게 선동하시네
ITAEWON TRAUMA. BUSINESS GOES BANKRUPT
I think people got so traumatized they couldn’t come back yet to Itaewon. Hopefully it’ll get better for everyone, victims’ families, those who got trauma from the incident and Itaewon establishments.
Where can u go to drink in Bars and get to know Koreans who speak English for one night in Seoul since Itaewon is empty now....??? We are going tomorrow night on a Thursday. Hongdae is only young people right?
People are not traumatized. Left wing activists have turned the incident into holy war. No one is allowed to question their beliefs. Anyone challenging their will is labeled evil, including business owners who suffer the most. Woke movement sure is the best thing that ever happened to the world. 👏 👏 👏
@@segikidi702are you saying Hongdae is a good place for young internationals to go to bars and meet friendly Koreans?
So sad to see Itaewon is still a ghost town, but it was cool to see diverse foods in Korea. It still looks like a fun place to visit.
The tranquility and space must be a nice change from the usual congestion, I bet the locals enjoy it. And o my daze xD I just realized the vlogger is British lol
@@Pressplay_Media_EU People are drowning in debt and coping with mental health struggles, don’t make light of it.
It seems to be a ghost town. The many souls that lost their lives there will surely haunt the area. Anna said she felt uncomfortable there where they died and I think that many troubled souls are there.
@@carolemerle9995 So true.
It's definitely unsettling to look at the site where so many innocent people tragically lost their lives in such a slow and painful manner with people nearby wanting to help render aid but being powerless to do so under the specific circumstances.
Thank you for telling us about how Itaewon is doing these days. I'm sure it will come back slowly as healing happens. Thank you for the story of the Grand Ole Opry. I was born and raised in Texas, so seeing a slice of the country and western music side to America in Seoul is exciting. If I every make it to Seoul, Anna I will teach you to two-step, the country jitterbug, and the cotton-eye-joe. All traditional country western dances. 🤠🤠
I’ve lived in Texas for over 10 years and can attest on needing a car to go anywhere. I grew up in Philadelphia and their transportation system is awesome. I wish Texas was the same.
This video is so important Anna. It shows the need for people to come support these businesses.
The district leaders should try and host some small events to promote the businesses in Itaewon. It's such an unfortunate tragedy that occurred and people still feel deeply about what took place. But, just like after 9/11 in NYC, it took the mayor and City Hall to encourage people to come to lower Manhattan again. Businesses can't do it all by themselves.
How can you support if everything is expensive
I'm currently in Seoul. Itaewon has changed drastically since the Halloween thing. Hopefully was the weather warms up, it makes a return to how it was. The grand ole opery is my favorite bar there. Momma kim is a legend. Me and all my friends love her. We're American soldiers, and she always treats us with great respect. We love her stories. Long live momma kim and Itaewon!
“halloween thing” let’s not
@@mybaelam let's not what?
@@thisguy1868 they probably mean as not labeling what happened in Itewon as just a "thing". I know you probably didn't mean anything by it, but calling it that kinda simplifies it and discredits the lifes lost and the trauma survivors have of it. Also people who never heard about the Itewon Crowd Crush tragedy could have just clicked on the video and scrolled down to the comments before watching (like I have but I do have prior knowledge). Hope that explains!
Troops should go back home and Korea needs to build their own defense instead of using U.S. as a crutch. I am also against entire neighborhoods being there basically just to mainly cater foreigners and foreign military. So hopefully, this is the beginning of the end for Itaewon.
@@niccolom4556 I agree. I think the US should worry about itself. With the government about to default, they won't have money to pay its own soldiers, yet has 100+ billion it can give to Ukraine? Itaewon isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Like hongdae, it's a tourist trap for foreigners. "Go where the money is."
Much respect to the lady who owned the bar! Thank you for taking us there.
Yes I'll go visit in may
I don't even drink or club and I enjoyed Itaewon. I feel like there's something for everyone, whether you're there to party, grab a meal or even just coffee. The vibe during the day is pretty nice as well and what I like about Itaewon is just the alleys and how the wider alleys branches into smaller alleys, creating a very distinct intersection, it's just very vibrant and kind of an eclectic experience.
I think the cafes and eateries in Itaewon ought to recover faster. There's lots of hotels, cheap hostels in the area, and tourists gotta eat! Not to mention there's also a sizeable residential area in Itaewon. However, I think the nightlife is gonna take some time to recover. I think at the municipal level they can perhaps push for people to boost the nightlight sector faster, via incentives and what not, but on the ground, organically I think people will take some time to return.
Thanks for doing this video! Appreciate the update on Itaewon, and I think one way or the other Itaewon will prevail. May not be in the same form it was before, but one way or the other it will pull through.
True, the atmosphere there is very diverse and welcoming. Korea as a whole is an amazing place to live.
That makes me feel better, I’m in recovery and I’m visiting in late summer and was worried that the drinking culture would be too strong. But I’m sure I’ll have fun regardless.
@@Psych2go if psych2go says it’s a good place to live then I’m moving there immediately in the name of mental health
I am so torn. I spent 6 weeks in Itaewon last summer and had the time of my life. I was also in Seoul when it happened and never went back before I left.
I will be back in July and my heart kind of wants to go there just to support the business. They went through a hard time during COVID and technically it is not even their fault what happened in October. So I feel bad for them. I don't think I can walk the alley street again though. It's just too heartbreaking.
Yes you're right the situation are hard are you going to visit Korea in July?
Thank you for posting this. I am sure the folks who run businesses in Itaewon are thankful to you too. It is really honoring those who died to go there because they went there to have fun and they would not want those who remain to give up the free and really loving/accepting atmosphere of Itaewon. God bless you and God bless those who died and their dear ones they left behind to continue their legacy…
People will eventually return to Itaewon. It's really no one's fault for what happened, and especially not the businesses either. I hope this allows people to remember to be safe, careful, and considerate of one another when going to crowded places. I hope to visit Itaewon one day.
I mean many of the businesses did have ILLEGAL canopies shortening the width of the street which didn't exactly help matters.
9:37 honestly makes you feel so sad for those who were there that night. If I were someone who experienced the itaewon crush😢I would be scared to go back to that alley and I could only imagine how people feel about going back there now since the incident itself has happened. It’s not going to be the same and I feel bad for those who were there that night who have to live near that of which such a tragedy took place. Or even now when tourists past through there or near there and see chrysanthemums, they’ll know or always remember what took place there. Rest In Paradise to the lives lost in the #itaewaoncrush 🕊️🕊️❤
I am so happy to have stumbled upon your video. Thank you for going back to Itaewon and speaking on the history for those such as myself who may not have known much about it besides the Halloween accident. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to that wonderful woman speak her story towards the end, she seems like such a nice, compassionate, kind woman.
Thank you for posting this Anna😊 it was good to hear the history of the place and see how they’re coping after the tragedy. Your vlogs hit different…it’s great that you cover a variety of subjects. I always enjoy them 😊
Yeah I was super sad when I visited there back in December to experience the nightlife and it was almost the same, but I totally understand the reason though. I hope it can make a comeback where people can enjoy Itaewon again.
This was super interesting! Thank you Anna! I hope that customers will eventually come back! The local businesses deserve a thriving business!
As an American who’s never been to Itaewon but heard of the tragedy, my heart sank when you showed it. So many people lost their lives and it saddens me to even see the area, I can’t imagine what it is like for all of South Korea but I don’t think the people who did die here would want to be remembered as that and would want this place to thrive again. I can’t speak for the dead but I do know if I had passed there I wouldn’t want it to be viewed as something horrible even though something horrible happened there. People still go to the new tower that replaced the twin towers in NYC, people still go running even though the events of the Boston bombing happened.
Another new series of Anna. Anna i think you must vlog this kinda video! It's so interesting to dig deep into Korea. Thank you for letting us know!
I'm Korean and living in Seoul, South Korea. Itaewon is where I often go to eat or drink beer. Itaewon is a place where I can go in about 30 minutes by subway from where I live. Among the many stores in Itaewon, there are often pubs, Spanish restaurants, and kebab shops.
Some Koreans are conscious of eating or drinking alone, but Itaewon is a favorite place because they don't have to look at it.
On the day of the disaster, I finished shopping in Myeongdong, went to Itaewon, had a simple meal, and I was going to go home. I tried to go to the Spanish restaurant that I often went to, but it was also a crowded place in Itaewon. However, I thought of a lot of people because of the Halloween festival and went home right away. I saw the news the next morning and the news of the accident was being reported.
Thanks for showing us around. The one quick shot of the street, kind of made me chock up a bit. I am working on my plans to visit Korea, I am fascinated at how it was 60 years ago to what it is now.
Anna this was one of your best vlogs ever. So nostalgic. Good damn job.💯❤💯
So heartbreaking... I lived in gyeongridangil for several years and was in that area all the time and worked in Hannam-dong. Thanks for taking the time to make this video. Keeping those who lost loved ones in my prayers.
Great video Anna. Thank you for the update and the history lesson
I luv watching your channel and all the different topics and activities you do and sharing your world with us. Your accent is to die for!!!
Great that you keep us updated Anna!! ❤❤❤ Very informational and interesting. Enjoyed this a lot. 😍😍😍
Thank you, Anna! 😍I loved this video!👍🏼 it was so interesting and informative! 👏🏼🫶🏼
Thank you for sharing. I was down the street from the Hamilton hotel at TP when everything went down. I noticed that the club started getting extremely crowded at one point & they weren’t letting people outside due to the situation. It was harrowing hearing the news in real time & it was anxiety inducing to go outside & walking past the many ambulances lined up for 2 blocks at 3am. My hostel roommate at the time said she accidentally walked past the bodies & she started crying. She couldn’t stop crying for days. I had people blowing up my phone the day after because I couldn’t answer at the time but I also made sure to contact people who I knew were out clubbing as well. I was trying to make sense of everything. It was very depressing & I avoided Itaewon for the last 2 weeks I was in Korea, I couldn’t even go to the vigil. Survivors guilt is something else. It’s sad to see it’s still empty. I wonder what it’s going to be like during the summer. I hope those businesses are able to thrive until then 😕.
Very informative video 👍. Anna u must be feeling sad and happy being back to Itaewon. I am dreaming visiting S. Korea. Itaewon will be something I will visit with so much excitement.
Thank you for sharing this video me and my cousin are looking forward to visiting S.Korea in April and will definitely visit the grand ol oprey bar! I love watching your videos and your recommendations are amazing! I can’t wait to visit Itewon it’s sad what happen but you are 100% right when you say people are resilient and it surely will come back to life as it was 😊
I'll definitely be visiting the Grand Ole Oprey when I'm there in March. Thank you for showing us how Iteawon is right now!
Altho the energy of that place still seems very unsettling even through the phone screen, I think Itaewon is such a pretty place and has it's own charm, thank u for showing around Anna ❤️
Thank you for sharing the updated video of itawon.
There's something very likable about your vibe, so I'm subscribing. Thanks for this interesting update!
Thank you for showing me the Grand Ole Opry! I had always wondered if it was still open. It was my hang out in the 1980s!
I was just thinking about this today and it’s sad how empty itaewon is I used to go all the time but I understood when you said it felt weird even looking at the street where the tragedy took place that’s how the GP must feel but hopefully the businesses will be able to survive and life will slowly come back to itaewon thank you for supporting the businesses!!
I was wondering the same thing yesterday so I’m glad Anna did an update video on it.
I’ve never been to Korea so to hear how much Itaewon has changed and not in a positive way since Halloween is really a shame, but it is understandable. My deepest condolences to the victims and families of the lost lives. May they rest in peace and the loved ones receive the healing they deserve. Also bless the people who tried to help save others and may you get the healing you too also deserve. My thoughts and prayers go out to all who were impacted by this horrific tragedy (including the business owners). Anna, thank you for sacrificing yourself (being out in the cold) and filming what is happening in Itaewon is important and sharing this video with us. ❤❤❤
So educational, thank you. Subscribed!
This was super informative thank you!
first time seeing your channel and loved this style of video! thanks! gonna check out your other ones now!
I hope it can comeback to how it was someday, I feel like that’s the only way we could honor all those lost lives, because they all went there to have a good time, and enjoy Itaewon’s spirit. Which will forever be there.
🤦♀️ Why would anyone go back when the government did nothing about that steep tight alley way? What, should people just allow another crowd crush happen? Wtf
An excellent job, Anna. Thanks!!
Thanks Anna for making this video. We plan on traveling to S.Korea this year. Will definitely stop by that bar you recommended. That old lady seems cool. 🙏🙏💜💜💜
Great video:) Anna always has a unique take on our fave topics:)
ITAEWON !! RISE AGAIN!! Thank you so much for Video!!
Oh I have been to that bar few times ^^ thank you for the review dear Anna! I also think Itaewon will come back to life soon & I am praying that from now on everyone will be more careful when it comes to crazy crowded places …>
Careful not cuz of covid bur rather potential stampede just like old times haha deng
Just got back in from there a little while ago! I like it over here. So much to do and so much to learn about. It’s a beautiful country.
I remember when Itaewon Freedom came out, its still one of my favorite Korean songs, I'll also make sure to check out the Grand Ole Opry whenever I go to Itaewon
It’s the best
Thank you for a great video. Also, you have a wonderful English accent.
This video was very interesting! It was good to learn more about the history of Itaewon.
Thank you so much for making the trek out there, Anna. I hope Itaewon* recovers and goes back to the lively, happy time it once used to be. This was a really great vlog! I enjoyed watching the whole thing. You earned a new follower here 😊
Hongdae????????
@@natenate88 my bad 😂😂😂 my brain was on autopilot
this grandma is so cute! I would do everything to be able to hear her stories! It’s like my dream. opening an own bar too!
I was in Seoul and Itaewon in October and flew home just one day before the tragedy happened and it is so sad to see it like this because it was so full of life. I feel it will be very hard to go see the place again but I hope businesses and life revive during the summer.
I loved seeing you go to Grand Ole Opry, my parents met there and just recently took me back to see it in October before the crowd crush incident.
You can see our names above the door.
Its sad to see that it isn't doing as well since the military moved but last time I was there it was pretty busy
Thanks Anna it was interesting. It's so sad to see so many empty places and the streets like empty of people. I was there in September 2022. I'm hoping the very best for Itaewon. Good job 👏 👍 👌 ✔️
Great video Anna ❤
In the past year, I grew to love itaewon so much. I spent so much time with my friends and have so many great memories.
But I was there the day of the crush. I was a few feet away from the crush when it happened. I saw so many things I never could have expected to see in a single night and I hate how I've come to feel about it. I want to visit so much, but I still hyperventilate at the thought of going. 😣
❤best wishes
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I just found your channel because the CZcams algorithm displayed this video on my page. Well then, I've subscribed because I love the feel and vibe of your video! I've never visited Korea but it's definitely on my travel plans (soon!). Thanks to my godson and his sister, they introduced me to KPop (Ha!) during the pandemic and as a result I started watching variety shows, movies, etc, and learning a bit of the Korean language. Keep making great videos and good luck with your channel Anna Lee!
If a house where a few people are killed is so called a haunted house, then I don't know what a narrow alley where a hundred or so people are killed in just a few metres is called. The mere sight of it gave me the creeps.
loves it tysm for this!
wow i am impress with all the history here... and would love to have you as my tourst guide...so cool video...thanks for sharing
This is so sad glad people are coming back!❤❤❤
I would be so happy to experience Itaewon in a quiet manner like this!
Thank you for this, Anna. I was wondering how things were in Itaewon after the tragedy. That lady sounds interesting. Great post.
Hi 👋 not sure how long ago you made this video. thanks, brought back memories when I was station there in the late 80s, lots have change.
Awsome to see it again. Last time I was there was in 2000. I was a regular at Just Blues in Itaewon. It was upstairs from the all that jazz club. Many times playing there and watching my friend Chae play and sing. Good times. Thanks for sharing.
For those people who lost their lives on Halloween tragedy we will never forget until those who were in charge of tragic incidents to happen until they are harm fullest we will never forget those who departed on Itaewon Halloween.
Omg. I was there too during the Seollal weekend and days before and after and yes, it's almost empty these days... I saw a lot of people on the subway carrying flowers going to the memorial corner..
Wow thank you for the update on Itaewon, Anna. It's very sad for the businesses there how empty it still is. I hope it will come back to life soon enough. But the fact that you felt so weird near the place of the crush I think that shows that the energy there needs a good cleansing. The energy of traumatic events can stay in a place where it happened. Someone should hire a skilled spiritual person to do a thorough energy cleansing of the area. That may hasten the revival of Itaewon nightlife.
Yes, I’m sure there are many restless spirits in the area now. It needs a cleansing or someone to help the restless spirits move on.
The lady seems so nice 😭 I hope I get to visit that bar ❤️
Ive been to the home hill recently and it was quite full. But usually it gets crowded after 1 am during Fridays and saturdays
So sad!! Thank you for showing us. On the accident street, there was a business you filmed that has big Green letter. I remember seeing a foreigner climbed up during the incident. It is more of prevention that Korean gov should do from now on. I hope the business in Itaewon will get back their business.
Yea, I remember him also.
Anna I appreciate your videos so much!!! You are such a Classy Beautiful Human and the world can use more people like you sharing there POVs :) Thank you for what you do and God Bless I will keep praying for Itaewon
i used to live in itaewon a few years before the incident. i live in the US now and haven't been back since the summer. I heard of the incident while living in the US and was so upset to hear as halloween night was my favorite part of living there. thank you for this video, i get to check up on itaewon again since the incident
thanks for sharing, Anna.
Thanks for recommendation, Anna. I'll try to visit South Korea next year. The part where you said, "Itaewon is so hilly." I does remind me of Nagasaki, Japan. Nagasaki is a small hilly port city on west coast of Kyushu. Again, Thanks you, Anna.
I was in the main section of Itaewon on a Saturday night about a month ago. Don't recall seeing many lines for restaurants and bars but there were plenty of people and significant activity even after midnight when we left.
I will be visiting S Korea in October of 2023. Does anyone know if they give tours of Itaewon, explaining the history and visiting the location of classic bars of the 60's & 70's? I was in a Korean rock & roll band from 1968 - 1970. We played 7 nights a week in a lot of the clubs mostly in the "hooker hill" area. We became well known, and played on radio, TV, larger Seoul clubs including the original OB's Cabin, and at Citizens Hall. Our band was the "Devils". I was the only Amercian to ever be in that band. After I left Korea, they cut 4 record albums. In 2008, there was a movie released called Go-Go 70's, that was loosely based on that band. I haven't had the opportunity to visit Korea since then, and this visit was definitely on my bucket list.
Thank you so much for this video. It is really sad to learn about what had happened recently in Itaewon 😥 My partner and I are planning to visit South Korea in October 2023, and we are making a point of visiting Itaewon as well. It will be our very first time visiting so you can only imagine how excited we are. No matter what the weather will be like, we are going for sure.
I was a regular in Itaewon between 2011 to 2018. For me Itaewon peaked in 2015 and after that it became a shell of its former self. I had a lot of crazy nights there!
Maybe Itaewon can go back to its roots now - being an oasis for expats. Gentrification is a serious problem because of its increasing popularity among Koreans. Especially during the weekend the crowds were like 70-80% Koreans already. Local businesses got more and more pushed out of its market by those big franchises.
I love Itaewon Freedom. Whenever it comes on my playlist I jam out!!!
I went to south korea for holiday during 2014, and visited busan and seoul. In seoul, i stayed in a homestay in itaewon. Its sad to see the halloween tragedy last year in itaewon, given the fact that i had many good memory staying in itaewon homestay.
Hope to see it back to glory, when i go to south korea for holiday next time :)
I'd like to see more of Itaewon and those two hills.
Thanks for showing us around the tragedy is still too raw it will take a while before people start going back.
I'm from Hong Kong and the same tragic accident happened in my place 30yrs before.
Really the same, "Lan Kwai Fong" a very narrow and sloping alley lined with bars just like Itaewon, 21 people were killed in that night.
Moreover, crowd crushes lead to death is a thing that happens every few years all over the world, especially in developing countries.
So I'm really shocked that South Korea, as a modern country, the government does not have the concept of "crowd control".
Sad for the dead and injured, they didn't have to die if their government was serious about it.
I've been going to itaewon for at least 18yesrs and I've seen its growth. I've party into the morning for many years. So sad about the Halloween deaths.i hope people will return and have fun again. BUT SAFETY FIRST AND FUN SECOND.
Since moving to South Korea in august of 2022 I’ve been to several places in Seoul but Itaewon will always have a special place in my heart
I used to go to school in Itaewon. It has changed so much over the past 10 years.
I am coming to Korea in June. I will definitely look this place up. She's my kind of person who has lots of stories and has lots of life experiences. I love me a good drink too. Itaewon is one of my favorite areas. I'm glad to see it up and running. I'm sure it will be busier in the summer 😅
We have lots of party streets here in the US, like i've been on Bourbon street for mardi gras and I've been to 6th street and rainey a lot in austin tx which I can imagine are just as crowded and wild as Itaewon could get but I also can imagine if a similar tragedy happened on them, it would be just as...haunting to return. I hope the area heals and I do not blame anybody who was there that doesn't want to go back. Like you said, I bet the energy right now is too much for anyone even remotely in tune with it to handle. I hope that the people frequenting there before can find joy in other places. Cheers and thanks for your review! I will def visit when I can
I was also there during Halloween and haven’t gone back until recently near the end of January and it was so empty. I also saw that some places were like doing sale promotions at some restaurants and bars to try and bring people back into Itaewon, but I’m not good at Korean so me and my friends were trying to figure it out 😅
So sad! I hope the business’s don’t go under but I get why Itaweon is empty.. I would love to visit one day
Grand Ole Opry feels like my kinda bar to hangout, just chill, no rowdy crowd..I can just sit and drink my cocktails in peace and enjoy the music and chat with the bartender or owner...
I'm visiting this year and genuinely excited to go to the Grand Ole Opry.
Amazing videos about life in Korea.
I've heard tons about Itaewon being the coolest place for foreigners and good nightlife and such and even watched Itaewon Class but did not know that history of the prostitution and such! Very interesting. Thank you for sharing it's history!
I used to live in Itaewon for almost a year. There was for sure a re-ocuring opinion amongst people that its not the best neighbourhood to live in, that it is dirty, expensive and full of people (and I was one with this opinion at the time). That does not change the fact I spent a longer period in there and it did find a special place in my heart. It is sad, seeing it like this. I am coming to Korea after 4 years in 2 weeks, and it honestly makes me nervous to see it with a completely different feeling...
Thanks for bringing up UV and JYP Itaewon freedom. I feel sorry for what happened on Halloween tragedy which could have been prevented.
I go to itaewon every other weekend or so. I like itaewon more than hongdae, and more than gangnam, and all the other party spots. There is a certain magic, and nostalgia about itaewon. The Halloween thing is still burned into my mind, but I still love itaewon. I'm in the US military, and my time in Korea is coming to a close soon. I will deeply miss itaewon and all the Korean people that have treated me so well. The grand ole opry will always be my favorite bar. Even better than the ones back home.
Sending all may gratitude with this info, As currently studying Hangugeo, AND probably reach Korea tawo years from now.
이태원에 대해 잘 알고 계시네요^^
사건이후로 너무 슬플것 같아서 이태원에 가볼 생각도 안했지만 궁금하긴 했는데 근황 알려주셔서 감사합니다.