It's been two years since we last travelled, and with countries finally opening up, many of us are taking the chance! Our writer, Ayeeshah, took her chance a month ago and hopped on the first VTL flight out to Seoul, South Korea for an adventure ✈️ One of the places she visited was many travellers' favourite area, Itaewon!
P.S. Check out these 5 Halal & Muslim-Friendly Restaurants You Can Still Find In Seoul!
This Is What Itaewon Looks Like In 2021
Famous for being a hotspot where international cultures come together and sell their country's cuisines and knick-knacks, Itaewon's popularity is almost unmatched. Especially so with Muslim travellers, since Itaewon is also home to Islam Street ?
If you're not sure what Islam Street is, Islam Street is a street in Itaewon, Seoul, that sells all things halal and Muslim! You can find some of the best, halal food in Korea here. From Indonesian food to authentic Korean food, there's no problem finding halal food in Korea if you're in Seoul.
P.S. Here are 12 Must-Visit K-Drama Spots In Seoul To Visit On Your Next Trip (Near Halal Food!)
At the point of the visit, Itaewon and Islam Street were already coming to a quiet rest. Eateries and stall vendors have already gotten used to the 9 pm curfew set by the Korean government in order to prevent further transmission of covid-19. Perhaps in the weeks to come, we'll see the shops opening till 10 pm, the new curfew that's been set!
P.S. Have you vistied Dongdaemun, Korea? Here's a Muslim-friendly guide!
Fortunately, although the streets were slowly growing silent, there were still signs of life. Itaewon's Islam Street and Itaewon are definitely still alive! If you didn't manage to catch it, Ayeeshah did an Instagram livestream while she was there to give everyone some real-time updates on the popular area. Check it out here:
Sure, it was evident that the old crowd from 2 years ago had waned significantly. Especially since the usual stream of travellers was no longer there. However, the area was still filled with street sellers selling food, goodies, and merchandise ? You could only imagine how lively it must be now that Korea is slowly allowing tourists back in!
P.S. Has anyone seen Squid Game yet? ?
The popular Netflix show has definitely made an impact on the country, many locals are excited to buy the show's uniforms and masks on. The stores even sell little plush toys of the characters!
If you're in the area, you should also definitely drop by Muslim-owned Petra in Noksapyeong! Noksapyeong is only a few subway stations away from Itaewon, and is a pretty hipster area that's got cafes, and plenty of good food.
Ayeeshah met some Tribes members at Petra for an amazing meal and chat, here! The owner, a Muslim Palestinian living in Korea, was incredibly kind as well and made sure everyone had fun and were comfortable eating the incredibly delicious Mediterranean food.
Thank you Tribes members Ukasya, Shireen, Nurul, Fairuz and Ridhwan for the best night! Here's to more future Korea trips and amazing meals together ?
And there you have it, Itaewon, Seoul 2021! Perhaps as countries open up further and travel goes back to normal, we'll soon be able to freely explore the world (including Korea!). If missing Korea the way all of us do, share this with your travel buddy! Time to reminisce the good ol' travel days, and maybe start making new plans for the next? ?
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