representative commercial buildings had been erected in Itaewon, the area's characteristic of narrow streets had remained. Local attractions As Seoul's International District, Itaewon is known for serving cuisine that are not widely available in Korea, such as those from Great Britain, Germany, France, India, Italy, Southeast Asia, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Mexico, United States of America and Canada. Essentially, it is known as the "International District" or sometimes as "Western Town," reminiscent of many Chinatowns in Western nations. Itaewon, along with neighborhoods and attractions like Hongdae, Insadong and Seoul Tower, is one of the most popular places in Seoul for tourists. Major hotels such as the Grand Hyatt Seoul and local landmark Hamilton Hotel are here, as well as several smaller hotels and guesthouses. Dozens of shops are aimed at tourists and offer Western or traditional Korean souvenirs. High-quality leather products, retail or custom made and are sold at reasonable prices (though haggling is expected) as well. Itaewon includes the area known as Homo Hill and is Seoul's gay village. Despite the taboo nature of homosexuality in South Korea, people can express themselves openly within the neighborhood. Itaewon was long known as a hub for high quality counterfeit goods, but those products have largely disappeared. Some authentic goods that are only produced in Korea for the international market, as well as some authentic imports are also available. Itaewon is known for its clothes makers who produce custom-made shirts and suits. In Itaewon there is the multinational Gyeongnidan Street. It is in the middle of Itaewon's elementary school district. There are many international restaurants along the street. Incidence COVID-19 outbreak During the COVID-19 pandemic Itaewon was a source of a major disease cluster traced back from over 130 confirmed cases. South Korea's media began focusing on the neighborhood after public health authorities announced that a man who later tested positive for the coronavirus visited several establishments in the area on 2 May. Because of the outbreak in Itaweon, homosexuals have been stigmatized. 2022 crowd crush On 29 October 2022, a crowd crush occurred during the 2022 Halloween festivities. Over 150 persons were confirmed dead and over 100 were injured. Of the confirmed dead, 26 were foreign nationals. The influx of visitors from all over the country as well as foreign nationals was potentially caused by the pandemic restrictions being lifted after two years. It is said that the hotels and events were