The Instigator – Sinnae-dong, Jungnang-gu.
When I first arrived in Korea in 2005 I was based in Jungnang-gu, which is on Seoul’s most north-western extremity. On face value, there wasn’t really much going for the place but it was close to the Costco in Sangbong, so I used to walk down to it every so often to get more cheese. I also found a little hill, which was often described as a mountain, next to me, which I would wander up regularly because I had the mornings free. This mountain was called Bongwhasan, and the subway station at the end of line 6 is named after here. When it was a little warmer I would also walk to Bongwhasan to take the train into Itaewon. This was as adventurous as I got back then. After a while, I got a little bored with seeing the same things.
One recent weekday afternoon I had the chance to meander through some sections of Itaewon that I hadn't seen before. If you've lived in Seoul or visited Seoul, you know Itaewon as the foreigner-friendly district with plenty of international restaurants and dance clubs. Getting off that main street (and a couple of side streets) is a chance to slow things down and find your own way in this interesting area. There's no theme, reason, or rhyme here - I just hope you enjoy the photos.