Before Gangnam Style There Was…Itaewon Freedom!

by Martin

Itaewon Freedom

In 2012, Gangnam Style, a song parodying the lifestyle of people from the high-class neighborhood of Gangnam, Seoul, blasted onto the Korean pop-charts.  But two years before, another song, about a much less savory part of town, swept over Korea. That song was, Itaewon Freedom.

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My First Taste

I went to Korea for the first time back in 2001 on a visa run from Japan–a failed visa run that left me sleeping on an airport bench in Osaka for 3 nights until I was able to get $1,000 from a friend for a one-way ticket back to the US.

That first trip was an incredible experience for me, though.  My then extremely low standards for women allowed me to meet a girl the one night I was there who actually took me(!) to a DVD room—a private room where Korean couples go to “watch a movie” on an elongated couch.

Though many Korean women consider them to be sleezy places (and some of them definitely are), since most Koreans live with their parents, DVD Bangs (rooms) are a low cost option for Korean couples looking for some private, one-on-one, sexy time.  Other options include “love motels,” which vary in quality from roach motel all the way up to luxury themed hotel with prices to match.

I was totally unaware of DVD Bangs so when the girl was urging me to come along with her, I was resistant, thinking I’d be stuck with her in a movie theater at 3am. I finally I gave in, though, not having an alternate plan or other suggestions to make. When we arrived I realized what an idiot I’d been.  *facepalm*  I clearly lacked any ability to read a woman’s signals.

My weak game made itself known once again when I could only get her top and bra off.   After the movie, we had food and I caught a bus back to the airport.  She called me in Japan several times after that, but when I came back to Korea 5 years later things had totally died off with her.

Where Korean Women Loosen Their Chains

I didn’t know it at the time, but Itaewon has traditionally been the seedy area of Seoul, noted for it’s abundance of American military men, the less than respectable women who love them, and tiny neighborhoods such as “little Tokyo”, “Hooker Hill,” and even “Homo Hill”.

Even though Itaewon has become quite an upmarket place over the past few years, with trendy clubs and expensive restaurants popping up all over the main strip, its reputation as the “dark side of Seoul” has still encouraged Koreans sick of their draconian culture to come and play dirty. Itaewon is like a mini-trip to a foreign country where normal Korean social rules don’t apply.  Not only can Korean girls socialize and party with foreign men without suffering disapproving stares, gay Korean guys can flaunt their true feelings for both foreign and local men, as well.  This makes Itaewon a curious conglomeration of free people, all mashed together in a fairly tight space. Once I became much better with women, I was able to capitalize on the fun, colorful, atmosphere that Itaewon venues had to offer, and date many Korean girls as a result.

So… What’s in it For You?

Itaewon is a great place to meet open-minded, western guy loving girls. Coming up over the next few weeks we’ll have some restaurant and club suggestions that will help you meet and date great Korean girls who are looking for a guy like you. Make sure you tune in for updates to make the most of what Seoul – and the rest of Asia – has to offer. We’re easy to find – look us up on Facebook and Twitter, or, better yet, make sure you subscribe to updates on our home page.