Yongsan & Itaewon

Yongsan splits into distinct clusters: the big museums around Ichon and Samgakji, with Yongridan-gil (also spelled Yongnidan-gil) near Sinyongsan; the restaurants and bars of Itaewon and Hannam-dong; and the hillside cafes of Haebangchon near Noksapyeong. Plan by cluster rather than trying to walk between all of them.

The National Museum of Korea and the War Memorial of Korea both have free permanent exhibitions. Yongsan Station (Line 1, KTX) and Sinyongsan Station (Line 4) are separate stations that are easy to confuse. Itaewon’s main street looks quiet in daylight and gets busier after sunset, especially on weekends.

Looking for Seongsu-dong? It has its own section on the Seoul by Area page.

Below, the guides are grouped by neighborhood, followed by one-day routes, hotels in the area and the stations you will actually use.

Main stations	Ichon (Line 4, Gyeongui-Jungang), Samgakji (Lines 4, 6), Sinyongsan (Line 4), Itaewon (Line 6), Noksapyeong (Line 6)
Free entry	Permanent exhibitions at the National Museum of Korea and the War Memorial of Korea
How long	About 8–9 hours for the museum, Haebangchon and Namsan
Good to know	The National Hangeul Museum is closed for repairs until the second half of 2028

Must-see

Neighborhoods

Yongsan: Ichon, Samgakji & Yongridan-gil

The National Museum of Korea is about 5 minutes from Ichon Station Exit 2; Saturdays are its busiest day. The War Memorial sits by Samgakji Station and needs at least 2–3 hours. Do not try to stack three museums in one day. Yongridan-gil is near Sinyongsan Station.

Station: Ichon (Line 4, Gyeongui-Jungang), Samgakji (Lines 4, 6), Sinyongsan (Line 4)

• National Museum of Korea: Free Entry Near Ichon Station
• War Memorial of Korea: 7 Things to See Near Samgakji
• National Hangeul Museum: 7 Things to See Near Ichon Station
• 10 Best Things to Do in Yongsan, Seoul
• Seoul Light Nodeul Island Laser Art 2026: Full Visitor Guide

Itaewon & Hannam-dong

Leeum Museum of Art and the Hannam-dong shops are reached from Hangangjin Station (Line 6); book a Leeum slot in advance. Most restaurants in the Itaewon guide are within a 5–15 minute walk of Itaewon Station.

Station: Itaewon (Line 6); Hangangjin (Line 6)

• One Day in Itaewon: Leeum Museum, Hannam-dong & Bars
• The 10 Best Restaurants in Itaewon Near Itaewon Station
• Halloween in Seoul 2026: Itaewon, Everland & Lotte World

Haebangchon & Gyeongnidan-gil

Haebangchon is a hilly neighborhood of rooftop cafes with Namsan views and Shinhung Market, reached from Noksapyeong Station Exit 2. Walking on from Haebangchon to Namsan is a real hike of 30–90 minutes.

Station: Noksapyeong (Line 6), Exit 2

• Your Ultimate Haebangchon Travel Guide: Seoul’s Hidden Gem
• Yongsan One-Day Itinerary: Museum, Haebangchon & Namsan

Itineraries through this area

• Yongsan One-Day Itinerary: Museum, Haebangchon & Namsan: National Museum of Korea, Haebangchon and Namsan in about 8–9 hours.
• One Day in Itaewon: Leeum Museum, Hannam-dong & Bars: Leeum Museum, Hannam-dong shopping and Itaewon after dark.

Where to stay in this area

Getting there

• Ichon (Line 4, Gyeongui-Jungang Line): Exit 2 for the National Museum of Korea
• Samgakji (Lines 4, 6): the War Memorial of Korea
• Sinyongsan (Line 4): Yongridan-gil
• Noksapyeong (Line 6): Exit 2 for Haebangchon
• Itaewon (Line 6): Itaewon’s restaurants and hotels
• Hangangjin (Line 6): Leeum Museum and Hannam-dong
• Yongsan (Line 1, KTX): a different station from Sinyongsan

New to the subway or buses? Seoul Subway Guide: T-money Card, Fares & How to Ride · How to Ride Seoul Buses: Colors, Fares & T-money Guide · How to Take a Taxi in Seoul Using the Kakao T App

Next areas by subway

• Myeongdong & Downtown Seoul: N Seoul Tower and Myeongdong, on the far side of Namsan
• Seongsu-dong: Seoul Forest and converted-factory cafes, on Line 2

Photos on this page: Korea Tourism Organization (visitkorea.or.kr), Korea Open Government License Type 1.