By Honorary Reporter Ruby Punt from U.K.

Photos= Ruby Punt

The basic plot of the Korean drama "Itaewon Class" on Netflix is that after being expelled from middle school, Park Sae-yo-ri starts a food business and will stop at nothing until he achieves his dreams.

Like many, I've been following this series since day one. The best part about my weekends recently has been snuggling up with my partner and watching this show, immediately theorizing how it'll end once an episode is finished. As an international student in Seoul, I decided to explore the Itaewon neighborhood where the drama was filmed with my boyfriend and visit all the main filming spots.

First we visited Danbam, the protagonist's first pub located 10 minutes on foot from Itaewon Station. Go straight out of Exit 1 and continue walking until you reach the McDonald's on the other side of the road. For more precise directions, input the address Noksapyeong-daero 40-gil on a map app.

When we arrived at the bar, there were two other couples taking photos. It was nice to know that other people loved the show as much as my partner and I did. Unfortunately, we couldn't go inside since many restaurants and bars are closed because of the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Venturing on, we crossed the main road and trod along Itaewon-ro 14-gil, where the series' poster photos were taken. If you look at the background on a poster, you can see the cafe Tape Tape and the store Commune, along with other delicious cafes. 

Next, we wandered in circles getting lost down the many side streets Itaewon has to offer. It took us 15 minutes to realize that we were heading out of the neighborhood. Exhausted, we scoured our smartphones searching for the next filming location: the second pub Sae-yo-ri owned. With conflicting information, we headed toward Noksapyeong Station in the hopes that we could catch bus #402 to our next spot.

With a weak sense of recognition, I gently tapped my boyfriend and asked, "Isn't that the bridge they're always chatting on?" Overlooking Namsan Tower, the bridge was unsurprisingly busier than the previous two locations. Girls were taking turns to pose for the perfect full-body portrait and couples inched closer together and made cute and loving gestures. Once we took cheeky selfies, we carried on with our adventure.

We spent about an hour getting lost around the wider area and often going in the wrong direction. Luckily, after remembering a signpost from the TV show, I searched for "Lucky Night Danbam" pub and found the correct address. The bar was called Oriole and proved bigger than expected. Spread across three floors, this beautiful restaurant had a great view from the rooftop bar. We watched here the sunset over the skyline before heading to our final stop: the bridge opposite Oriole.

By roaming around Itaewon and seeing all these places I saw "Itaewon Class" in a new light. Recognizing many places the characters visit added to my enjoyment of the show. Thus I definitely recommend visiting spots your favorite Korean dramas are filmed.

chaey0726@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.