Itaewon is a commercial district in Seoul, South Korea, known for its nightlife and multi-ethnic population. The name Itaewon was originally derived from the name of an inn located there during the Joseon period. Today it's called Itaewon alluding to its abundance of pear trees. According to a folktale, the name was also written using different Han…
Itaewon is a commercial district in Seoul, South Korea, known for its nightlife and multi-ethnic population. The name Itaewon was originally derived from the name of an inn located there during the Joseon period. Today it's called Itaewon alluding to its abundance of pear trees. According to a folktale, the name was also written using different Hanja characters that alluded to foreign babies. When the Japanese invaded Seoul during the Imjin War, a group of Japanese soldiers seized a Buddhist temple in what is now Itaewon where Buddhist nuns lived. The soldiers stayed at the temple for a while and raped the Buddhist nuns. When the soldiers left they burned down the Buddhist temple. The raped Buddhist nuns now homeless settled nearby and eventually gave birth to children. People from neighboring villages named the area where the children were raised Itaewon in a portmanteau of terms meaning different, foreign and fetus. During the Imjin War this was also where wounded and surrendered Japanese soldiers were allowed to live.
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