Namsan (South Mountain) is the forested hill at the geographic centre of old Seoul, flanked by residential areas on its northern and eastern slopes that retain some of the most interesting street-level character in the city. The Itaewon district on the western slope has been the city's international quarter since the US military established a base nearby after the Korean War; its character has shifted from expat bars toward a more varied dining and nightlife scene.
The neighbourhood has a split personality: the mountain parks and walking paths offer a quiet, naturalistic escape from the urban density below, while the base of the mountain on the northern side opens directly into Myeongdong's commercial intensity. The Namsangol Hanok Village at the north base of the mountain provides a calm pause between the two.