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Muslim business traveller's guide
Seoul, South Korea
Muslim Traveller Guide
Halal Seoul
Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is a fast, ultra-modern city that hosts major food and halal-focused trade shows — events such as Seoul Food & Hotel and Korea's halal food and cosmetics expos draw international buyers to venues like the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center in Gangnam. Korea is not a Muslim-majority country, so halal food is not the default: it is concentrated around the Seoul Central Mosque in Itaewon (and the 'Muslim street', Usadan-ro, beside it), with a growing number of certified and Muslim-friendly restaurants elsewhere that the Korea Tourism Organization formally classifies. Outside those, pork and non-halal meat are common in Korean cooking, so it pays to plan meals. The upside: the subway is world-class, cheap and signed in English, the city is extremely safe, and a 24-hour multilingual tourist hotline (1330) is a phone call away.
KRWKorea Standard Time (KST), UTC+9 — no daylight saving.
5 halal places to visit
Mosques & sights in Seoul
The mosques and Islamic-heritage landmarks worth your time around the expo.
Seoul Central Mosque
Itaewon (Hannam-dong)
South Korea's first and largest mosque, opened 1976, and the religious heart of Muslim life in Seoul.
Usadan-ro 10-gil (Halal Street)
Itaewon
The hilly lane up to the mosque lined with halal restaurants, grocers and Islamic bookshops.
Itaewon halal grocery shops
Itaewon
Cluster of shops below the mosque selling halal meat, spices and prayer supplies for Muslim visitors.
5 places to eat
Where to eat — top halal spots
Real, well-loved halal restaurants across Seoul, from cheap local legends to special-occasion dining.
EID Halal Korean Food
Korean · Itaewon$$
KMF-certified Korean kitchen serving halal bulgogi, bibimbap and samgyetang minutes from the mosque.
Makan Halal Korean Restaurant
Korean / Malaysian · Itaewon$
Affordable halal spot offering Korean dishes alongside Malaysian favourites.
Salam Restaurant
Pakistani · Itaewon$$
Classic halal curry house on the mosque street known for biryani and grilled meats.
Where to stay
Hotels for every budget
Hand-picked places to stay, near the action.
Luxury
Grand Hyatt Seoul
Hannam-dong (Namsan)
Five-star hotel on Namsan slopes a short distance from Itaewon's halal district.
Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul
Jangchung-dong (Namsan)
Upscale resort-style hotel with relax pools on the eastern edge of Mount Namsan.
Mid-range
Know before you go
The essentials
Everything a Muslim traveller needs to land in Seoul with confidence.
Getting in
Incheon International Airport (ICN)
• AREX airport railroad — ~43 min (Express) to Seoul Station; ~60 min all-stop
• Airport limousine bus — 60-90 min depending on traffic and district
• Taxi / Kakao T — 60-80 min
Gimpo International Airport (GMP)
• Subway (lines 5 & 9) / AREX — 30-50 min to the centre
Getting around
Seoul's subway is one of the best in the world — vast, frequent, punctual, cheap and fully signed in English (with numbered lines and exits). It reaches almost everywhere a visitor needs, including COEX (line 2, Samseong) and Itaewon (line 6) for halal food and the mosque. Buses fill the gaps and taxis are reasonably priced; the AREX railroad links Incheon airport into the same network.
Taxis are plentiful, metered and reasonably priced; the Kakao T app is the standard way to hail one and removes any language barrier. Orange/silver taxis are regular; black taxis are premium. Few drivers speak English, so show your destination in Korean (the app or a screenshot) or use the 1330 hotline's interpretation help.
Getting here
Travelling from a major halal market?
Most halal-expo buyers and exhibitors fly in from the world's main halal hubs. Here's how to reach Seoul from each — entry rules vary by nationality, so check the Visa & entry note.
Sources: https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/apply/index.do · https://english.visitkorea.or.kr · https://www.airport.kr/ap/en/index.do · https://english.seoul.go.kr
Other halal expo cities
Nearby and frequently-paired destinations, with the same Muslim-traveller guide.
