Seoul Central Mosque
Itaewon (Hannam-dong)
South Korea's first and largest mosque, opened 1976, and the religious heart of Muslim life in Seoul.
Loading…
Seoul, South Korea
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.
Currency KRWKorea Standard Time (KST), UTC+9 — no daylight saving.
Mosques and sights
Halal places to visit in Seoul
Mosques and Islamic-heritage landmarks worth your time around the expo.
Usadan-ro 10-gil (Halal Street)
Itaewon
The hilly lane up to the mosque lined with halal restaurants, grocers and Islamic bookshops.
Halal food
Where to eat halal in Seoul
Well-loved halal restaurants across Seoul, from cheap local favourites 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
Hotels
Where to stay in Seoul
Picks for every budget.
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.
See the full Seoul travel guide →
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
