School bus access is good, but buses will not travel on some of the narrower, steeper, back streets. There are several Christian schools in the area which provide school bus service, and the Hannam-dong preschools also provide bus service to Itaewon. School bus rides take about 45 minutes to an hour. Itaewon is known as the foreigners' shopping area, having numerous small shops and grocery stores. It is also a popular nightspot for U.S. servicemen and other foreigners.
Residents have been know to have complained of rowdy parties in the early hours of the morning.
These areas are abundant with popular stores and restaurants boasting of American and European products. But the merchandise and meals are generally a bit more expensive. Because much of the area south of the river was built during the 1980's the major arteries are wide, but still some parts congested, especially those roads leading to the bridges. There are several apartment complexes located in Kangdong-gu in the southeastern area of Seoul that were built for the 1988 Olympic athletes and their families. The park is a good location for jogging and the subway connections are efficient.