서울 이태원동 일대의 이슬람 타운화 과정에 관한 연구

Abstract

Itaewon district is a unique place of daily life in Seoul. As the earliest multi-cultural space gathering Koreans and foreigners all the way, Itaewon have been windows to breathe global change and new fashion. Since the Korean Independence, in particular, with the establishment of US army base in Yongsan-gu, Itaewon became a place of entertainment for US army and shopping area of imported items for Koreans. Moreover with the opening of Seoul Central Mosque in Hannam-dong in 1976, Itaewon became more exciting area coexisting two different culture of America and Islam. As the place for shopping, tourism, entertainment, English speaking, Muslim meeting, disorder of night, the image of Itaewon was intensified. From 2000`s, we witnessed a dramatic change in Itaewon from American image culture to Islamic culture. The moving of US army base to other place and the huge influx of Muslims change the traditional function and image of Itaewon. Many bars and liquor shops are closed, instead Muslim restaurants and halal shops occupied the empty shops. Along the street of Itaewon Fire Station to Mosque, more than 20 Muslim shops opened and do dynamic business. Around Mosque, with new Muslim settlers from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Niigeria, and Indonesia, Muslim town is under establishment. These sudden changes, of course, make a great influence to native Korean settlers of and Korean visitors to Itaewon. As a melting pot of three different culture-Korean, American, Islamic, current situation and future prospect of Itaewon give extraordinary concern to many researchers. Through such anthropological approaches as intensive interview and participation observation, this article is designed to survey the reaction of Islamization process of Itaewon from three other parties-native settlers, immigrant Muslims, Korean visitors.