Halal food and prayer space near universities?

There is more than you would expect, though Itaewon remains the centre. Here is the practical map.

Mosques and prayer spaces:

- Seoul Central Mosque in Itaewon is the main one, with the surrounding street of halal restaurants and grocers.
- There are smaller musallas and Islamic centres across the city, including near Dongdaemun and in Ansan.
- Several universities have a prayer room or will allocate a quiet space on request. Hanyang, Konkuk, Kyung Hee and Seoul National among others have had them. The way to find out is to ask the international office directly — many rooms exist but are not advertised in English. If none exists, ask; requests from international students are how most of them started.

Food near campuses:

- Halal-certified and Muslim-friendly restaurants exist near most large universities, usually Uzbek, Pakistani, Turkish, Indonesian or Malaysian. The Korea Tourism Organization maintains a Muslim-friendly restaurant list that is genuinely useful and covers more than Seoul.
- University cafeterias increasingly have a halal or vegetarian line, particularly at schools with large Central and South Asian student populations.
- Halal grocers: Itaewon, Ansan Multicultural Street, and a growing number of online options that deliver nationwide. Many students buy meat online monthly and cook.
- Seafood and vegetarian options are your everyday fallback in ordinary Korean restaurants, and both are plentiful.

On Ramadan: iftar gatherings happen at the Central Mosque and through university Muslim student associations. Ask the international office whether an MSA exists at your school — where there is one, it is usually the fastest route into a community.

The practical advice students give most often: connect with the Muslim student group at your university or a neighbouring one in your first weeks. The information about which shop, which restaurant, which delivery service is passed person to person and is far more current than anything published.