Daegu travel guide: Seomun Market, Kim Kwang-seok Street, food and day trips

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Daegu is Korea's fourth-largest city, and many visitors pass it on the train between Seoul and Busan without stopping. That is a mistake. It has one of the country's great traditional markets, a strong food identity of its own and easy access to mountains and historic towns. It is also known for being one of the hottest cities in Korea in summer.

Getting there

KTX from Seoul Station to Dongdaegu Station takes about two hours on the fastest trains. SRT trains run from Suseo in southern Seoul. Busan is well under an hour away.
Dongdaegu Station connects to the Daegu subway, and the city's buses are covered by T-money.
Daegu International Airport has domestic flights, including to Jeju, and some international routes.

Daegu's subway has three lines, including Line 3, an elevated monorail with good views over the city.

Seomun Market and the night market

Seomun Market is one of the largest and oldest traditional markets in Korea, famous for fabrics and bedding as well as food. Wander the alleys for kalguksu (knife-cut noodles), hotteok and other snacks. The daytime market closes on some Sundays each month, so check before you go. The Seomun night market sets up along one of the market's streets in the evening, with stalls selling grilled, fried and sweet snacks. In recent years it has run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Check its official site or Naver Map for the current days and times before you plan around it.

Kim Kwang-seok Street

Kim Kwang-seok Street (김광석 다시 그리기 길) is a mural-lined alley beside Bangcheon Market, dedicated to the folk singer Kim Kwang-seok, who grew up in Daegu and died in 1996. His songs play along the street, and the walls show his face and lyrics. It takes under an hour and fits easily into a day around the old city centre.

The old city centre

Dongseong-ro is the main shopping street, busy with young people in the evening.
The Modern History Streets (근대골목) walking routes take in Cheongna Hill, with its early 20th-century missionary houses, the Gyesan Cathedral and the Yangnyeongsi herbal medicine market.

83 Tower

83 Tower stands in E-World, an amusement park in Duryu Park. The observation deck gives a sweeping view of the city, and it is especially good at night. You can visit the tower without riding everything at the park.

Palgongsan

Palgongsan is the mountain on the city's northern edge, and its slopes are wonderful in autumn.

A cable car climbs part of the way up for views back over the city.
Gatbawi, a stone Buddha wearing a flat stone cap, sits near one of the peaks. Many people climb to it to pray, especially before exams.
Donghwasa is a large temple at the foot of the mountain.

What to eat in Daegu

Makchang: grilled beef or pork intestines, Daegu's signature barbecue, usually dipped in a soybean-paste sauce with chopped chilli and spring onion. Neighbourhood makchang restaurants are easy to find across the city, and Anjirang's alley is famous for gopchang, its close cousin.
Napjak mandu (flat dumplings): very thin, flat dumplings with little filling, pan-fried and eaten with soy sauce, often with spicy salad.
Ttaro gukbap: beef soup with rice served separately.
Mungtigi: raw beef slices with a sesame-oil dip, for adventurous eaters.
Chimaek: fried chicken and beer, which Daegu celebrates with a summer festival of its own.

Day trips

Gyeongju, the old Silla capital, is a short trip by KTX or bus. See our Gyeongju guide.
Andong and Hahoe Folk Village are reachable by bus or train. See our Andong guide.
Haeinsa, the temple that keeps the Tripitaka Koreana woodblocks, is in the mountains west of the city.

When to go

Spring and autumn are best. Summers are very hot and humid, and winters are cold and dry. Our guide to the best time to visit Korea covers the seasons. Been to Daegu? Share your favourite makchang place or market snack, or ask about routes, in the comments.