Seoul traditional markets guide: Gwangjang, Namdaemun, Mangwon and Tongin
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Seoul's traditional markets are where you eat best for least, and where the city still feels like a neighbourhood. Each one has its own character: one is a food hall under a roof, one sells everything from ginseng to camping gear, one is where locals do their weekly shop. Here are the ones worth your time and how to get the most out of them.
Gwangjang Market
Gwangjang, near Jongno 5-ga and Euljiro 4-ga stations, is the market most visitors come for, and the reason is the food alleys in the middle.
- Bindaetteok: thick mung bean pancakes fried in plenty of oil until the edges crunch. Several stalls grind the beans in front of you. Eat them hot with the soy-and-onion dip.
- Yukhoe: seasoned raw beef with pear and egg yolk. There is a whole alley of yukhoe restaurants on one side of the market.
- Mayak gimbap: small, thin rolls of rice, carrot and pickled radish, served with a mustard dip. The name means "drug gimbap", a joke about how hard they are to stop eating.
- Also look for kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup), sundae (blood sausage) and tteok (rice cakes).
Sit at the counter of a busy stall, point at what you want, and pay when you leave. It is crowded in the evenings and at weekends; mid-afternoon on a weekday is calmer. Check prices on the board before ordering, as some stalls charge more for larger portions.
The upper floors and outer lanes sell fabric, hanbok and vintage clothing, which few visitors bother to explore.
Namdaemun Market
Next to Hoehyeon station and a short walk from Seoul Station, Namdaemun is a sprawling general market of narrow lanes and multi-storey arcades. You will find glasses, kitchenware, clothes, ginseng, seaweed, children's clothing and souvenirs, usually cheaper than in Myeongdong.
Food highlights are the galchi jorim alley (braised hairtail fish), the kalguksu alley where a bowl comes with a side of cold noodles, and street stalls selling hotteok and dumplings. Many shops close on Sundays, so go another day.
Dongdaemun
Dongdaemun is less a market than a fashion district: wholesale malls that open late at night for shop owners, and retail malls open in the day for everyone else. Come for clothes and fabric, see Dongdaemun Design Plaza's curving building, and finish with Central Asian food in the nearby streets around Dongdaemun History & Culture Park station.
Mangwon Market
In Mangwon-dong, a short walk from Mangwon station on Line 6, this is a neighbourhood market where locals actually shop. It is known for cheap snacks: fried chicken, croquettes, hotteok, tteokbokki and fruit cups. Buy a few things, then walk about fifteen minutes to the Han River at Mangwon Hangang Park for a picnic. It pairs well with an afternoon in Hongdae or Yeonnam.
Tongin Market
Tongin is a small market in Seochon, west of Gyeongbokgung, near Gyeongbokgung station. It is famous for its dosirak café: you buy a set of old-style brass coins (yeopjeon) and an empty tray, then walk the market exchanging coins for small portions of side dishes from participating stalls. Finish with rice and soup at the café on the upper floor.
The scheme has run for years and travel guides still describe it, but its hours are limited and it is usually closed on Mondays. Check the market's latest hours before going, and arrive around lunchtime: stalls run low later in the afternoon. The oil tteokbokki (gireum tteokbokki), stir-fried rice cakes in chilli oil, is the dish to look for.
Paying and etiquette
- Carry cash. Most stalls take cards now, but small stalls and older vendors often prefer cash, and some cards from abroad fail. A mix of small notes is easiest.
- Ask before photographing a vendor up close. Photographing the food is fine.
- Do not haggle on food. In clothing and souvenir shops a little bargaining on several items can work, but prices on food are fixed.
- Sit only if you are ordering. Counter seats are for customers, and space is tight at busy times.
- Bring a bag. Plastic bags are restricted in many shops, and a tote makes carrying snacks easier.
- Markets open early and many stalls close by evening; Gwangjang's food alley is the main exception that stays busy at night.
Which market did you enjoy most, or which stall would you send a friend to? Share your favourites and questions in the comments.