Thing to do
Insadong
A central street of galleries, craft shops, antique dealers and traditional tea houses, best explored on foot, with the Ssamziegil arcade at its centre.
Gwangjang Market
One of Seoul's oldest traditional markets, dating from 1905, where rows of food stalls serve mung bean pancakes, mayak gimbap and noodles beside fabric merchants.
At a glance
- Type
- Traditional market and street food
- Area
- Jongno 5-ga, Seoul, South Korea
- Price
- $ · Budget
Good to know
- Food stalls
- Textile and hanbok shops
- Cash and cards
Why we recommend it
Gwangjang Market is one of the oldest permanent markets in Korea. The company that runs it was founded in 1905, when the market was known as Dongdaemun Market, and it took its present name in 1960. Today it is a huge covered complex of textile merchants, tailors, household goods and, at its heart, long rows of food stalls where you sit on benches at the counter and eat what the cook in front of you is making.
The food alleys are why most visitors come. The best-known dish is bindaetteok, a thick pancake of ground mung beans fried in oil until crisp at the edges, often with pork and kimchi; you can watch the beans being ground and the pancakes cooked on huge griddles. Mayak gimbap, small rolls of rice and vegetables served with a mustard dipping sauce, are another market speciality, and stalls also serve hand-cut noodle soup (kalguksu), raw marinated crab, tteokbokki, blood sausage and fish cakes. Some stalls are tiny family operations that have been run for decades.
Beyond the food, the market is still a working trade hub. Shops sell silk, linen and cotton by the metre, bedding and hanbok, and some upper floors have tailors and second-hand clothing traders. It is a good place to see everyday commerce in central Seoul away from the polished shopping districts.
The market suits food lovers, families and anyone travelling on a budget, since a few dishes from different stalls make a filling and inexpensive meal. Stalls display prices, and many show pictures or English names, but pointing works well too. It gets very crowded at lunchtime, early evening and on weekends; go mid-afternoon on a weekday for an easier time. Some textile shops close on Sundays, while many food stalls stay open into the evening, so check before travelling if you want to shop for fabrics. Bring cash, as smaller stalls may not take cards, and share dishes so you can try more.
The market is next to Jongno 5-ga Station on Line 1, and a short walk from Euljiro 4-ga Station. The Cheonggyecheon stream runs along its southern edge, and Jongmyo Shrine, Changgyeonggung Palace and Dongdaemun Design Plaza are all nearby.
Gwangjang Market FAQs
What should you eat at Gwangjang Market?
Bindaetteok mung bean pancakes and mayak gimbap are the classics, along with kalguksu noodle soup, tteokbokki and marinated crab.
When is the best time to go?
Mid-afternoon on a weekday is calmest; lunchtimes, early evenings and weekends are very busy.
Is it expensive?
No. Most dishes are inexpensive, and sharing a few plates from different stalls makes a cheap meal.
Do you need cash?
Bring some cash, as smaller stalls may not take cards.
Is everything open on Sundays?
Many food stalls open on Sundays, but some textile and clothing shops close, so check if you plan to shop.
Is it good for vegetarians?
Bindaetteok and some gimbap can be meat-free, but ask, as many versions contain pork or fish.
How do you get there?
Take Line 1 to Jongno 5-ga Station, which is beside the market, or walk from Euljiro 4-ga Station.
What is nearby?
Cheonggyecheon Stream, Jongmyo Shrine, Changgyeonggung Palace and Dongdaemun Design Plaza.