In the Jongno area, in the heart of Seoul, you will find the Gwangjang Market (광장 시장) , one of the oldest and largest traditional markets in South Korea with thousands (they say more than 5000) of shops and food stalls that sell almost everything: from household items to fabrics, from delicious local food to fruit and vegetables, medicinal herbs, clothes, handicrafts and there are also souvenirs, since the market it is frequented not only by locals but also by numerous tourists from all over the world in search of a unique cultural experience.
With its 100+ years of history, Gwangjang Market (광장 시장) was the first permanent market in South Korea open every day, as in the past the merchants used to sell their products on their stalls only occasionally and temporarily.
There are several entrances, the main one is at the corner of Jong-Ro and Changgyeonggung-ro. From here, once you have set foot in the market hall, you will find yourself in front of fabric stores, clothing and household items in a sort of long tunnel full of people and items for sale.
Continuing, numerous alleys spread from the main street bringing you more and more inside the Gwangjang Market (광장 시장) meeting souvenir and food shops such as fruit and vegetables, meat, fresh and dried fish, typical Korean sauces and dressings and various colorful foods that will be used for the classic banchan (the side dishes that are found at every Korean table, both at home and in restaurants) such as: small fried crabs, tofu, little eggs, omelette, kimchi, jeon, meat, fish and seafood cut into pieces or strips and soaked in sauces with an intense taste.
The main attraction is the food, numerous restaurants and stalls at Gwangjang Market (광장 시장) that serve local and lots of local people head here, along with tourists, to enjoy a very good meal and a snack of street food. A specialty of the market is the bindaetteok , a yellow and thick pancake of green bean sprouts (or mung bean).
But there are also several other delicacies such as mandu (stuffed dumplings), tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cake sticks dipped in spicy sauce), kimpbap , sashimi (raw fish), noodles and sundae (a sort of blood sausage with pork intestine).
Very good to try here is the yukhoe , a sort of meat carpaccio, usually of veal with a raw egg on top. And if you are brave enough you can order the san-nakji , a kind of baby octopus eaten raw and cut fresh (and alive) in slices that still move in front of your eyes … and in the mouth when you go to bite it … The stalls are numerous and all cook rather good food, look for one that inspires you and sit down to enjoy something pleasant!
Continuing the visit of Gwangjang Market (광장 시장) you can take the stairs and go up to the second floor where they sell fabrics, bed linen, clothes of all kinds and hanbok, the famous traditional Korean clothes.
Although the place is super frequented by people from all over the world, you don’t have the feeling of being in one of the usual tourist traps and the Gwangjang Market (광장 시장) remains a rather genuine cultural experience of Seoul which I recommend you to experience while traveling in South Korea.
How to reach the Gwangjang Market (광장 시장)
To visit the Gwangjang Market (광장 시장) you can use the subway and get off at the stations:
Jongno 5-ga (subway line 1) exit 7 or Euljiro 4-ga (subway line 2, 5) exit 4.
