Gwangjang Market, a traditional Korean outdoor market experience.

Gwangjang Market, situated in central Seoul is South Korea’s very first market. The first floor features mostly food stalls selling a wide variety of Korean delicacies such as the bindaetteok, or mung bean pancake, tteokbokki, soondae, bibimbap, odeng, seafood and many more! The second floor consists of mostly shops selling silk, satin, linen bedsheet etc. Visitors enjoy coming to this market for its inexpensive local delicacies at affordable prices. What’s more, where else can you better experience local culture if not at the market?

Getting to Gwangjang Market is simple! Simply take the subway to Jongno 5-ga Station on Line 1 and head out from Exit 9. (What you will see when you head out from Exit 9.)

The market is situated right next to Exit 9 of the subway station. Turn right and you should see a massive market consisting of plenty of stalls and owners hawking their wares.(The entrance to the market.)(Store owners hawking their wares out in the open despite the winter cold.)(This particular store was selling mainly different types of cookies and nuts.)(An adjacent store selling the much acclaimed hotteok, or glutinous rice pancake.)(Another stall selling seafood.)

As you walk deeper into the market, you will start to see plenty of food stalls packed with patrons sitting by the stall enjoying their food. Such a sight is common here at Gwangjang Market.(A pancake stall.)(Another stall selling a variety of Korean snacks such as pancakes, fish cakes as well as soondae.)(Rice rolls, fish cakes or tteokbokki for you?)

(Diners enjoying their meals by the stall.)(A particular big roll of soondae, or glutinous rice with pig’s blood filled inside pig’s intestines.)

Soondae is a special kind of Korean delicacy. Mixing glutinous rice with pig’s blood and then stuffing it into the intestines of the animal, it is then steamed before being served. It is popular with many Koreans.(Meat dumplings, plenty of them.)

If you aren’t into stuff like soondae, there are plenty of other delicious snacks such as dumplings. Here at this dumpling stall, you can choose from steamed, fried or dumplings with soup. (Bindaetteok, or mung bean pancake.)

A must-eat item when you come to Gwangjang Market is the bindaetteok, or mung bean pancake. This is one of the most well known items here at Gwangjang Market. It is made of ground mung beans, green onions, kimchi, peppers and then cooking in a frying pan. We recommend having the bindaetteok with a bowl of fish cake soup!(Bindaetteoks stacked on top of each other.)

Besides ready made food, you can also find stalls selling a wide assortment of banchan, or Korean side dishes. Many Koreans get their side dishes supply from Gwangjang Market due to its wide variety and low prices.(One particular stall selling these side dishes.)(Crab dishes, which are very popular with Koreans.)

These crab dishes are meant to be eaten raw. If you are feeling adventurous, give them a try because they can be really quite tasty! They have been marinated either in soy sauce or red pepper paste.(A seafood stall selling cooked food.)

There are also plenty of other restaurants selling cooked meals such as this seafood restaurant. Their prices are reasonable and seafood really fresh.

We highly recommend visitors to check out Gwangjang Market to get a taste of the local dining culture. Talk to the stall owners, many of whom are elderlies and they would be more than happy to reply to you! We have found them to be really friendly and if you’re in luck, they might even offer you extra servings at no charge!(Walking along one of the alleys at Gwangjang Market.)(Exterior of Gwangjang Market at night.)

Gwangjang Market is located centrally at a prime location. As such, it is within distance of many other attractions such as Gwanghwamun, Myeongdong, Insadong etc. Do not give this place a miss the next time you are in Seoul!

Address: 88, Changgyeoggung-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

Subway: Jongno 5-ga Station, Line 1, Exit 9

Opening Hours: General stores 0830 ~ 1800, Restaurants 0830 ~ 2300, Clothing Stalls 2100 ~ 1000

Website: NA

Contact Number: +82 2-2267-0291~5

Email: NA