Wandering Seoul’s Food and Outdoor Markets

Wherever I go, I search out street food and outdoor markets for the most local goods and Seoul has no shortage of both of those markets. Seoul is expensive, but you can find cheap and delicious local foods at markets and find all the knick-knacks and souvineres you need at these markets.

Gwangjang Market

My favorite place for late night grub. Opened in 1905, Gwangjang Market is the oldest continually functioning market in Korea. It has goods to buy, but the star is the food. The ground floor has dozens of food stalls and restaurants, where you can enjoy authentic Korean dishes like Bindaetteok (Mung Bean Pancakes), Eomukguk (Fish Cake Soup), Kimbap (bite-size dried seaweed rolls) and Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes). Find a stall, take a seat and order away (or just point).

Most of the market is open 8:30 am – 6 pm daily and some places are closed on Sunday. Best to go towards the end of the day or for lunch. To get there, take the subway to Jongno-5 station and either Exit 9 or 8 will take you to the entrance of the market. The market is near the Dongdaemun area.

Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market

If you’re not familiar with fish markets, the Seoul fish market is a must.

Read more about my adventure at the fish market eating live octopus here!

Namdaemun Market

Namdaemun Market, founded in the early 1400s, is one of the busiest markets in South Korea and is the largest traditional market in Korea with at least 10,000 shops selling various goods. You can find almost every type of fashion item, jewelry, clothing, luggage, toys, stationery, carpets, hiking gear, flowers, electronics, and street foods here. If it’s sold in Korea, or anywhere else in the world, then you will most likely find it at one of the many stalls here.

If you are hungry, a number of tasty street food stalls can be found just outside exit 5 of Hoehyeon Station. Many of these stalls sell stereotypical Korean street foods such as dumplings, noodles, and pan fried foods. For you night owls, Namdaemun becomes a vibrant night market from 11pm until 4am every day.

To get there, take Subway Line 4 to Hoehyeon Station (Exit 5).

Myeongdong Market

This Seoul market is the place for shoppers who want to get both cheap and expensive goodies from their trip to Seoul. There are endless turns, stalls and brick-and-mortar shops around Myeongdong Market.

Dongdaemun Market

Dongdaemun Market is one of South Korea’s largest wholesale and retail shopping districts with clothes, shoes, jewelry, leather goods, toys, electronics, and office supplies. This Seoul market is also a food haven – Mukja Golmok is an alley dedicated to Korean street food and snacks.

Gyeongdong Market

Gyeongdong Market has over 1,000 stalls selling homemade medicines, roots, herbs, and spices. Located in Dongdaemun, this Seoul market is especially popular among Chinese and Japanese tourists because they can get Asian herbs and medicine at relatively cheap prices. Some of the most popular items here include red ginseng for restoring energy, maesil (plum) to improve blood pressure, and chrysanthemum flowers which are brewed to make refreshing drinks.