While in Korea we lived that market life. The markets in Korea are where you can find about anything. Each one offers something different. Regardless of which ones you chose, they all offer an exciting, lively piece of Korean culture and a guaranteed source of people watching.
Below you will find a bit of information about each market.
Gwangjang Market (Kwangjang Market)
Address:
88, Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Hours of operation:
General stores: 08:30-18:00
Restaurants: 08:30-23:00
Clothing stores: 21:00-10:00 (Next day)
This is one of the more traditional markets in Korea. It's actually a multi floor indoor market, which makes it a great candidate for a rainy day.
For us this market was more of an experience than a place to buy things. The market was fast paced and the hotspot of food stalls. There were aisles and aisles of choices of food. We chose to eat the traditional bibimbap and glass noodles. Side note: you must be a bit adventurous to experience a meal here. It was awesome in every way, but there are some very Korean food choices and at times not a lot of English. Just be ready for an adventure and it'll be great.
Outside of the food choices you will find tons of bedding stores, hanbok shops and of course several souvenir shops. The fresh fish shops were also neat to see. You could even get a viewing of real kimchi making right in the middle of an aisle.
Myeongdong Market
Hours of operation:
Not totally sure on the hours, but it was open by 10:00AM
This market was one of the more modern markets that we visited. It is known for its cosmetics and skin care shops. You can also find clothing stores and many great restaurants. We found some of our favorite foods in one of the small restaurants located in this market.
While you are in the area there are some great things to see and do. If you enjoy a good hanbok dress-up session you should stop by the Myeongdong tourist center. You get a free 10 minute session with some cute hanboks and a green screen. It allows you to email all of the pictures from your photo shoot to an email address at no cost! :) We had a blast. You can see below the picture of me getting ready for the green screen.
The Myeongdong Cathedral is also a must see. The architecture and art outside and within this church are breathtaking.
American Art right in Myeong Dong
Myeong Dong Cathedral
Insadong Street Market
Hours of operation:
*10:00am ~ (closing times varies with each store)---at least 8pm
This market is filled with something for everyone. It's known for being an art street, so you can find musical instruments, handmade items and everything between. If you are looking for a traditional Korean name stamp, there are multiple places to find one of these. We also found a set of traditional wedding ducks to give to our son in the future if he gets married. We walked to this market multiple times because we stayed in the Insadong area...which I highly recommend. We even found the poop cafe, which was quite a hit for my students back at home. When it comes to food you can find anything from high class traditional restaurants to inexpensive street food and everything in between. One of my favorite experiences is aimlessly wandering the alleys of Insadong. You can find some beautiful treasures nestled back in these alleyways. I highly recommend doing this. In my opinion, you haven't been to Korea if you haven't gotten temporarily lost in an alley.
Namdaemun Market
Address:
21, Namdaemunsijang 4-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Hours of operation:
23:00-17:00 (the next day)
* Operating hours will vary by shop.
(So this market is open until 5pm each day, but then opens back up at 11pm for the overnight crew)
Closed
Sundays
* Operating hours will vary by shop.
(So this market is open until 5pm each day, but then opens back up at 11pm for the overnight crew)
Closed
Sundays
Namdaemun is more of a traditional market. You know you've arrived when you see the international flags strung above your head. This market has a lot of variety. Probably the best market for Seoul's famous street food. You must try the mandu. If you are more adventurous try the famous mung bean panackes! This market is filled with clothes, fresh fish, souvenirs, teas and candies. If you are interested in any Korean cookware, this is the place for you. I purchased two dolsots here. They are the traditional hot stone bowls that you can get Korean food in. I love to cook Korean food, so this was a must for me. We also stocked up on chopsticks and other random items.
Cookware for DAYZ!
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