Gwangjang Market is ground zero for most foodie tourists when they visit Seoul. It is hyped as THE place to go to experience Seoul street food, and there are multiple influencer videos out there on it.
Most of foods these videos focus on seem to be the wriggling baby octopus tentacles, sundae (blood sausage), raw beef, and teokbokki (chewy rice cakes in a spicy sauce). These are probably the best to hook viewers, but there is much more available at Gwangjang for foodies to try.
There are multiple companies and individuals offering food tours and experiences that include this market, but we decided to plunge straight in an explore it ourselves. Gwangjang gets extremely busy in the evenings, and particularly on weekends, and if being nose to armpit makes you anxious you might want to avoid these times.
I recommend having a look around first before deciding on your plan of action. There are so many stalls selling very similar items, so scoping out which one looks best is a good idea.
A lot of tourists will seek out the stall run by the ‘Netflix Lady’ who featured on an episode of Food Asia. She is famous for knife cut noodles in a broth, or Kalguksu, and her stall usually has a line at busy periods.
However, a lot of other stalls sell exactly the same products, so try a different one and spread the joy. Mandu (dumplings) are also very popular, with the kimchi ones have more flavour than the plain meat ones. Little gimbap rolls also abound here and are great to take away and eat in parks or by the river.
Jokbal (sliced pigs trotters) are also popular here, and are worth trying if you are a porkaholic. Remember that you will get at least one side dish with most orders, so don’t overdo it on the main order.
Underrated but sooo delicious are Mung Bean Pancakes or Bindaetokk, which are fried in hot oil and are a greasy, filling portion of heaven.
The longest line at the market can be found at the stall selling Korean donuts, and justifiably so. The line moves fast as the staff roll, fry and serve them quickly. The twisted donuts, or kwabegi, are dipped in cinnamon sugar, and are absolutely worth the wait. The round donuts are filled with either sweet red bean, yellow bean or custard, and are also divine, with a mochi like consistency.
The stall holders are usually extremely friendly and used to clueless tourists, so some of the signs are in English, and pointing and smiling works fine. Remember to bring cash and an extremely empty stomach.
Address: 88 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu
Get there by: Subway Jongno 5 Station, Exit 8 or 9
Want to discover authentic food with a local guide? I can highly recommend Klook tours:
Comentarios