Gwangjang Market (광장시장) is a well-known Korean avenue meals market situated pretty near the Dongdaemun Design Plaza. This conventional meals market gives a wide range of conventional Korean avenue meals from Mungbean pancakes, mandu (Korean dumplings), and extra. If you wish to get conventional Korean meals in South Korea, that is the place to do it. If you’re new to Korea or simply touring it’s important to add Gwangjang market to your locations to go to at the least as soon as in your lifetime.
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Gwangjang Market | What to eat in Seoul’s Conventional Market
This market is Seoul’s oldest conventional market to get conventional clothes, conventional avenue meals, and extra. Gwangjang Night time Market is when a lot of the motion occurs, however there are some staff that are available in to eat meals throughout the lunch rush. Gwangjang Market is also called Gwangjang sijang and Kwang jang Market. Kwangjang is the outdated spelling and sijang simply means market in Korean.
Why is Gwangjang Market In style?
Gwangjang market is a well-liked Seoul meals market as a result of it’s the oldest market in Seoul. It isn’t solely identified for its Gwangjang market avenue meals, however it’s also possible to get lots of nice clothes gadgets on this space. It’s thought-about to be one among Korea’s largest markets and is situated within the coronary heart of Seoul. Right here you could find a wide range of issues from silk, custom-made hanboks, classic clothes, and conventional Korean avenue meals. If you’re trying extra for garments, then I extremely recommend visiting Dongdaemun market.
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What to eat at Gwangjang Market | In style Korean Avenue Meals in Gwangjang market
There are such a lot of nice meals stalls at Gwangjang Market and it has at all times been common amongst vacationers visiting South Korea. Nonetheless, it has lately change into much more common because of the well-known Gwangjang Netflix sequence on Korean Avenue Meals. If you’re planning to go to Gwangjang Market, then these are the Korean avenue meals you have to strive there. I’ve listed Gwangjang market well-known meals choices beneath.
In contrast to the meals market Myeongdong, the meals at Gwangjang market is extra conventional compared. Listed here are a number of the hottest issues to eat at Gwangjang market.
Undecided what to eat or really feel intimidated? Ebook this Gwangjang Market meals tour!
Bindaetteok – Mungbean Pancakes – finest meals at gwangjang market
Gwangjang market Meals is understood for these well-known and common mung bean pancakes and all for good cause as effectively. You’ll go right here and have one and I’m positive you’ll crave one other and need to return. This Gwangjang market pancake jogs my memory of potato pancakes and are heat and just a little crispy on the skin. It’s completely scrumptious and a should eat at Gwangjang market.
Kimbap or Gimbap
This common Korean dish is finest described as a Korean model of sushi. Nonetheless, as a substitute of uncooked fish, this dish is often filled with greens and meat together with carrots, cucumbers, pickled radishes, and meats like bulgogi (marinated beef), tuna, and extra. You will get a wide range of various kinds of kimbap, though the smaller or mini ones referred to as Mayak kimbap additionally spelled Mayak gimbap are thought-about to be extra favorable on this market.
Kalguksu
This Gwangjang market kalguksu conventional Korean soup is stuffed with knife-cut Korean-style noodles. This soup is nice for maintaining you heat throughout the chilly winter months and full of consolation and taste. There are various kinds of Kalguksu you may get from seafood to beef.
This soup is gentle in taste which means it isn’t spicy nevertheless like most Korean dishes is commonly served with a facet of kimchi. Should you plan to go go to the Gwangjang Market Netflix woman, that is one among her hottest dishes and probably the most common knife-cut noodles att Gwangjang market – she is called the Netflix kalguksu woman.
Mandu
There are two typical forms of mandu or dumplings which might be typical in Korea. There’s the standard taste stuffed with minced meat and veggies and the kimchi mandu which is stuffed with imply and kimchi. Kimchi mandu is just frequent in Korea and it’s one among my favorites to eat in Korea. They’re so scrumptious and you may’t depart this market with out consuming them.
Most Koreans eat it steamed or in a soup, nevertheless, there are locations that pan-fry them. I often like them panfried, nevertheless, it actually relies on how they’re made and what they’re filled with. The lady from the Netflix stand has each the standard and kimchi mandu and let me inform you, that kimchi mandu is one thing I need to return for.
떡볶이 – Tteokbokki
It is a common Korean avenue meals at Gwangjang market that’s fabricated from cylinder-shaped rice muffins and lined in a candy and spicy sauce. You’ll be able to see such a avenue meals throughout South Korea and it’s probably the most common avenue meals to get pleasure from. Should you haven’t had it or discovered different distributors in different places, be sure you have some right here.
육회 – Yuk-hoe or Steak Tartare
This market may be very common for the steak tartare. They often prime it off with a uncooked yellow yolk that you just combine in with the steak tartare. Though I didn’t get an opportunity to strive it right here as a result of I used to be so full off of all the pieces else, it seemed completely scrumptious and I plan to return and have some. I actually get pleasure from beef tartare in South Korea as a result of it’s so flavorful and flippantly seasoned.
Soondae
Finest referred to as blood sausages. This dish is for the adventurous as a result of it’s a bit chewy in texture and blood sausages are often stuffed pig intestines. They’re fairly scrumptious however could be considerably bland as effectively. I believe the feel is what most individuals dislike about it.
Sannakji
Though you may get stay octopus right here, I might recommend you wait and get it at one of many fish markets in Seoul or Jagalchi market in Busan. Should you don’t have an opportunity to go to these locations, then you can strive it right here. It’s one among my favourite dishes to eat in South Korea. It’s a freshly reduce octopus lined in sesame oil, sesame seeds and just a little little bit of salt. The octopus remains to be transferring on the plate and chances are you’ll want to make use of your chopsticks to pry the transferring tentacles, however actually, don’t let that scare you away.
Soy Marinated Crab
Soy Marinated Crab at Gwangjang Market in Seoul is a must-try delicacy. This dish options crab marinated in a mix of soy sauce, garlic, and a touch of sweetness. The meat is tender, and the roe gives a wealthy, oceanic taste. It’s a hands-on consuming expertise that captures the essence of Korean avenue meals.
Different choices you’ll be able to eat at Gwangjang Market
- 비빔밥 – Bimbimbap – A spicy rice dish with veggies and meat
- 물냉면 – Mul-naengmyeon – Chilly noodle soup
- 족발 – Jokbal – Pigs ft
- 닭발 – Dalkbal – Hen ft
Desserts at Gwangjang Market
Hotteok
This common avenue meals in Korea and often served throughout the winter months. I solely discovered a couple of stalls on the Gwangjang market that had them, however in the event you discover them it’s completely value testing. It’s my favourite dessert avenue meals choice in South Korea. A hotteok is a candy rice flour pancake that’s often filled with brown sugar and generally sunflower seeds and nuts relying on the seller.
꽈배기 – Twisted Korean doughnut
Proper subsequent to the hotteok stand I noticed contained in the Gwangjang market was a stall promoting Gwabaegi which is a well-liked Korean doughnut. It is a highly regarded donut that’s fabricated from rice flour so it’s just a little stickier than common donuts. They’re often scorching and contemporary with a view to be good and lined in sugar and generally cinnamon sugar. If you’re a donut lover like myself, you need to strive one among these donuts.
붕어빵 – Bungeo-ppang
Now, it is a common snack amongst many Asian children. It was my favourite rising up and in the event you aren’t a giant fan of candy pink beans then I don’t recommend you order this. It is a fish-shaped pastry filled with sweetened pink bean paste. This common dish originated in Japan and was introduced over and change into a preferred staple in Korean avenue meals delicacies.
호두과자 – Hodo Kwaja
These pleasant treats are created from a mushy, cake-like batter that’s poured right into a walnut-shaped mildew. Inside, you’ll usually discover a filling of candy pink bean paste, and generally even a piece of walnut for that further crunch. The mildew is then closed and baked till the skin turns a golden brown. The outcome? A heat, fluffy pastry with a gooey, candy heart.
Hodo Kwaja is a well-liked snack not only for vacationers but in addition for locals. It’s like a hug to your style buds—comforting, candy, and oh-so-delicious. Plus, they’re often offered in little paper luggage, making them the proper on-the-go snack as you proceed to discover the wonders of Gwangjang Market.
The place to buy at Gwangjang Market
So all the avenue meals distributors are usually on the primary flooring. If you wish to search for materials, clothes, and extra, they’re totally on the second flooring. There are a couple of distributors on the primary flooring down some alleyways as effectively. I might say that the extra prestigious ones are upstairs with greater high quality, nevertheless, I discover all of them to be fairly nice in design. I extremely recommend taking one among Gwangjang Market’s day excursions in Seoul to get extra out of it.
The right way to get to Gwangjang Market and Opening Hours
- Gwangjang Market Opening hours: Sometimes 8:30 am – 6 pm day by day however the eating places are often 8:30 am to 11:00 pm, however I recommend you go within the afternoon or night regardless that locations are opening within the morning, most of them are prepping the meals for the day. Some locations are closed on Sunday.
- Deal with: 88 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 서울특별시 종로구 창경궁로 88 (예지동)
- The right way to get there: Take the subway to Jongno-5 station and exit quantity 7. Head straight and you will note the doorway to the market in your right-hand facet.
- Costs: Okayorean avenue meals costs range, on the Netflix stall we paid 10,000 gained (~$9USD) for a bowl of Kalguksu and Mandu. We shared the dish and it was fairly filling for two folks. The Bindaetteok was about 2 for 3,000 gained (~$2.50). So actually, it relies on the place you go and what you get. Most locations are 1,500 gained and up.
- Web site: www.kwangjangmarket.co.kr
Issues to do close to Gwangjang Market
There are lots of issues to do close to Gwangjang Market. Moreover consuming foot at Gwangjang market, right here are some things I recommend you do whereas right here.
Buy a Hanbok
The Hanbok is a conventional Korean gown characterised by its vibrant colours and easy strains. The ladies’s model often consists of a jeogori (shirt) and a chima (skirt), whereas the boys’s model has a jeogori and baji (pants). It’s an emblem of Korean tradition and heritage, usually worn on particular events and holidays.
Now, why must you purchase it at Gwangjang Market? Nicely, my good friend, this market is sort of a treasure trove for genuine, high-quality Hanboks. In contrast to the mass-produced variations you may discover elsewhere, the Hanboks right here are sometimes handmade, stitched collectively by artisans who’ve honed their craft over many years. You’ll be able to really feel the love and custom in each thread. Plus, the variability is astounding—whether or not you need one thing conventional or a contemporary twist, you’ll discover it right here. And let’s not neglect, the costs are sometimes rather more cheap in comparison with specialty boutiques.
Purchase Conventional Souviners
Gwangjang Market is sort of a treasure chest relating to conventional Korean souvenirs. Let’s go on just a little digital buying spree, we could?
- Korean Pottery: Whether or not it’s a celadon vase or a cute kimchi pot, Korean pottery is famend for its craftsmanship. These make for elegant items or residence decor.
- Korean Followers: Hand-painted with intricate designs, these followers will not be simply purposeful but in addition extremely stunning. They’re straightforward to pack and make for a captivating reward.
- Conventional Masks: Often called “Hahoe,” these masks are sometimes utilized in conventional Korean performs and dances. They make for distinctive wall decorations and are an awesome dialog starter.
- Korean Tea Units: Should you’re a tea lover, you’ll adore the standard Korean tea units. They usually include a teapot, cups, and a serving tray, all exquisitely designed.
- Korean Snacks: From dried seaweed to honey-filled “Yakgwa” cookies, Korean snacks are a tasty memento that gained’t final lengthy however might be remembered!
- Calligraphy Units: Should you’re into artwork or writing, a conventional Korean calligraphy set could possibly be a significant souvenir. It often contains brushes, ink, and paper—all you have to strive your hand at this historical artwork type.
- Jewellery: You will discover stunning items fabricated from jade, a stone that holds particular significance in Korean tradition. It’s mentioned to deliver good luck and prosperity.
- Silk Scarves: These are sometimes hand-painted and have conventional Korean patterns. They’re light-weight, making them straightforward to pack, they usually add a contact of class to any outfit.
- Korean Ginseng: Recognized for its well being advantages, Korean ginseng is a well-liked reward. You will discover it in varied varieties, from roots to extracts and teas.
Gwangjang Market FAQs
Is Gwangjang market indoors?
It isn’t situated indoors, nevertheless, it’s underneath a lined construction. It’s a big open house with roofing which prevents rain and different climate from ruining your probabilities of consuming at this classic market in Seoul.
The place is Gwangjang market situated?
It’s situated in Seoul, South Korea. The handle is 88 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 서울특별시 종로구 창경궁로 88 (예지동).
Does Gwangjang market take card?
Not usually. This Korean meals market in Seoul is just about a cash-heavy space to seize low cost and scrumptious meals. Myeongdong meals market is just about the identical as effectively.
What’s the kimbap Korean spelling?
김밥 is the Korean spelling for Gimbap or Kimbap.
What are the most effective meals in Gwangjang Market?
I’ve listed them above, however to be brief and concise, the highest selections are binddatteok, kimbap particularly mayak kimbap, Kalguksu, mandu, 떡볶이 – Tteokbokki, 육회 – Yuk-hoe or Steak Tartare, Soondae, Sannakji, 비빔밥 – Bimbimbap – A spicy rice dish with veggies and meat, 물냉면 – Mul-naengmyeon – Chilly noodle soup, 족발 – Jokbal – Pigs ft, 닭발 – Dalkbal – Hen ft, Hotteok, 꽈배기 – Twisted Korean doughnut, and 붕어빵 – Bungeo-ppang.
What are some halal meals at Gwangjang market?
Whereas I can’t assure any of the meat is halal, listed below are some halal choices you’ll be able to contemplate: Gohyang Kalguksu, hotteok, 꽈배기 – Twisted Korean doughnut, 붕어빵 – Bungeo-ppang, 떡볶이 – Tteokbokki, some mayak kimbap, and 물냉면 – Mul-naengmyeon – Chilly noodle soup.
The right way to go to Gwangjang market by subway
Take the subway to Jongno-5 station and exit quantity 7. Head straight and you will note the doorway to the market in your right-hand facet.
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