Gwangjang Market

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A covered market over a century old, where mung bean pancakes are fried on a hot griddle right in front of you.

Gwangjang opened in 1905 as Korea's first permanent market, and its best part is the row of food stalls down the middle. You sit on a plastic stool shoulder to shoulder with strangers while the woman in front of you grinds mung beans in a stone mill and ladles the batter onto the griddle — bindaetteok comes off crisp, eaten with pickled onion. Beside it are mayak gimbap, finger-sized rice rolls dipped in mustard, and fermented skate pungent enough to make your eyes water. The floor above sells fabric and second-hand hanbok and sees almost no tourists. The market is both a place to eat and a slice of Seoul that was never tidied up.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Gwangjang Market?

Year-round

How long do you need at Gwangjang Market?

1.5 hours

What are the opening hours of Gwangjang Market?

The food alley runs 09:00–23:00 every day of the year; the fabric and general stalls run 09:00–18:00 and close on Sundays

Did you know

Opened in 1905 as Korea's first permanent market.
Best known for bindaetteok, mayak gimbap and fermented skate.
The second floor is a fabric and used-hanbok market, mostly for locals.
It sits on the Cheonggyecheon stream, walkable from Jongno 5-ga station.

Travel tips

Go before 11:30 or after 2pm to avoid queuing for a seat.
Bring cash — many stalls still don't take cards.
Some stalls add a seating charge; ask prices before ordering more drinks.

Source: https://access.visitkorea.or.kr/ms/detail.do?cotId=132e94c0-0008-4147-89eb-3ffb1590713d

Updated: 2026-08-04