One thing we like to do when visiting a foreign city is to explore grocery stores and traditional markets. It gives us a chance to glimpse into the lives of people going about their day-to-day activities.
In Seoul, the most famous market, or sijang (시장), is Gwangjang Market. It has always been well-known, but has been made even more popular because of the “Netflix Lady” kalguksu store.
We usually order bindaetteok or bibimbap there, washed down with a bottle of fizzy makgeolli. While it attracts both residents and tourists, you’re more likely to see more foreigners than Koreans.
The other place that we recently visited is Mangwon Market, renowned for its wide selection of reasonably-priced street food. Because of its international fame, it also tends to be populated with overseas visitors.
In an attempt to experience the atmosphere of a truly local sijang, we decided to head further east to Yongdu-dong. Where the Gyeongdong Market (경동시장) is located (Naver Maps, Google Maps) , deep within the neighbourhood of Dongdaemun-gu.
Once you exit Jegidong station (Line 1) and start navigating your way to the market, if feels like you’ve left the modern metropolis of Seoul far behind.
Instead of airconditioned malls, clothes are sold out in the open by roadside vendors. Which made me wonder how pants, for example, were tested for fit. And before you ask, no, we didn’t see any ajusshis in their underwear.
Gyeongdong is one of South Korea’s largest herbal medicine and ginseng wholesale markets, and it’s evident by the sheer number of shops selling all sorts of dried products.
Some were familiar given their likeness to ingredients used in traditional Chinese medicine, but many of the items displayed were totally alien to us.
Especially the numerous stacks of what essentially were dried logs and tree bark, including some that looked dangerously spiky. We had no idea how they would be used, but it was probably safe to assume that would be used to brew some sort of health tonic.
For a market that’s been around since 1960, the main façade looked surprisingly clean, white and modern. Many cars and trucks were zipping in and out, so we walked further down and found the more pedestrian-friendly entrance number 4.
It was quite late in the afternoon when we go there, which would explain the sparse crowd walking down the wide aisles. They were all sporting similar attire, and had backpacks or trolleys to lug their purchases home.
I imagine that it would have been bustling with even more halmonis, harabojis, ajummas and ajusshis just a few hours earlier.
We were probably the youngest people there. That is, if you exclude the fit delivery men in their uniforms pali pali’ing around.
Despite the relatively late hour, there was still an abundant amount of fresh produce for sale. Including big basins of pre-prepared vegetables, ready to be made into different banchans.
Mounds of different varieties of potatoes, boxes of even more varieties of red and green chillies and some of the largest aloe vera leaves that I’ve ever seen in my life.
There were also many stalls selling other local necessities like dried fish, which were beautifully bound in bright yellow strong. As well as charcoal briquettes with their geometrically-pleasing cross sections.
On both aisles of a covered street in the indoor complex were countless shops advertising their ginseng. There many different varieties and grades, all sold at widely varying price points.
We were tempted to buy some home to add into our herbal soups, but we had no idea how to tell which were considered good. Also, the minimum purchase order would probably have lasted us several months.
Ginseng is a prized ingredient in Chinese cuisine, and its mere presence makes any dish instantly appear luxurious. The wow factor is particularly effective when it comes to the elderly.
In a future trip, after doing some research, maybe we would attempt to procure some reasonably-priced ones home to impress The Old Folks. I’m guessing that they’d probably assume that it was really expensive.
What we did end up buying though, was kkaennip, and lots of it.
The bright green bunches of perilla leaves that were on display looked so fresh and so enticing that The Wife couldn’t help herself. Ever since we tried raw kkaennip for the first time in a salad at Hanilkwan, she’s been quite enamoured.
At only ₩1,000 per stack, she ended up choosing five bunches or almost 100 leaves, weighing a total of around 100 grams. It was a bargain, given that they would have easily cost 5x more back home and wouldn’t be as fresh.
Compared to Gwangjang and Mangwon, the market at Gyeongdong was definitely a more local sijang experience. It’s not your typical tourist attraction, but it does offer a peek into the daily lives of elderly Koreans.
Seoul Spring 2023
Trip planning: Hansik, sijang and hanok (Seoul Spring 2023)
Our flights are booked, hotel rooms are reserved and all that’s left is to count down to the day that we finally take to the skies again.
Up in the air again with Singapore Airlines in Business class
For our very first post-pandemic flight, we redeemed 208,000 KrisFlyer miles for a pair of Business class return tickets to Seoul.
Ryse Hotel is right in the heart of bustling Hongdae
During our previous trips to Seoul, we stayed in Myeongdong, Dongdaemun and City Hall. This time, I decided to try a new neighbourhood in the Western part of Seoul.
Comforting pork soup at Donsubaek for our first meal in Seoul
After a six plus hour flight and faced with an unexpected drop in temperature, a piping hot bowl of pork soup really hit the spot.
Masan Seafood and their ugly delicious agujjim
Monkfish may possibly be the ugliest fish in the world, but it also happens to be one of the most delicious.
A relaxing afternoon interlude at Tteuran Teahouse in Ikseondong
As you step through the heavy wooden doors, you can’t help but feel a sense of serenity sweep over your entire body.
For jeongmal delizioso Korean fusion food, head to Banjoo Iksun
Beautifully browned potato dumplings and generous chunks of smoky bacon floated on a pool of vibrantly green perilla leaf cream.
Traditional Korean rice cakes and pour over coffee for breakfast
Rice is a staple in many Asian countries. Besides being the main source of carbohydrates, it’s also used to make different types of sweets.
Lotus Lantern Festival at Gwanghwamun Square
The lantern displays were just one component of the week-long festival leading up to the Buddha’s birthday celebration, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Baek Nyeon Baekse just took the top spot in our samgyetang shortlist
Samgyetang, or ginseng chicken soup, is easily one of our favourite Korean dishes. It’s great on cold, rainy days and even better when we’re feeling under the weather.
When Korean executives need a quick meal, Hanilkwan is where they go
Bibimbap is a dish that requires audience participation, and it’s always fun to mix all the ingredients into a beautiful mess.
Strawberry tea and desserts at bright and breezy Mil Toast
The Wife went with a hot Strawberry Tea, not knowing exactly what to expect but confident that it was a good choice. South Korea was, after all, famous for their high quality strawberries.
Watching the Lotus Lantern Parade from our seats at Jongno 3-ga
You know that an event is a huge deal when a 3km stretch of road, right in the heart of a major city, is shut down for several hours on a busy Saturday night.
Bus ride to Mangwon Market for our Korean street food fix
Dessert was in the form of spicy eomuk skewers, from the very first stall we saw when entering the market. Just look at that fiery and luscious sauce!
The hanjeongsik at Hangaram was easily our best meal in Seoul
Despite being mentally prepared for the large number of incoming items, when the food started arriving, we were hopelessly overwhelmed by the non-stop cascade of dishes.
Mall hopping at The Hyundai Seoul and Starfield Coex
Given a choice between hiking up a mountain or wandering around an airconditioned mall, I choose the latter. Any time of the day, any day of the week, any week of the year.
Jeon and makgeolli at John Makgeolliano in Yeonnamdong
One mission of our recent vacation in Seoul was to drink as much makgeolli as possible. And since jeon is the perfect accompaniment to makgeolli, we found an interesting place to have both.
Wandering the jinjja yeppeuda alleys of Ikseondong Hanok Village
Of all the neighbourhoods we’ve been to in Seoul, Ikseondong is the prettiest by far. Here are five memorable places that we visited.
There’s a reason why Myeongdong Kyoja is so popular
After mixing everything into a beautiful mess and taking in a big mouthful, the first thing that hit me was a pleasant nuttiness, followed by deep umami. The noodles were firm and chewy, releasing flavour with every bite.
From now on, Novotel Dongdaemun is where we’ll stay in Seoul
Five months before check-in, I booked a 53sqm Residence Deluxe Room on a fully flexible rate. Our four night stay in May had an average daily rate of ₩256,000.
The Wife walked into Pleats Mama and almost didn’t make it out
I could tell that she was very pleased with her purchases, and I was pleased that she was pleased.
The complete Hanwoo K-BBQ experience at Majang Meat Market
Our 422g platter with four different cuts of Grade 1++(9) Korean beef cost ₩71,000 at the butcher’s shop. The total bill after adding the table charge, drinks and transport came up to only ₩89,800.
Buying African beans from Blue Bottle Coffee in Samcheongdong
A wide selection was on display, together with their origins, tasting notes and prices. They were sold in unusually large 300gm bags, with blends going for ₩25,000 and single-origins for ₩35,000.
Our very first taste of ganjang gejang, courtesy of Keun Giwajip
I found out the hard way that ganjang gejang is an acquired taste. One that, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to acquire.
The tragic fate of the jjukkumi at Najeongsun Halmae
Somewhere in the Yongdu-dong neighbourhood, within the Dongdaemun-gu district, a brass octopus stands at attention, solemnly saluting all who walk past.
Jeolla-do grilled eel two ways at Songgang Freshwater Eel
In South Korea, jang-eo (장어) is considered a health food that boosts energy, and is especially popular during the hot summer months.
Shopping for souvenirs at Emart Cheonggyecheon
Grocery shopping is probably not on the minds of most tourists. But coming from a non-agricultural country like Singapore, the opportunity to bring home fresh, tasty and cheap produce was simply too good to miss.
Last minute dash for Goraesa Eomuk just before boarding our flight
The Wife had a look in her eyes that hinted that she was thinking about buying one of everything. But she managed to restrain her impulses and only picked out three pieces.
Our 10 day Seoul itinerary and how much we spent
We spent a total of ₩5,450,000 for our entire trip. Here’s the cost breakdown by flight, hotel, food & drink, shopping, transport and other travel-related expenses.
And just like that, The Wife turned into a kkaennip addict
I can still remember the precise moment that it happened. We were having dinner at Hanilkwan and one of our banchan was a simple salad of shredded cabbage and kkaennip, tossed in a light vinaigrette.
StarHub Giga data roaming works like a charm
We used gigaRoam in Seoul and had no issues with mobile data access throughout our entire trip. It was easy to buy, seamless to activate and convenient to extend, making it the default choice for our future travels.
Lotte Mart Seoul Station is a Korean snack food paradise
Our extensive haul only lasted us a few weeks. We could have stretched it out a bit longer, but when faced with a convenient stockpile of addictive Korean snacks, the first thing that goes out the window is self-control.
