What and Where to Eat at Seoul's Gwangjang Market

Dating back to 1905, Gwangjang Market is one of the oldest and largest markets in Seoul, South Korea. The maze-like market is home to over 5,000 shops selling everything from clothes to handicrafts to some of the best street food in Korea. It is estimated that 65,000 locals and tourists alike visit the market each day, with many coming here solely to get their Korean street food fix. 

Gwangjang Market shot to international fame after being featured on Netflix's hit show Street Food: Asia in 2019. You can still expect lengthy queues for the food stalls that were featured on the show, including Cho Yonsoon’s hand-cut noodle stall and Soonheene's mung bean pancake stall.

While you should definitely visit Gwangjang Market's "Netflix famous" stalls, you'll also find plenty of underrated gems scattered around the market. 

If you don't know where to start, this guide has got you covered with the best Korean street foods to try and recommendations for where to try them, as well as a few handy tips and tricks about visiting Seoul's famous Gwangjang Market.

Bindaetteok (mung bean pancake) is probably the most famous Gwangjang Market food. A dollop of freshly ground mung bean batter is mixed with fresh bean sprouts (and sometimes veggies or meat), deep-fried into thick, crispy pancakes, and served with a side of soy sauce and raw onion. You'll find numerous stalls selling these deep-fried morsels of goodness, but the most popular vendor is Soonheene's Bindaetteok, of Street Food: Asia fame.

Kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) is another must-try food. For the most well-known knife-cut noodle stall, be sure to visit Cho Yonsoon’s Gohyang Kalguksu food stall, which was also featured on the Netflix show. You'll see these freshly-made noodles being chopped up right in front of you before getting ladled with a flavourful broth. You can get it served straight up, but pay just a little bit more, and you'll get delicious dumplings thrown into your noodle soup. The kimchi dumplings here are out of this world. 

Tteokbokki are chewy cylindrical rice cakes cooked in a spicy, yet slightly sweet, chilli sauce. You'll find an almost overwhelming number of women cooking up large vats of tteokbokki. But for a unique rendition, Kangane Tteokbokki has become a fan favourite for their spicy radish version. Do as the locals do and pair it with the deep-fried twigim (Korean tempura). 

 Not to be confused with the ice cream, sundae is an earthy Korean blood sausage stuffed with pork blood and glass noodles and served with a salty mixture for dipping. You'll have loads of vendors to choose from, but pick one that pairs their sundae with saucy tteokbokki and offal.

Kkwabaegi (Korean doughnuts) is another ultra-popular Gwangjang Market food. The most popular stall is called Twisted Donut. There is sure to be a long line, but it's worth the wait to sample the different flavours, like sweet rice, red bean, black rice, and sweet potato. 

These fluffy stuffed pancakes are a very popular Korean street food. For your hotteok fix, Hotteok Jjang serves up funky versions stuffed with ingredients like injeolmi (Korean rice cake), cheese, and Nutella, as well as the classic honey hotteok, which is a must-try.

Gimbap is a ubiquitous Korean street food commonly made of rice, pickled radish, carrot, and greens wrapped in gim (seaweed). It's like a Korean version of sushi. Vendors will roll up their own unique variations, so it's well worth sampling this dish from a few different stalls. From tuna and cheese to kimchi and beef, you never know what you're going to find inside your gimbap.  

Mandu are Korean dumplings. At Gwangjang Market, they're most often stuffed with gogi (meat, usually minced pork) or kimchi (fermented cabbage) and served with a soy and raw onion dipping sauce. For some of the best mandu in the market, try the freshly made meat and kimchi dumplings at Cho Yonsoon’s Gohyang Kalguksu.

Go to "yukhoe alley" and you'll find a narrow lane dedicated to all things yukhoe. Much like steak tartare, yukhoe is a raw beef dish topped with a raw egg. You can take your pick of restaurants that specialise in yukhoe. However, the Bib Gourmand-awarded Buchon Yukhoe restaurant has been serving locals in this alleyway since 1965.

This must-try Korean street food is a flavour-packed delicacy of raw crab marinated in soy sauce. Honglim Banchan food stall shot to fame after being featured on Street Food: Asia. This is the place to go for ganjang gejang, as well as the stall's huge selection of pickled vegetables.

Japchae is a dish of stir-fried glass noodles with veggies and/or meat, all tossed with soy sauce and sesame oil. For some of the most homely japchae in the market, seek out Wonjo Nude Cheese Kimbap. They also have great fish cakes and fish and cheese gimbap.

Located in Jongno District, the market is an easy 3-minute walk from Jongno 5-ga Station (Line 1) or a 5-minute walk from Euljiro 4-ga Station (Lines 2 and 5).

The food stalls on the first floor are open seven days a week. But some vendors will take the day off on Sundays or Mondays. The opening hours for the food stalls and restaurants are generally 8:30am to 11pm, but a lot of stalls don't actually open until 10am or 11am. If you want to peruse the market's shops on the upper levels, they are generally open from 8:30am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday.

To avoid the massive crowds, it's best to visit the market early, from around 9am to 11am. Things do get crowded around lunchtime and in the evenings from around 6pm to 8pm. Weekends are generally when the market is at its most crowded and the lines are at their longest.

While some vendors will accept cards, the majority of vendors do not. So come with cash and be sure to bring small bills to make things easier on the food vendors. 

Most vendors won’t speak much English, if any. But given how tourist-oriented the market is, most menus will have multiple languages, including English.

If you're looking for a modern hotel near Gwangjang Market, Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences has everything you need for a comfortable stay.

When you're not out exploring Seoul, you'll love taking in the city views from the chic rooftop bar and infinity pool, working up a sweat in the fitness centre, and getting a good night's rest in the modern guest rooms.

That's it – everything you need to know about eating your way through Gwangjang Market. Follow these foodie recommendations, tips, and tricks, and you're bound to have a delicious time exploring this unique Seoul attraction.