As a foodie visiting Seoul for the first time, I knew I needed to carve out time to visit Namdaemun Market. This bustling marketplace dates back to the Joseon Dynasty when King Taesong built shops around Namdaemun Gate. Today, it’s the largest market of its kind in South Korea.
Since its “official” opening in 1964, Namdaemun Market has blossomed into over 10,000 shops. Shops and vendors now line the streets, alleyways, and buildings around the ancient gate.
With all its bustle, it was a bit overwhelming to explore Namdaemun Market. But not long after entering, I was able to get my bearings and beeline past all the souvenirs and household goods to find the real reason I wanted to visit: its food.
Ready to experience this eclectic Seoul hotspot? Start planning your trip to Namdaemun Market with this guide, including my recommendations for what to do and what to eat…
Looking for more ideas for your trip? Check out our Seoul Travel Guide for recommendations on when to visit, where to go & what to do!
What to do & what to eat
With its immense size, exploring Namdaemun Market isn’t always easy. Even when you know what you’re shopping for, the sheer amount of choice can be overwhelming. (Actually, overwhelming might be an understatement.)
So, what types of things will travellers find while shopping at Namdaemun Market? In short: Everything.
Shopping for souvenirs, household goods, sporting equipment, herbs, fashion accessories, or kids’ toys? You’ll see it all at Namdaemun Market.
Several times over.
With vendors vying for your won in every direction, Namdaemun Market is one of the best places I found in Seoul to secure a bargain.
Sharpen your haggling skills as you move from store to store. Among the stalls and shops, I spotted everything from traditional Chinese medicine to hiking shoes.
And I can’t forget to mention the big reason why Namdaemun Market quickly became one of my favorite places to visit in Seoul: its food.
Out of all the places in stopped to try street food in Seoul, Namdaemun Market was one of my favs. The market is chock-loaded with some of the tastiest Korean food I tried while travelling/living in South Korea!
Watch out for these favourite Namdaemun Market foods:
Mandu
Mandu are Korea’s answer to Chinese xiaolongbao. These silky smooth dumplings are one of my own favorite street snacks on the planet, not just in Seoul or South Korea.
The popular Gamekol Son Wangmandu is a great choice for mandu in Namdaemun Market. It’s located a few doors down from Gate 5.
Try their kimchi mandu for a unique Korean spin on Asian dumplings!
Kalguksu
Of all the specialty foods in Namdaemun Market, none is more famous than kalgusku. This Korean soup is based on a hearty seafood broth and topped with hand-cut wheat noodles. It’s one of the yummiest street foods I tried while visiting Seoul!
There’s an entire street within the market dedicated to the soup: Kalguksu Alley. The alley sits just inside Gate 5.
Eomuk
Found in food stalls all over Korean, these fishcakes are a staple at Namdaemun Market. The most popular variety here is served on skewers with a savoury mixture of soy and chilli.
I’m not normally a huge fan of fishy dishes, but these were quite memorable.
Hotteok
These delicious pancakes are one of Seoul’s favourite street foods. They come stuffed with a variety of ingredients ranging from sweet to savoury.
The food cart near Namdaemun’s Gate 2 is a fantastic place to grab hotteok. I loved their speciality: a savoury hotteok filled with japchae (glass noodles seasoned with sesame oil and soy sauce) and vegetables like carrots and spinach. The pancake is then pan-fried to perfection.
Tteokbokki
These silky rice cakes are one of the most popular street foods in Korea. Their texture is similar to gnocchi.
Tteokbokki is pan-fried with a spicy gochujang-based sauce that’s both a tad spicy and sweet.
Admiring the silky smooth texture is easily my favourite part of the tteokbokki experience. The sauces can be quite different, depending on the stall.
I’d recommend trying a few different takes on tteokbokki before deciding if it’s a love-it or leave-it Korean street food. (I personally prefer mine with a bit more spiciness than tanginess.)
Korean chicken
I can’t visit a Korean market without beelining for the closest Korean chicken stall. If you haven’t tasted traditional Korean chicken, let’s just say you’re missing out on one of the world’s most delicious street foods!
Okay, it might not sound THAT exciting, but hear me out.
Unlike in many other Korean dishes, the flavours in Korean chicken are more easily tolerated by Western palates, while still being unique. The secret in these crispy, juicy chicken chunks is the spicy and tangy marinade, dripping with gochujang (fermented hot pepper paste).
If you want to try Korean chicken while wandering about Namdaemun Market, I’d recommend BBQ Express. The portions are massive—and their chicken? Well, it’s nothing short of a revelation.
Getting there
The easiest way to get to Namdaemun Market by public transportation in Seoul is via the Seoul subway. Scoot over to Hoehyeon Station on Subway Line 4, using Exit 5 to get out to street level.
The exit spits you out in front of one of the market’s main gates. It’s a short walk from here to many of its top food stalls and restaurants, including Kalguksu Alley.
