Gwangjang Market: What to Eat, Opening Hours and Tips (2026)

Last updated: October 2026 · Written by the Seoul Travel Tips team, based in Seoul

Gwangjang Market is Seoul’s most famous food market and one of the oldest markets in Korea. Opened in 1905 as the country’s first permanent market, it started as a textile and clothing hub — and still is, upstairs. But most visitors come for the food alley: long rows of stalls frying mung bean pancakes, rolling mini gimbap and serving raw beef, with customers squeezed onto benches right in front of the cooks. Here’s what to order, when to go, and how to make the most of it.

Quick Facts

Food alley hours	9:00–23:00, open year-round
Main market (shops)	9:00–18:00, closed Sundays
Vintage clothing area	10:00–19:00, closed Sundays
Subway	Jongno 5-ga Station, Line 1, Exit 8 (about 60 m)
Time needed	1–2 hours
Budget	About ₩5,000–15,000 per dish

Individual stalls keep their own hours, so not every vendor is open until 23:00.

What to Eat

Dish	What it is	Good to know
Bindaetteok 빈대떡	Thick mung bean pancake, crispy outside and soft inside	The market’s signature. Watch the stones grinding beans at the bigger stalls
Mayak gimbap 마약김밥	Finger-sized seaweed rice rolls with mustard dipping sauce	“Mayak” means drug — a joke about how addictive it is
Yukhoe 육회	Seasoned raw beef with Korean pear and egg yolk	Gwangjang’s “yukhoe alley” is famous for it. Skip if you avoid raw meat
Jeon 전	Assorted pan-fried savory bites — fish, vegetables, meat	Great for sharing; often sold by weight or plate
Tteokbokki 떡볶이	Rice cakes in sweet-spicy red sauce	Ask for less spicy if needed
Sundae 순대	Korean blood sausage with glass noodles	Try it if you’re feeling adventurous
Kalguksu and mandu	Hand-cut noodle soup and dumplings	A filling option on cold days

Drink pairing: Koreans traditionally eat bindaetteok with makgeolli (rice wine), which most stalls sell.

How to Order Like a Local

1. Walk the whole food alley first. Stalls near the entrances are busiest; quieter ones further in serve the same dishes.
2. Point and sit. Most stalls display food in front. Point to what you want, take a seat on the bench, and the vendor serves you.
3. Order small. Share a few plates at different stalls instead of a big meal at one.
4. Check the price on the sign before ordering, especially for dishes priced by portion.
5. Pay as the vendor asks — some when served, some when you finish. Many stalls take cards, but carry some cash for smaller vendors.
6. Don’t linger after eating when people are waiting — seats are limited.

Beyond the Food Alley

Upstairs and in the side buildings, Gwangjang is still a working textile market. The second floor has rows of shops selling fabric, silk, bedding and hanbok (some will make one to order), and the vintage clothing area draws young Seoulites hunting for secondhand jackets and denim. Visit before 18:00 on a weekday or Saturday to see this side open.

Best Time to Visit

• Late morning (10:30–11:30) — the quietest time to get a seat and browse the shops too.
• Lunch and Saturday afternoon — busiest, with queues at famous stalls.
• Evening — the food alley keeps going after the shops close and has a lively, after-work atmosphere.
• Sunday — the food alley is open, but most textile and clothing shops are closed.

Combine It With Nearby Sights

Route	Why
Gwangjang → Cheonggyecheon Stream → Dongdaemun & DDP	Traditional market to modern architecture, all on foot
Gwangjang → Jongmyo Shrine → Changdeokgung	Food first, then royal history
Gwangjang → Ikseon-dong	Hanok cafes and dessert, 10 minutes west

Getting There

Jongno 5-ga Station (Line 1), Exit 8 brings you out about 60 meters from the market. Euljiro 4-ga Station (Lines 2 and 5) is another option from the south side. From Dongdaemun, it’s one stop on Line 1 or a 15-minute walk. → Seoul Subway Route Finder

Practical Tips

• Go hungry, order small and graze across several stalls.
• Cash backup: find a global ATM nearby with our Global ATM Finder.
• Menus in Korean only? Read them from a photo with our Korean Image Search.
• Keep belongings close in the crowded aisles.
• Ask before photographing vendors up close.

FAQ

Is Gwangjang Market open on Sunday? The food alley is. Most textile and clothing shops are closed.

Is Gwangjang Market expensive? Prices have risen with its popularity, but a filling meal of two or three dishes still costs about ₩15,000–25,000 per person.

Gwangjang or Myeongdong for street food? Gwangjang for traditional Korean market dishes and a sit-down experience; Myeongdong for grab-and-go snacks in a shopping street. → Myeongdong guide

Related Guides

→ Korean food guide · Jongno guide · Seoul travel budget

Stall hours and prices change. We check this page regularly, but please confirm specific opening times before visiting.

A Local’s Note

I think Gwangjang Market is a place where you can enjoy almost every kind of Korean food. Korea has a huge number of traditional markets, but Gwangjang Market is one that’s especially known for its food.

Personally, rather than filling up on lots of food at one spot, I suggest trying a little bit here and there at different stalls. That’s a great way to experience a variety of dishes.

Here’s one tip: inside Gwangjang Market, there’s a yukhoe alley. Yukhoe is one of Korea’s signature traditional beef dishes, made by thinly slicing fresh raw beef and mixing it with seasoning. It might not suit every foreigner’s taste, but I think once you try it, you’ll probably like it. Not long ago, I was watching a TV show and saw a foreign martial arts fighter try yukhoe at a restaurant and say it was really delicious. I recommend giving it a try.

Personally, I also think it’s a nice course to have dinner at Gwangjang Market and then enjoy the night views of Cheonggyecheon and Dongdaemun.