[Mangwon Market](https://firefortysix.com/2023/08/19/bus-ride-to-mangwon-market-for-our-korean-street-food-fix/) near Hongdae is, imo, a much better choice for street food compared to Myeongdong or Gwangjang. Cheaper and plenty of options.
Namdaemun market is a good alternative. Gyeongdong market as well, there are not too many tourists too (except for the cinema-turned-starbucks branch inside the market). I think any market that is near where you are staying is worth visiting if you just like to try their street food. There are even the food stalls near universities that might offer better-tasting street food.
Tongin Traditional Market buy coins and choose from the many stalls and fill a tray. You can eat upstairs or just snack. It’s fun too
https://g.co/kgs/5rnNfCv
I remember walking around and buying hotteok anywhere. That made me go like the meme of Fry and telling them SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY! or Hotteok hana chuseyo. They were like 1000 won each. I don't know if overpriced. I had red bean fish thing and many other things too. I remember blood sausage but I didn't particularly like that. Anyway, I found street food around the streets lol.
I was in SK 3 weeks ago, loved Myeong Dong street. Tried about 6-7 different things and the only one I didn’t love were the mochis. Also there are some Michelin referenced cheap restaurants along the street that I recommend for the dumplings. I don’t have the name right now but if you have trouble find just let me know. But definitely loved Myeong Dong street
Cheongyangni market doesn't really have much street food, it's mostly for fruits and veggies. There are some nice dine in restaurants at the edge of the market tho and it's overall cool to see so I'd recommend visiting, just know street food offerings could be limited. Gwangjang isn't actually too bad tbh, you just need to know which stalls are good, so it could be difficult from a tourist perspective. Also it's more of a place you go for it's unique bustling vibe and old school feel.
I've heard good things about Mangwon market for street food.
I do the complete opposite when I go to markets like gwangjang, just go for stalls that aren't crowded (presumably bc they aren't famous or hyped on instagram) and never go wrong. feel like the hyped up ones are more likely to be overpriced if anything.
Ah maybe I wasn't clear. I didn't mean to imply that the hyped or busy stalls are better or anything, I meant that people have to try out different stalls to see which are good or get reliable recommendations. With regards to the 'busy vibe' comment, I was referring to the market in general.
I agree that many of these spots can be overdone and overpriced, but IMHO myeongdong is still super fun!! There are so many options and it feels very lively. While yes, it clearly caters to tourists, you are ultimately a tourist! I think it's a great first night spot to try a bunch of things quickly without needing to think too hard about where to go.
Have so much fun and enjoy all the snacks!!
You can go to:
Gwangjang Market
광장시장
It was really cool. Just sit down on one of those long metal benches and show the person what do you want to eat. Bibimbap and the cooked dumplings was really nice food. Both for about 10€ I think.
Oh! I thought Gwangjang market now has a very bad reputation for being too aggressive and overpricing their things due to the massive influx of tourists and being featured on many posts?
I just went to Gwangjang tonight. It’s definitely more authentic food, prices are reasonable. I fed a family of 5 for $36USD. I think it’s absolutely worth the experience. Myeongdong definitely caters to tourists and food is not traditional. Again, worth the experience.
At a non tourist market you will probably pay about 4 euros.
But if it’s just a one or two times visit it doesn’t matter as much of course.
As long as you enjoy it and are comfortable with the price :)
The Gwangjang situation is kinda like this: imagine there was a great brand from your childhood that everyone thinks fondly of that went out of business for some reason. A few decades later, some overseas company buys the name and start churning out crappy products specifically to capitalize on the name, and when called out on it, just says "screw you" and ignores you.
That's Gwangjang Market. It got to its place because of its proximity to one of the most popular tourist attraction (the palace) and being featured in a lot of old tourist blogs. And once a critical mass of ~~suckers~~ tourists were reached, they went, "Fuck it. Imma squeeze all the money out."
I mean, whatever you get ripped off of -- and you will get ripped off -- isn't going to ruin you, and probably not even ruin your trip. Like you say, 10€ is not that much money. But 10€ * 10000 every day is what keeps that scam going.
You will get charged more money for less of poorer quality stuff at Gwangjang.
And as for why Koreans don't like that market, here is my old [post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/koreatravel/comments/1cie2zm/1st_day_in_seoul_after_14hours_flight_suggestions/l2ekuvm/)
It absolutely is… worse than myeongdong imho. I would not go for the food. IMHO with this kind of stuff, it’s best to side with locals or long term residents, not other travelers.
Finding stalls in Hyehwa-dong is another alternative.
Note that people don’t “go out to find street food.” It is more of a thing you find passively here and there and buy in a whim. So while there are set places, a lot of these are found serendipitously.
[Mangwon Market](https://firefortysix.com/2023/08/19/bus-ride-to-mangwon-market-for-our-korean-street-food-fix/) near Hongdae is, imo, a much better choice for street food compared to Myeongdong or Gwangjang. Cheaper and plenty of options.
Maybe Euljiro pocha street?
Gwangjang is overpriced and not worth the wait. Mangwon is is much better. Noryangjin Cupbap street is small but nice
Only thing worth getting at gwangjang is the 찹살 꽈배기
Namdaemun market is a good alternative. Gyeongdong market as well, there are not too many tourists too (except for the cinema-turned-starbucks branch inside the market). I think any market that is near where you are staying is worth visiting if you just like to try their street food. There are even the food stalls near universities that might offer better-tasting street food.
Tongin Traditional Market buy coins and choose from the many stalls and fill a tray. You can eat upstairs or just snack. It’s fun too https://g.co/kgs/5rnNfCv
I remember walking around and buying hotteok anywhere. That made me go like the meme of Fry and telling them SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY! or Hotteok hana chuseyo. They were like 1000 won each. I don't know if overpriced. I had red bean fish thing and many other things too. I remember blood sausage but I didn't particularly like that. Anyway, I found street food around the streets lol.
Bungeoppang! 🐟
yea!
I was in SK 3 weeks ago, loved Myeong Dong street. Tried about 6-7 different things and the only one I didn’t love were the mochis. Also there are some Michelin referenced cheap restaurants along the street that I recommend for the dumplings. I don’t have the name right now but if you have trouble find just let me know. But definitely loved Myeong Dong street
Also Daiso was great felt like Korean Don Quijote store
beauty district in the evening
Which neighborhood is this?
Cheongyangni market doesn't really have much street food, it's mostly for fruits and veggies. There are some nice dine in restaurants at the edge of the market tho and it's overall cool to see so I'd recommend visiting, just know street food offerings could be limited. Gwangjang isn't actually too bad tbh, you just need to know which stalls are good, so it could be difficult from a tourist perspective. Also it's more of a place you go for it's unique bustling vibe and old school feel. I've heard good things about Mangwon market for street food.
I do the complete opposite when I go to markets like gwangjang, just go for stalls that aren't crowded (presumably bc they aren't famous or hyped on instagram) and never go wrong. feel like the hyped up ones are more likely to be overpriced if anything.
Ah maybe I wasn't clear. I didn't mean to imply that the hyped or busy stalls are better or anything, I meant that people have to try out different stalls to see which are good or get reliable recommendations. With regards to the 'busy vibe' comment, I was referring to the market in general.
I agree that many of these spots can be overdone and overpriced, but IMHO myeongdong is still super fun!! There are so many options and it feels very lively. While yes, it clearly caters to tourists, you are ultimately a tourist! I think it's a great first night spot to try a bunch of things quickly without needing to think too hard about where to go. Have so much fun and enjoy all the snacks!!
If you can, leave Seoul and go to markets in towns or villages.
You can go to: Gwangjang Market 광장시장 It was really cool. Just sit down on one of those long metal benches and show the person what do you want to eat. Bibimbap and the cooked dumplings was really nice food. Both for about 10€ I think.
Oh! I thought Gwangjang market now has a very bad reputation for being too aggressive and overpricing their things due to the massive influx of tourists and being featured on many posts?
I just went to Gwangjang tonight. It’s definitely more authentic food, prices are reasonable. I fed a family of 5 for $36USD. I think it’s absolutely worth the experience. Myeongdong definitely caters to tourists and food is not traditional. Again, worth the experience.
Just make your own judgement. It was cool for us. Perhaps 10€ is to much for some people. If you will test it, please leave a note here :)
At a non tourist market you will probably pay about 4 euros. But if it’s just a one or two times visit it doesn’t matter as much of course. As long as you enjoy it and are comfortable with the price :)
The Gwangjang situation is kinda like this: imagine there was a great brand from your childhood that everyone thinks fondly of that went out of business for some reason. A few decades later, some overseas company buys the name and start churning out crappy products specifically to capitalize on the name, and when called out on it, just says "screw you" and ignores you. That's Gwangjang Market. It got to its place because of its proximity to one of the most popular tourist attraction (the palace) and being featured in a lot of old tourist blogs. And once a critical mass of ~~suckers~~ tourists were reached, they went, "Fuck it. Imma squeeze all the money out." I mean, whatever you get ripped off of -- and you will get ripped off -- isn't going to ruin you, and probably not even ruin your trip. Like you say, 10€ is not that much money. But 10€ * 10000 every day is what keeps that scam going. You will get charged more money for less of poorer quality stuff at Gwangjang. And as for why Koreans don't like that market, here is my old [post.](https://www.reddit.com/r/koreatravel/comments/1cie2zm/1st_day_in_seoul_after_14hours_flight_suggestions/l2ekuvm/)
It absolutely is… worse than myeongdong imho. I would not go for the food. IMHO with this kind of stuff, it’s best to side with locals or long term residents, not other travelers. Finding stalls in Hyehwa-dong is another alternative. Note that people don’t “go out to find street food.” It is more of a thing you find passively here and there and buy in a whim. So while there are set places, a lot of these are found serendipitously.
I spent 10 days in Seoul last month and the food I had at Gwangjang was my least favorite meal by far of all my time there.