Eating around Myeongdong and Gwangjang Market, from snacks to a meal

In Myeongdong, you can try street snacks while shopping; at Gwangjang Market, you can explore the food area and market shops together. Here are the differences between the two, plus what to know about ordering and seating before choosing a particular place to eat.

Eating around Myeongdong and Gwangjang Market, from snacks to a meal

Food stalls and shoppers on a Myeongdong street at night, August 2024.

Stalls cooking hotteok, people choosing skewers and snacks, groups turning into alleys to find somewhere to eat: part of the pleasure of Myeongdong and Gwangjang Market is looking around and deciding what to try. Both have plenty of food, but the experience of exploring them is a little different.

In Myeongdong, you can snack between shops or sit down at a restaurant for a meal. At Gwangjang Market, you can explore the food area as well as shops selling fabric, clothing, bedding, and other goods.[1][2] Knowing what each place is like gives you more to look for than heading straight for one dish or famous shop.

Myeongdong: street food between shops

Myeongdong combines shopping with food. Official tourism information lists snacks such as hotteok, cheese corn dogs, chicken skewers, and spiral potatoes.[1] Part of the fun is choosing according to whether you want something sweet or something freshly cooked and warm.

Frying food at a street-food stall in Myeongdong, August 2024.

Street food makes an easy snack between shops, but eating on your feet isn't the same as sitting down for a rest. If your group is tired or carrying a lot, a seat in a restaurant or café may suit your visit better. Whether you need a meal or feel like trying a snack matters more than ticking off a famous food.

You could eat a meal in a Myeongdong restaurant and enjoy street food as a snack. Or, if you prefer browsing while trying several snacks, you can explore that way instead.

Gwangjang Market: food stalls and market shops

Official information about Gwangjang Market lists foods including bindaetteok, small gimbap rolls, and sundae.[1] The Korea Tourism Organization also describes a food area with a wide variety of dishes.[2] Think of it as a market to explore, watching people choose their food and looking over the stalls' menus.

A variety of foods at a banchan stall in Gwangjang Market, February 2020.

You can sit down for a meal at one stall or try something small before continuing around the shops. If you'd like several dishes, look at the quantities and sales units before ordering.

Beyond food, there are shops selling fabric, clothing, bedding, crafts, and more.[2] A visit just to the food area takes a different amount of time from one that includes the market shops. If you want to browse those too, see the opening hours by area below.

Shops lining an indoor aisle at Gwangjang Market, February 2020.

Compare prices with the amount you'll order

The price of one snack isn't the same as the total cost of a meal. Adding food and drinks from several stalls also adds to your spending. Rather than assuming something is cheap because it's sold at a market, look at the menu price alongside the amount you'll receive.

It's easier to compare when you know whether the price is per item, plate, or portion, and whether you need to order anything else. If the wording is unclear, a short question such as "How many do I get for this price?" can help. The guide to ordering food at traditional markets has more ordering phrases.

If you want to sit down, look for a stall with seating. Rules about eating food bought from several places at one table can vary by stall, so ask before ordering if you plan to bring food from elsewhere.

Before visiting: areas and opening hours

The Korea Tourism Organization lists Gwangjang Market's general shops as open 09:00–18:00 and closed on Sundays, while the food alley is listed as open 09:00–23:00 year-round.[2] These are hours for the areas as a whole. For a particular shop you want to visit, check its own hours and last-order time separately.

Myeongdong's street stalls aren't a single restaurant that opens all at once either. Choose from the stalls and menus operating when you visit. For shopping and places to rest, see the half-day guide to Myeongdong; for the market's areas and visit preparation, see the first-time guide to Gwangjang Market.

Sources

[1] Famous Street Food Spots and Tours

[2] Gwangjang Market

Photo credits

• Cover: Sgroey · Myeongdong night market seoul 2.jpg · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Orientation corrected, resized and JPEG re-encoded.

• Photo 1: Sgroey · Myeongdong night market seoul 4.jpg · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cropped to exclude foreground people, resized and JPEG re-encoded.

• Photo 2: Stck w · Hong Lim's Banchan stall, Gwangjang Market, Seoul 2020-02-01.jpg · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Orientation corrected, resized and JPEG re-encoded.

• Photo 3: Stck w · Gwangjang Market, Seoul 2020-02-01.jpg · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Orientation corrected, resized and JPEG re-encoded.