When traveling to a new travel destination, you create your own list of must-see attractions and must-do experiences. When you are in Seoul, how about including traditional markets on your list? In the traditional markets, you can see and feel how the locals live, quite different from what you can learn from simply reading guidebooks. Walking through the alleys full of people, you can appreciate the vibe of the place mingling with citizens and merchants. On top of that, you can take some amazing photos.
Curious about Seoul and the locals living in this city? Visit the Korea Tourism Organization's HiKR(Hi from Korea) GROUND located along Cheonggyecheon Stream. They help customize your travel itinerary depending on your taste. Your travel draft is sure to be upgraded to the fullest.
Leaving HiKR Ground, turn right along Cheonggyecheon Stream to find Gwangjang Market, or go left past Gwanghwamun Gate to reach Tongin Market. In any season, Cheonggyecheon, a charming downtown stream, will greet you, so take a walk enjoying stopovers at Seoul's hot spots. If you want to experience Newtro (meaning the trend of "modernized retro”), go to Gwangjang Market to the right, and if you want to feel the atmosphere of the Joseon dynasty under a tiled hanok roof, take a turn to the left to Tongin Market.
Old, New, Hip, Everything is Here! (Gwangjang Market and its surroundings)
Can a traditional market rise to be a mecca for hipsters? Gwangjang Market is a place that fits easily to such words as retro, new, and cool. The savory smell of foods being cooked greets you first and leads you to various food zones such as bibimbap, yukhoe (beef tartare), kalguksu (noodle), and many more.
Go down the main road toward Jongno 3-ga to find Sewoon Cheonggye Arcade, which has emerged as a mecca for Newtro after undergoing a grand remodeling. Cross the street to walk along the stone walls of Jongmyo Shrine and Changgyeonggung Palace. There are a number of popular cafes everywhere you turn, so take a break there whenever you need one. If you made up your mind to go to Cheonggyecheon Stream, go straight to Hipjiro (a combination of the words hip and Euljiro)! You will have special encounters with the past in secretly hidden spaces of old and shabby buildings where reality and fantasy co-exist.
Want to feel the spirit of youth? Stop by the ‘365-Day Market’ inside Gwangjang Market. You will find accessories, traditional Korean motifs reinterpreted in a kitschy way, meal kits made of popular foods, and beers from the well-known Gwangjang Market 1905 Beer. You can even get them as take-out and enjoy in your hotel room. Cafe Onion, located at the corner of the entrance to Gwangjang Market, and Wine Bar Hidden Hour are also must-go places.
Sewoon Cheonggye Arcade
Sewoon Cheonggye Arcade was Korea’s first residential-commercial complex, and appeared in the K-drama, Vincenzo. Over time, the building deteriorated into a slum, and discussions were started about launching a redevelopment project. At the end of a long discussion, however, the decision was made to regenerate the buildings and shopping districts. Now it has emerged as a mecca for Newtro coupled with the Hipjiro [Hip + Euljiro] trend.
Hip cafes and electronics shops line the pedestrian walkways on the 3rd floor which connect eight shopping malls. ‘Horangyi’ is a cafe representing Sewoon Plaza. When you open the door of the cafe, the meaning of ‘hip’ and ‘retro’ become very clear. Make sure to try the savory Horangyi (meaning tiger) Latte and the Fruit Sando made with seasonal fruits. Explore ‘Geumjiokyeop’, which sells various items related to movies. ‘Ppau’ is famous for delicious donuts, and ‘Soyo Bookstore’ leads you to contemplation in the crowded downtown. Walk around the aerial footpath and take pictures with the buildings across the street in the background, and you can get dozens of amazing photos. Tip: set your mobile phone camera to the sepia tone mode.
Around Euljiro
‘Hip’, ‘New’, and ‘Retro’ were words that many believed could not coexist. However, the MZ generation found something cool in the things of the past at Euljiro, an old street that represents an era they had never experienced. For the MZ generation, something ‘retro’ was transformed into something ‘newtro’. The first place to be blessed with the newtro trend was Euljiro around Euljiro 3-ga Subway Station. Today, the street is called Hipjiro [Hip plus its original name Euljiro], and faded signboards with fonts that do not exist in current design programs creates a unique scene that cannot be found anywhere else on the planet. Go one more block into the alley, then you will encounter old buildings without even a signboard. From there, it is better to rely on your sixth sense rather than the map. Climb the dim-lit stairs of an old shabby building in search of unique stores. You may feel as if you have fallen into a wonderland like Alice.
Across a very narrow alley are ‘Coffee Hanyakbang’ and ‘Hyemindang.’ 'Eulji Jangmanok' has the romantic feel of Hong Kong; 'Euljimaegok’ is a restaurant where you can have pizza and beer together; and 'Jeonjujip’ is a restaurant where you can have Korean soul foods, i.e. grilled pork belly and fried rice. You may find it hard to spot those places, but it is worth looking for them.
If you are an ARMY, there is a place you must visit in Hipjiro. It is Eulji Dabang, the location where the BTS 2021 season greeting was shot. Relocated to another place recently near Exit 10 of Euljiro 3-ga Station due to the urban redevelopment project, it opens at 6:00 in the morning, so it is a good idea to begin your day in this café with a cup of Ssanghwa tea with egg yolk, which is sure to relieve you of the fatigue of traveling.
Jongmyo-Changgyeonggung Palace Stonewall Road/Changdeokgung Secret Garden
Don’t miss out on the nearby Changgyeonggung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and Jongmyo Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 340 meter-long wall between Changgyeonggung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine has been restored, and is perfect for taking a walk in the quiet landscape located next to crowded downtown.
Read more: Visit Korea
