Gwangjang Market

Gwangjang Market (광장시장; 廣藏市場), located in Yeji-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, is South Korea's first permanent market. Opened in 1905, it has operated for more than 120 years and is now regarded as an iconic Seoul food market known for bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes), yukhoe (Korean beef tartare), and gimbap. The food alley and yukhoe alley at the heart of the market have become gateways to Seoul's culinary tourism, drawing both domestic and international visitors.

• 1905: After Japan seized control of Namdaemun Market following the Eulsa Treaty, Korean merchants established Gwangjang Corporation and opened the market as an economic lifeline. It was Korea's first permanent market.

• Origin of the name: It was originally to be built by covering the section of Cheonggyecheon Stream between Gwanggyo (Wide Bridge) and Janggyo (Long Bridge), so it was named “Gwangjang (廣長)” by combining the first syllables of the two bridge names. After the site was moved to Baeogae, its present location, the pronunciation was retained but the name was newly written as “Gwangjang (廣藏),” meaning “to gather widely and preserve.” The market occupies the site that inherited the legacy of Baeogae Market, regarded as one of the three major markets of the late Joseon period.

• Today: A food market has developed alongside the commercial district historically centered on textiles and secondhand clothing, turning the market itself into a culinary destination.

The food market formed along the street where the East Gate, North Gate 2, and South Gate 1 meet is the heart of the market.

• Bindaetteok: Mung bean pancakes ground and pan-fried to order are Gwangjang Market's signature food. They are commonly eaten with makgeolli.

• Yukhoe Alley: An alley lined with restaurants specializing in yukhoe (Korean beef tartare) in the inner part of the market. Led by MICHELIN Guide Seoul [article] Bib Gourmand restaurant Buchon Yukhoe (부촌육회) [restaurant], Yukhoe Jamejip and Jinju Yukhoe compete with their respective styles. Serving fresh hanwoo (Korean beef) [article] delivered every morning at market prices is the convention of this alley.

• Gimbap and bunsik: The market serves as a showcase for popular Korean snack foods, including bite-sized gimbap, colloquially called mayak gimbap, tteokbokki, and sundae.

It has become many foreign tourists' first destination for experiencing Seoul's market food. Its international recognition is high enough that film director Tim Burton's visit remains a widely recounted anecdote, and tourist demand is reshaping the commercial district to the extent that variations such as yukhoe topped with cheese have appeared. The tension between preserving the original character of the market's long-established shops and its transformation into a tourist attraction defines the market today.