Koreans visit here instead for authentic local experience, NOT Gwangjang Market from Netflix Seoul
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 พ.ค. 2024
- Gwangjang Market in Seoul, Korea gained international recognition after being featured in the Seoul episode of Netflix's "Street Food Asia", making it a well-known destination for foreigners visiting Korea.
However, Gwangjang Market is at the center of controversy as it targets foreign tourists and exploits them by charging high prices, offering small portions for unsavory food, and insisting on cash payments.
By watching this video to the end, you can decide which market to visit for an authentic Korean local experience. So enjoy the episode and real Korean street food.
00:00 Intro
00:44 The charm of traditional markets in Korea
01:24 Recognition of Gwangjang market
02:20 Dark side of Gwangjang market
03:02 How about Namdaemun market?
04:16 Proven authentic local markets
05:45 Other local markets
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*Google map links for the suggested local markets mentioned in the video:
Mangwon Market: maps.app.goo.gl/X5MiKTrwti35Jhdu7
Youngcheon Market: maps.app.goo.gl/PoJECHTY5B7Ch94N7
Sindang Seoul Central Market: maps.app.goo.gl/TvxXMWT72Ac1Yp5i9
Yongsan Yongmun Market: maps.app.goo.gl/jGiRuiCpumK3jGTh9
Namsung Sagye Market: maps.app.goo.gl/3ozEtsr7QeecjMm39
Nonhyeon Yeongdong Market: maps.app.goo.gl/X88B41TJ5P6oBS6K7
Saemaeul Market: maps.app.goo.gl/EkHQUCgxEN83kLk98
Gyeongdong Market: maps.app.goo.gl/GeWQs6cGfEPMZcqP8
I'm coming to Seoul on Friday! I need this so much! Thank You So Much🤓🤩🇰🇷
Thank you for sharing! And I am glad that you’ve pointed it out. 🙏🏻
Wow, I wish I had seen this a few months ago! I recently attended a wedding in Seoul back in September and fell for the Netflix/Gwangjang Market thing. I stayed at the Plaza Seoul and visited Namdaemun Market a couple of times but wasn't that impressed. But to be fair, I did not find that knife cut noodle alley that you mentioned in this video. Definitely going to bookmark this video and hope to visit Seoul again!
P.S. You should warn your viewers that Google Maps doesn't really work in Korea. 🤠
@worldwideseanp Are all this Markets Tourist friendly?
Mangwon Market (27 Poeun-eo 6-gil, Mapo-gu) - near Hongdaw
Seoul Youngcheon Market (22 Dongnimmun-ro 3-gil, Seodaemun-gu) - near Yonsei, Ewha, and Gyeongbukgung
Sindan Central Market (22 Toegye-ro 85-gil, Jung-gu) - hot pasta tteokbokki
Yongsan Yongmun Traditional Market (Yongmun-dong, Yongsan-gu) - near itaewon
Namsung Sagye Market (9 Dongjak-daero 29-gil, Sadang-dong, Dongjak-gu)
Nonhyeon Youngdong Market - Gangnam
Saemeul Market (24 Seokchonhosu-ro 12-gil, Songpa-gu)
Gyeongdong Market (10e6 Jegi-gong, Dongdaemun-gu) - ginseng
I'm Korean and I tell foreigners visiting Korea two places they should never spend money on. The first is Myeongdong and the second is Gwangjang Market. These two places have the highest average prices in Korea among the shopping towns and markets that exist in the country. They cannot survive without tourists, and they are especially on Korean news for their exorbitant prices
Don’t matter to me if it is a bit pricey as long as the quality and authenticity is good. I’ve found Gwangjang Market and Myeongdong foods sucks. I find the underground subways food stall much better and Lottie mall food courts tasted good in terms of stews and soups.
@@lasvegasnevada7514yes indeed. There are a variety of choices you can take when finding a good local food destination here.
But aren't makeup and skin care products cheaper in Myeongdong?
@@egsantos Multi shops and brand cosmetics road shops run by large corporations such as Olive Young are recommended because they are reliable and offer many discounts. However, many cosmetics stores in Myeongdong are still expensive and all have signs called "Big Sale" in their stores. These are businessmen who are simply targeting tourists. It's good to visit Myeongdong and feel the atmosphere, but you have to be careful when spending money. All other food and industrial products are recommended to be purchased at hypermarkets (e-mart, Homeplus, Lotte Mart)
@@worldwideseanpthat’s correct but I just didn’t get the chance to explore. Through this channel, now I know where to go 😊3:53 I’ve found this alley full of mostly tourists too and the vendors there seems to be very welcoming.
와... 진짜 찐 컨텐츠네요. 해외분들에게는 가장 도움되는 영상이겠습니다. 우리가 해외 유명 마켓가보면 현지인들 보다는 외국인들이 많은 것처럼 한국도 광장시장이 그렇게 변했는데 정확한 포인트들을 잘 찝어주셨네요. 저도 광장시장 안간지 꽤 됐습니다.
네 응원 감사드립니다. 진심을 다해 열심히 만들었는데 많은 외국인분들도 봐주셔서 힘이 나네요!
The most useful and honest info for first timers to Seoul! Thank you so much.
Glad it was helpful!
Love this! So informative and your voice is so calming. Love the map!! Really hope to get there someday and use all your tips! Thanks again, Gid bless!🤗👋👍🏽
Thank you for shedding light on this!
I'll absolutely share this video with my daughter. She and her friends are planning to visit Seoul. Thank you so much ❤
Thank You very much for this video. I do appreciate your suggestions and recommendations! Keep up the good work!
Loved the honestly! Keep up the great work😊
Wow, this video is so well put together. Thank you for this!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Love your content ❤
Good job, bro. Your vid is informative and helpful. I have bookmarked all the markets on my itinerary for my coming trip to South korea two weeks later. Not only visitors get benefited from your vid, but expats who station in South Korea will appreciate your efforts. Would appreciate if you could make a vid about shoppings and I believe lots of visitor will enjoy it then.
Thanks for this informative video 👏🏻
One thing I do enjoy Gwangjang Market for is their huge supply of Traditional Korean fabrics and supplies for hanbok. There may be areas where they’re cheaper but I haven’t seen such a large concentration of these products anywhere else. It’s definitely cheaper than Insadong. Recently though I ordered some tempura at a booth there, two tofu, two cucumber and a shrimp and was charged 10,000 won which is a lot. I even ordered it in Korean. The woman even had the audacity to charge two Koreans 4,000 won for a much larger order than mine right in front of me. I was so irritated.
Thank you for the helpful info Sean! I discovered your channel recently, and I'm going to Korea with my family next month and we want all the authentic vibes. I bookmarked all these places. We are so excited to go :D Please make more insider videos like this!
Thanks for the recommendations! Will defn try to visit them in my next trip!!!
Thank you for a great informative and helpful video ❤
Took note of the different markets to visit on my next trip to Korea. Thank you for this!
You are so right! Gwangjang market food has been disappointing during my trips in Sept ‘22 & April ‘23… used to be one of my favorite places from 2014-2018…
Thank you so much for sharing info on the other markets, maybe I’ll do a market-hopping trip next year 😊
It has declined. Back in 2019 it was my "favorite food court". Now I just feel like the food is tasteless and expensive.
Everything everywhere the quality went down after covid.
Thank you for this video!
Very helpful, thank you! 🌻
Thank you so much! Can’t wait to go now! ❤❤❤
Impressive info thanks for your kind sharing!
Thank you for the video 🎉
thank you soooo much for this video. I love market food in Seoul!
My Korean hubby and I went to gwangjang market and we had mixed feelings. We had a lot of fun but it was so crowded. The food was yummy, but we actually got full too fast because the portions were a little big and a vendor gave us a free extra mungbean pancake😂 maybe we were lucky. I didn’t get to try any desserts…. So we will definitely go to one of these in the video!! Thank you :)
good to hear that you had enjoyable experience at Gwangjang market, as there are good grandma merchants as well.
Thank you for your honesty. It is very informative for us turists.
tbh I went to gwangjang market and had an amazing time!! Also great to highlight other amazing markets available in Seoul ✨
It used to be good. Me and my girlfriend went in 2018 and it was OK.. but all I hear about that place now is nothing good.. altho, because of this issue recently, some of the business owners learned their lesson the hard way. Hopefully, it gets better for their own good. Lol
Such a high quality video
This video is very helpful to those visiting Seoul. Appreciate the effort.
glad it's helpful
Thank you for this! More videos like this please. We plan to visit Korea next year and this was so helpful.
Thanks for your visit. Yes, I'll upload episodes like this to be a help to foreign tourists.
Visit the KJ market but don’t spend any money there.
Thanks for the tip , my friends and I are visiting Seoul this March 2024
Thank you for this knowledge and information.
Thank you for making this video . this is a very helpful information for our coming trip
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for posting!
Hope it's helpful. Check out my other videos for your reference!
I wish this video existed a year ago ☺️ I’m keeping this in mind for the next time we visit Seoul.
I really appreciate this vlog. We’ve been going in and about South Korea and this is really helpful for my family.
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you. Fully agree. Was at Gwangjang Market in August '23 and the food was simply terrible as well as the ultimate bill was 2000 won higher than prices shown on the menu we were given when ordering. As this was our first day in Korea, my wife was really worried with the quality of food. Still we had truely amazing food in other places all over Korea for the next 23 days and this is what we will remember.
thanks for this video! I will be visiting in may and as both my travel companion and i are into food, this video is super helpful.
Really appreciate this. We were there for two months and we were a bit disappointed with gwangjang market. I'll have to save this list for next time when we go back
So helpful! Thank you!
So glad!
Insightful video. Will take note of these places when I visit!
glad it's helpful. check out my other videos for your reference for your tip to Korea.
thank you for these info..will try the markets you have recommended on my next visit to Seoul!
Have fun!
Thank you! I will definitely be using the information you've provided as I plan our upcoming trip to Seoul.
Good luck!!
So helpful!!😊
I'm so glad!
Thank you for this video. I'll be going to korea for the first time this year, and i love markets. I'll definitely try to visit your list of markets to eat instead.
Thanks a lot, this is very helpful! I hope tourists see this post before visiting!
I hope so too!
Thank you for this video. When I come to Korea, I will avoid the tourist traps.
Nice video. Ty
Thank you for the information, my daughter and I are planning a trip to Korea , so your video was very helpful. Took a lot of notes
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks a lot for your recommendations.
Always welcome
I went to namdaemun market and I enjoyed the hairtail alley and dumpling shop🤷🏻♀️.
I am going to Seoul soon and I am very glad that I found this video. Will definitely try to go to all of them. Thanks!
Glad to hear that. Check out my other videos for your reference.
all be arriving in Seoul next month. Thanks for the tips
Thank you so much, this info is helpful since it’ll be my first time with my husband to Korea! I can’t wait to eat my heart out 🤣
Thank you! I got some markets to visit this year.
Tq so much for ur honest infoe
We’re going to seoul next month , will definitely visit 1 of the market you mentioned. Thanks for the video. It’s very informative . Keep up the good work 👍👍👍
I will be there first week of May.
glad it's helpful. check out other videos I've uploaded as well for your upcoming journey to Seoul.
Muchas gracias no sólo por el excelente contenido sino también por los subs en otros idiomas. Nueva suscriptora
Honestly, the first time i went to Korea was 10 years ago and the food then was more hearty and super delicious, like you almost could not go wrong with whatever market or restaurant you choose. Since SK became more known internationally it feels like there is more places to eat but also the quality went a bit down over the years at least the neighbourhoods i usually visit.
I think this is normal evolution when places become famous, to make money you dont have to try that hard and suffer as much and thigns get more lax.
But i am just a visitor to SK not local.
The Tteokbokki street has always been my favourite till this day
Thank you for the perfect information 😊
Glad it was helpful!
This is the most informative video I have seen on TH-cam in a long time. I'm returning to Seoul at the end of this month. So greatful to have found your content. 🙏 😊
thanks for the encouragement!
I’m going next month, thanks for the tips!!
Hope you would enjoy your time in Korea. Check out my other videos for your reference~
Just arrived in Seoul! Gonna try one of the ones you mentioned tomorrow👍
Enjoy it!
Going to Korea for the first time next month. Thank you so much for the great information!!😜
Have fun!
Thank You for informing Us.
I just arrived from my trip in Korea, and I was super disappointed trying "famous" markets. But I decided to have a quick conversation with the students to close my place, and I just followed them ahah So I found the most delicious food. I love korean food, and I learned to eat its wirh korean people.
Thank-you for that! I had Korean speakers with local knowledge with me at Gwangjang Market and ate some delicious food. But I was obviously lucky! I have your list for next time I come!
Generally if you go with a local they will show you the best spots around. Even in markets not all stalls are created the same.
I was just there in October 2023 and I can confirm what this man is saying is 100% accurate. This market has turned into a huge scam these days. Can buy better deserts inside subway stations than this place.
Thank you!
Thank you🙏
Ok when I lived in Seoul in late 1990s and early 2000s. This market was my place to get fabric upstairs and my various kimchi’s. The market got popular not by the Netflix series. Ex president Lee had his wife promoting Korean food in NYC time square and this market. She got kickbacks for this project. The more you promote tourism the more authentic experience is lost. I saw the evolving or decline of a few other markets once it got invaded by tourists. Chinese tourists were causing a lot of drama, since I understand Korean I saw Magwon market changed and the prices jumped so high. All my noodles shops in chongro are all gone because of new shopping area being built.
Thank you. Next may 2024 i will visit seoul. Your video very helpfull.🙏
Glad it was helpful!
THANK YOU ❤
your video is very good. it is sad to see some traditional markets lowering the quality of their products.
I’ll change my itinerary then , thank you for video!
Thank you so much!
Great work on your vlog. We had a bad experience at Mangwon Market. Insta reels are making the markets looks glamourous, but they are very disappointing.
Hi hi. I plan to visit mangwon market in May. Can share what happened?
Thanks a lot I’ll be in Seoul for the second time next March and I’ll visit all the places you suggest 🎉🙏🙏🙏🙏
Glad it's helpful!
We're going to Korea in September. Thank you for making this video
Hope you enjoy it!
It has become more and more touristy. When i was in Seoul (more than 10 yrs ago), Gwangjang was a place where locals shop and eat.
Thanks for introducing the real local and korea authentic tradditional market. You should do a video which guide us on how to take local transportation to these market
Yes, please
lovely! im going next month!
Good luck!!
Wow ! Thanks for info. I was at the famous market and found the food there quite expensive as well, even before the inflation . So I did not tried many things just 1-2 kinds only. Next time after this vdo I would have a chance to try out more
yes, check out my other videos here for your future reference!
Great video with awesome recommendations! I visited several markets when I visited Seoul, including the touristy Gwangjang and Namdaemun markets-- while I think it can still be worth visiting just to say you went, by far my favorite was Mangwon market! There were so many options of delicious food and none of them disappointed! Definitely had a lot more locals compared to foreigners, too. The vendors there were really kind, the prices were good, and most importantly the food was delicious! There is an outdoor section and an indoor section that span quite a ways, so it's easy to spend an hour or two walking around, looking at (and tasting) all the options. I'll be going back to Seoul in autumn or winter, so I'll have to check out some of your other recommendations as well! I can't wait! 💚
Yes, hope you would enjoy more of local experiences in your next visit~
Thank you. We will spread the word🇺🇸
Thank you for all the much appreciated tips :) I will go next week, and share wit you my experience
Thanks for watching. Hope you would enjoy your time in Seoul. I also plan to visit Morocco this year!
@@worldwideseanp Thank you very much. Welcome to Morocco ✨
I live in Rabat and I’ll be more than happy ton’ show you around my city.
Make more of these kinds of videos, please. I'd like to see some places in Seoul to visit that are not the standard tourist places. All the other travel channels go to exactly the same places. That gets boring. Could you show us some festivals and other cultural events too?
yes, I also plan on making videos and e-books on such events as well. Stay tuned~
you should setup a tour - enjoyed your honest feedback on these markets 😂
Look forward to more of these episodes ahead. If there's enough demand for a local tour, I can arrange some!
Thank you for this video. I visited Gwangjang Market last May and had a great time, but to think that there are even better markets. Coming from London I found everything sooo cheap 😅 lol whoops.
Thank you for your very informative video! Very helpful for tourists. In Singapore too, tourists who go to touristy places often find expensive foods but if they venture to more local food areas the foods are cheaper n more flavourful! It’s always best to venture to more local areas to eat.
Yes, indeed. I plan to visit such local food areas in Singapore in my upcoming visit as well.
Nice video, hope to see more other than foods place …let say place for shopping other than in myeongdong and dangdaemun 😬..
Noted!
Thank you so much🥰. How about Jeju next?
Yes, I plan to film a Jeju trip soon. In the meantime, if you would like to see more of scenic views in travel destinations, you can check out my other channel that is more focused on travel aspect: www.youtube.com/@seanptravel
Thank you for the recommendation! Where should i do my shopping then?
Hi there. As for the local market foods, you can visit my suggested ones.
If you're looking for shopping info, I plan to upload another TH-cam video and detailed tutorial videos separately soon for both online and offline shopping in Seoul.
@@worldwideseanp I look forward to it!
We also have such street/market in my country. When my korean friend came over i told her these place are cater for tourist and local usually visit some of the specific stall/restaurant only. She had a nice experience last time.
We just need to know where to hunt for good food.
I remember visiting Gwangjang Market after already living in Korea for a year. I visited right when covid ended so it was extremely empty compared to what it see now. I arrived close to closing time and ordered some mandu from a stall. After I ordered I see her grab half a dozen mandus from a Bibigo bag (these are premade mandus you can buy at any supermarket). I immediately cancelled my order and as I was leaving I noticed other stalls also were selling Bibigo mandus. Imagine going to Italy, buying a pizza and you see them popping a DiGiorno's or Red Baron's into the oven. Never visited Gwangjang again after that.
There’s a dumpling stall called 가메골손왕만두 in Namdaemun market and you can see them in the back hand-making dumplings. Of course they were tasty too.
Thank you and i hope when i visit Seoul, i will be able to meet you and tour around these market! lol
It would be fun!
@@worldwideseanp will msg you on January i might travel there :) thanks mate
Rule of Thumb: Don't visit markets that are English(language) friendly. Not that I'm against English but the chance is that they are facing way too many foreign visitors hence leading to overprice.
The same goes for the Western Islands of Greece. There are too many English tourists and it's terrible, the food is not authentic anymore! There are a lot of ATV's:((( and noise...
Literally all the major markets here have English signs, menus, and support. Even my tiny local market that caters almost exclusively to Korean domestic tourists has English everywhere.
thank you for all those informations brother ! can you suggest some places to go in busan ?
sure, my friend. I plan on visiting Busan and make video. Stay tuned!
Yes please Sean. Will be visiting Seoul and Busan in September- thank you!
I’m organizing a 2 weeks trip to Korea with my bffs in August. This video is stupid helpful. An young ha se oh.