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Namdaemun Market 남대문시장
Operating hours vary by store.
Closed on Sundays.
Free to visit
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Hoehyeon Station (line 4, exit 5). 2 mins walk.
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Myeongdong Station (line 4, exit 5), 11 mins walk towards Shinsegae Department Store to reach the market.
Namdaemun Market is the largest traditional market in Korea with over 10,000 stores. It is a great market for overseas visitors seeking to experience authentic Korean cultures. You can explore the stores located on street level, along the small alleys or in the multi-storey buildings.
Direction Signs, Tourist Information & Money Changers @Namdaemun Market
As Namdaemun Market is popular with overseas visitors, you can easily find the direction signs (in English), money changers and Tourist Information booth.
Specialised Streets & Alleys of Namdaemun Market
There is an extensive range of daily necessities to classic traditional Korean food at Namdaemun Market.
The specialised streets and alleys at Namdaemun Market include:
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Hairtail Alley
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Noodle Alley
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Food Alley
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Kids Wear Street
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Women’s Apparel Street
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Souvenir Street
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Military Supplies Street
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Beddings Street
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Glasses Street
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Stationery Alley
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Camera Street
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1414 BORN Market
2 Most Popular Food Alleys in Namdaemun Market
Of all the alleys in Namdaemun Market, Hairtail Alley and Noodle Alley are the most popular alleys.
Hairtail Alley is famous for braised/grilled Hairtail (fish), also known as Belt Fish or Cutlass Fish. It is a long fish that resembles a thin ribbon with a sharp pointed head. A few famous restaurants have appeared in local TV programs and you can easily spot them from the long queues in front of the restaurants.
💡Direction: Hoehyeon Station (line 4, exit 5), turn right upon station's exit, go straight (about 200m) and turn left to the small alley with the sign, 'Hairtail Alley'. 3 mins walk.
Also known as Kalguksu Alley, this is an alley cluster of more than 10 stores serving similar dishes of Kalguksu (Korean knife-cut noodle soup), Bibim Naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles) and Bibimbap with Barley Rice.
💡Direction: Hoehyeon Station (line 4, exit 5), turn right upon station's exit, go straight (about 40m) and turn left to the small alley with the sign, '국수골목'. 1 min walk.
Popular & Famous Eats @Namdaemun Market
Among all the food stores and restaurants at Namdaemun Market, here are the popular ones you can check out.
💡Alternatively, you can look out for the ones with long queues as you stroll along the market.
Namdaemun Gamegol Dumpling 가메골손왕만두 남대문본점
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서울 중구 남대문시장4길 42 | 42 Namdaemun Market 4-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
☼
8:20 - 19:30. Closed on Sundays
🌐
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Namdaemun Gamegol Dumpling is popular for their meat and kimchi dumplings. You can do takeaway or dine-in at the store's 2nd floor.
Namdaemun Specialty Hotteok 남대문명물호떡
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서울 중구 남대문시장길 14 남대문명물호떡 | Namdaemun Specialty Hotteok, 14 Namdaemun Market-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
☼
9:00-18:30. Closed on Sundays
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Namdaemun Specialty Hotteok is one of the famous hotteok (Korean pancake) stores at Namdaemun Market. It has been selling hotteok since 1998. Besides the typical honey hotteok and honey seed hotteok, they also have japchae hotteok (popular), seafood japchae hotteok, kimchi japchae hotteok, oreo honey hotteok, sweet red bean hotteok, etc.
💡Japchae - Korean sweet potato noodles stir-fried with vegetables.
💡The other popular Hotteok store at Namdaemun Market is Namdaemun Vegetable Hotteok 남대문야채호떡, located facing the main road, Namdaemun-ro at Gate 2 beside IBK (bank).
Jungang Galchi Restaurant 중앙갈치식당
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서울 중구 남대문시장길 22-12 | 22-12 Namdaemun Market-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
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8:30 - 21:00
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Jungang Galchi Restaurant is one of the more well-received restaurants located in Hairtail Alley of Namdaemun Market. Their menu of braised and grilled fishes come in English too.
Namhae Restaurant 남해식당
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서울 중구 남대문시장4길 42-1 | 42-1 Namdaemun Market 4-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
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6:00 - 21:00
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Namhae Restaurant, opened since 1989, is located in Noodle Alley of Namdaemun Market. The restaurant is known for their handmade kalguksu (Korean knife-cut noodle soup), sujebi (hand-torn noodle soup), bibim naengmyeon (spicy cold noodles) and barley bibimbap (mixed rice with vegetables). Their menu includes pictures and in English too.
💡Namhae Restaurant has appeared in several local tv programs and on famous mukbang YouTuber 'Tzuyang' channel too.
Attractions around Namdaemun Market
Namdaemun Market is located centrally and within easy walking distance to many famous attractions in Seoul.
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free admission
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9:00 - 18:00 (last admission 17:50, closed on Mondays)
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Sungnyemun Gate Guard Performance. Tue-Sun, 10:00-12:00 / 13:00-15:40
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Sungnyemun Gate Opening Ceremony (10:00-10:10), Sungnyemun Gate Closing Ceremony (15:30-15:40)
Sungnyemun Gate is the most noticeable landmark of Naedaemun Market. It is also known as Namdaemun, the southern gate of Seoul City Wall. Sungnyemun Gate was designated as a National Treasure on 20 December 1962.
From Namdaemun Market, you can walk to the nearby premium Shinsegae Department Store or from Seoullo 7017 sky garden walkway to Seoul Station, Lotte Outlets Seoul Station Branch and Lotte Mart Zettaplex (Seoul Station).
The popular shopping district, Myeongdong, Lotte Department Store (Myeongdong Main Store) and Deoksugung Palace are all about 11 mins walk away.
Alternatively, from Hoehyeon Station (line 4, exit 4), you can take a nature walk up to N Seoul Tower (hiking course 3, 40 mins) via Namsan Baekbeom Square Park.
Map of Namdaemun Market (Shopping Street, Alleys & Nearest Attractions)
Map on Getting to Namdaemun Market
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