600-year-old Traditional Market

In 1414, Joseon Dynasty’s King Taejong established a market in the Namdaemun area of the Seoul City Wall where circulation of goods and commodities was greatest. The government built shops around Namdaemun and rented out the shops to traders. Word spread very fast and soon enough, the market thrived with merchants and goods from around the nation.

In the wake of the Korean War, items from American military bases including chocolates, army supplies, cameras, watches, and other imported goods began to circulate secretly in the market. Whenever officers would enter the market, traders would instantly pack up and disappear. Over a period of 40 years, the city of Seoul redeveloped and modernized the market little by little. New buildings were erected, and the Namdaemun Market you see today was completed in 2005.

The Namdaemun Market houses over 10,000 shops that carry mostly children’s clothing, accessories, eye glasses and cameras. But with the increasing number of foreign tourists, shops selling traditional Korean goods like dried seaweed and ginseng have also increased.
The back alleys lined with delicious eateries also attract plenty of visitors. Home-made noodle soup, braised cutlass fish, king-sized dumplings, and fried fish cakes are just a few of the mouthwatering dishes you’ll find here.