Gyeongdong Market
경동시장
It closes at 18:00 and most stores shut on Sundays, so it is a morning stop, not an evening one — the opposite of the food-alley markets.
Language
Place information
- Korean name
- 경동시장
- Address
- 3 Gosanja-ro 36-gil, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul
- Nearest station
- Jegi-dong Station (제기동역, Seoul Subway Line 1) (Exit 2)
- Opening hours
- 09:00–18:00 varies by shop
- Hours notes
- On Sundays and public holidays only some stores open — the market itself does not close.
- Admission
- No entry fee — you pay each vendor
History
1960
The market began trading
1985
Gyeongdong Building completed
The market expanded into a dedicated medicinal-herb quarter and became Korea's largest ginseng and herbal-medicine trade area.
Nearby
Hongneung Galbijip
A grilled rib house in the Hongneung quarter, its marinated beef ribs seasoned with some twenty ingredients.
Majang Meat Market
An alley market dealing only in meat — 781 butchers and offal shops filling the lanes of Majang-dong. Wholesale and retail sit side by side across its 26,313 square metres, and buying meat to carry into a nearby room to grill is the usual way of eating here.
Seongcheon Makguksu
A makguksu house that uses only dongchimi brine for its broth, with a high buckwheat content in the noodles.
Hwajung Gymnasium, Korea University
The indoor hall on Korea University's Anam campus, hired out for concerts and fan events between university fixtures. It sits well inside the campus, a good walk from the main gate.
Frequently asked questions
What is Gyeongdong Market known for?
Ginseng and medicinal herbs. Since the Gyeongdong Building opened in 1985 it has been Korea's largest ginseng and herbal-medicine district, alongside produce and seafood.
Is there food to eat there?
It sells produce and seafood, but it is an ingredients market rather than a place to eat. For street food, Gwangjang is on the same subway line.
Stories about this place
- Six Seoul Traditional Markets, Compared: Food, Opening Days and Tips
Gwangjang, Noryangjin, Namdaemun, Tongin, Gyeongdong and Mangwon compared on what to eat and buy, Sunday opening, and whether you need cash.
Nearby Food
- Five Seoul Korean Barbecue Restaurants: Hanwoo, Galbi, Bulgogi and Pork Belly
- What the broth is made of — eight Seoul houses, seven different bases
- Northern Korean Food in Seoul: Naengmyeon, Eobok-jaengban, Mandu and Kongbiji
- Seven Seoul houses that open for breakfast — before eight in the morning
- Six Seoul houses that make the noodle by hand — kalguksu, guksi, sujebi
- Enjoying Seoul's Cafe Culture
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