Namdaemun

Traditional foodie delights

While there are plenty of great Korean restaurants around the city, for hungry foodies wanting to tick off several dishes in one go, Namdaemun Market is a must. The market spills over into several buildings and streets for a fun trawl through stalls selling affordable fabric, clothes and sweets – but the real drawcard is the food. Hoover up delicacies like japchae hotteok (vegetable noodle pancakes), fried fresh on the griddle, and take a seat at one of the many stalls crammed in the narrow indoor alleys, where ahjummas (an affectionate term for ‘aunties’) skilfully assemble bowls of bibimbap brimming with fresh vegetables, meat, rice and eggs and slathered in gochujang chilli paste, alongside piles of dumplings and noodles.