17 Traditional Markets to Visit with Family During Chuseok Holiday

Ministry of SMEs and Startups Selects Representative Traditional Markets in Each City and Province
Diverse Food, Attractions, and Activities

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups introduced 17 traditional markets that are great to visit with family during the Chuseok holiday on the 28th.

Seoul Gwangjang Market Food Street, famous among foreign tourists. Photo by Heo Younghan younghan@

The selected markets represent each city and province.

Four markets located near famous tourist attractions include ‘Sejong Sejong Traditional Market’ near Gobok Natural Park and Yeongi Daechoebi Park, ‘Pyeongchang Bongpyeong Traditional Market’ where you can visit the Lee Hyo-seok Literature Museum, ‘Suncheon Araetjang’ near Suncheon Bay Garden, Nagan Eupseong Folk Village, and drama filming sets, and ‘Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market’ located near Seongsan Ilchulbong and Lee Jung-seop Art Museum.

Four traditional markets with many attractions inside the market are ‘Daegu Seomun Market’, filled with fabric-related products such as textiles, hanbok, and clothing, as well as famous eateries in every alley; ‘Gwangju 1913 Songjeong Station Market’, where the building years are marked on the market floor allowing visitors to explore the market’s history; ‘Bucheon Yeokgok Sangsang Market’, featuring famous cartoon characters and works; and ‘Muju Firefly Market’, where you can see the disappearing rural blacksmith’s workshop.

Five traditional markets famous for their food were selected. These include ‘Seoul Gwangjang Market’, popular among foreigners for dishes like bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes); ‘Daejeon Hanmin Market’, known for its freshly made savory handmade tofu, tofu pulp, and soybean broth; ‘Ulsan Sinjeong Shopping Market’, famous for kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) and pork soup sold in a food alley with a 30-year tradition; ‘Danyang Gungyeong Market’, known for garlic tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties) and black garlic bread made using the local specialty garlic; and ‘Changwon Bansong Market’, famous for kaljebi (knife-cut noodle soup) and bibim kalguksu (spicy mixed knife-cut noodles).

Four traditional markets famous for seafood include ‘Busan Jagalchi Market’, which reflects the lives and hardships of refugees since the Korean War; ‘Incheon Seokbawi Market’, selling freshly caught seafood from the West Sea; ‘Boryeong Jungang Market’, known for salted seafood made from West Sea seafood; and ‘Pohang Guryongpo Market’, where you can taste Guryongpo-style noodles made with gwamegi (half-dried Pacific herring) and fish, a specialty of Pohang.

Minister Lee Young of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups said, “There are many tourist attractions around traditional markets, and various sights, activities, and foods are prepared inside the markets, making them great places to visit with family.” He added, “On the occasion of the Chuseok holiday, I hope families visit nearby traditional markets to feel the warmth and spirit of the markets.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.