Delicious Late-Night Snacks

It’s natural to get hungry when shopping in a large place like Dongdaemun. The late-night snacks sold at street stalls, in addition to the shopping, are yet another reason why people congregate here. Around Gwanghui Market and Jeil Pyeonghwa Market, numerous street stalls sell a variety of foods such as toast, hamburgers, dumplings, tteokbokki (stir-fried rice cake, vegetables and fish cakes in gochujang (red chili paste) sauce), fish cakes, and tteokgalbi (grilled beef and pork with a sweetened soy sauce marinade). In the early morning, the streets are filled with the lively sound of friends meeting and talking over soju (Korean distilled alcohol) and eating savory sundae gopchang (cow or pig’s intestines stuffed with various ingredients and fried with spicy sauce). Although the appearance of the nearby shopping malls led to the reduction of street stalls selling late-night snacks, many street vendors still stand proud, adding the delicious smell of their wares to the warm night air. Dongdaemun’s mix of fun and flavors is a rarity that can’t be found anywhere else in Seoul.