Let's go to Dongdaemun Market, the shopping paradise in Seoul!
Dongdaemun Market is a traditional market that represents Seoul, where you can buy various products such as clothing, shoes, bags, accessories, fabrics, and materials at low and diverse prices. Dongdaemun Market consists of several shopping malls, each with its own unique products and atmosphere. When you visit Dongdaemun Market, you can enjoy 24 hours shopping as well as experience the history and culture of Seoul.
The history and location of Dongdaemun Market
Dongdaemun Market started as a market in 1905 during the Japanese colonial era, and is located next to Heunginjimun. Heunginjimun is the eastern gate of the Joseon Dynasty, designated as a national treasure. After the Korean War, the market grew bigger with the emergence of Pyeonghwa Market, and developed into a complex market complex in the 1990s. Dongdaemun Market is a market where wholesale and retail are done together, and is also known as a representative shopping destination in Korea for visitors from abroad.
The main shopping malls and features of Dongdaemun Market
Dongdaemun Market is composed of several shopping malls, each with different products and business hours.
1. Dongdaemun General Market
Dongdaemun General Market is a part of Dongdaemun Market, and is a large scale specialized market that sells fabrics, materials, accessories, etc. Dongdaemun General Market consists of Building A, B, C, and New Building (N), and each building has different products and business hours. Dongdaemun General Market is a place where you can buy materials for fashion production at low prices, and it is said that 80% of the fabrics traded in the domestic market pass through here.
The characteristics of each building of Dongdaemun General Market are as follows:
- Building A: It sells fabrics, hanbok fabrics, curtains, bedding, embroidery, dishes, curtains, carpets, threads, clothing materials, tailoring supplies, etc. The business hours are from 8 am to 6 pm, and it is closed on Sundays and holidays.
- Building B: It sells fabrics, lace, accessory materials, fashion items, etc. The business hours are from 9 am to 5 pm, and it is closed on Sundays and holidays.
- Building C: It sells fabrics, hanbok fabrics, curtains, bedding, embroidery, dishes, curtains, carpets, threads, clothing materials, tailoring supplies, etc. The business hours are from 8 am to 6 pm, and it is closed on Sundays and holidays.
- New Building (N): It sells fabrics, clothing materials, curtains, embroidery, bedding, etc. The business hours are from 8 am to 6 pm, and it is closed on Sundays and holidays.
Dongdaemun General Market is a 5 minute walk from Dongdaemun Station on Subway Line 1 and Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station on Subway Line 4. If you visit by car, parking fees can be expensive and parking spaces can be scarce, so it is better to use public transportation.
2. Pyeonghwa Market
Pyeonghwa Market is a clothing wholesale market concentrated in the Dongdaemun and Cheonggyecheon areas of Seoul, boasting a 56 years tradition. Pyeonghwa Market consists of three floors, and has a total of 2,070 stores. Pyeonghwa Market is a market that sells middle-aged women's clothing, sportswear, children's clothing, etc., at low prices and good quality.
Pyeonghwa Market originally operated at night to serve retailers as its main customers, and to allow them to display the goods they bought at Pyeonghwa Market the next day.
Pyeonghwa Market is open from 9 am to 5 pm, and is closed on Sundays and holidays.
Pyeonghwa Market was operated by small scale businesses mainly for handicrafts in the 1970s, with the cheap labor of urban poor and day laborers as its driving force. The poor working conditions at the time led to the protest by Jeon Tae-il, who was a member of the Cheonggye Apparel Workers' Union, through self-immolation. After Jeon Tae-il's self immolation, the shabby attics with poor working conditions were demolished, and the factories moved to the basement of residential areas in nearby Changsin-dong, Sungin-dong, and Sindang-dong.
Pyeonghwa Market is a 5 minutes walk from Dongdaemun Station on Subway Line 1 and Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station on Subway Line 4. If you visit by car, parking fees can be expensive and parking spaces can be scarce, so it is better to use public transportation.
Pyeonghwa Market is a clothing wholesale market in Seoul, where you can buy cheap and diverse products, and is a place worth recommending to those who are interested in fashion production.
3. Migliore
Migliore is a part of Dongdaemun Market, a large specialty market that sells jeans, casual clothes, sportswear and more. Migliore means 'the best' in Italian, and it opened its first store in Dongdaemun in 1998 and another one in Myeongdong in 2000.
Migliore is popular among young people, and you can buy various fashion items at low prices.
Migliore is open from 10 a.m. to 5 a.m. the next day, and it is closed on Mondays.
Migliore is located at a place where several subway lines intersect, such as Line 1, Line 2, Line 4, Line 5 and more. You can easily get there by getting off at Dongdaemun Station or Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station. If you visit by car, parking fees can be expensive and parking spaces can be scarce, so it is better to use public transportation.
Migliore is a part of Dongdaemun Market where you can buy jeans, casual clothes, sportswear and more at low prices. It is a place worth recommending to those who are interested in fashion production.
4. Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)
Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) is a complex cultural space located at Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station in Seoul, pursuing the starting point of design and creative industries. Opened on March 21, 2014, DDP is a space for conventions, exhibitions, performances, fashion shows and more, and it is the world's largest 3D irregular landmark building.
DDP was designed by Zaha Hadid, the first female Pritzker Architecture Prize winner, and Samoo Architects & Engineers, and it has an organic and dynamic form that reflects the history and culture of Dongdaemun.
DDP consists of the following main spaces:
- DDP Museum: A focal point for spreading the value of design to the world, it operates planned exhibitions and cooperative exhibitions, and hosts youth creator training projects and forums. DDP Museum is the only public design museum in Korea, which explores, researches, and exhibits the design value of Seoul, expands the domestic design field, and showcases contemporary global design contents.
- D - Forest: A place where anyone can become a designer, it is an open lounge with outstanding indoor architecture. It hosts various programs such as citizen participation exhibitions, lectures, performances and more, and it is a space where you can enjoy a break in the city while listening to sophisticated music.
- Design Showroom, Design Hall: Spaces that introduce universal design for everyone, they consist of UD Home, UD City, and a space where you can meet design value and inspiration. UD Home and City are permanent exhibition spaces where you can see the philosophy of universal design and the changes in future lifestyle.
- DDP Design Store: A project that discovers excellent design products and supports marketing and promotion for designers through online and offline platforms. It aims to rediscover the value of Seoul lifestyle and establish identity through design to spread the excellence of Seoul design and establish the international recognition of DDP Design Store brand.
- Seoul-On: A space for video conferences and non-face-to-face events that have increased due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. It is equipped with a super-large display, high resolution video equipment, latest sound and lighting facilities, and it has ancillary facilities such as general waiting room, VIP waiting room, locker room, interpretation room, control room, lounge. It is a space where you can host various types of online and offline events such as talk shows, forums, lectures and more.
- Media Art Gallery: A space where the past, present, and future of "Seoul Light", a media facade festival that represents Seoul, coexist. If you have watched Seoul Light as a citizen, you will be able to observe the works that were implemented on the huge facade of DDP more closely and intimately. If you missed the Seoul Light festival unfortunately, you will be able to enjoy imagining what the works looked like when they were implemented on DDP.
DDP operates from 10:00 to 20:00, and it is closed on January 1 / Lunar New Year's Day / Chuseok Day.
The best places to eat and see in Dongdaemun Market
Dongdaemun Market is one of the representative traditional markets in Seoul, where you can enjoy various restaurants and street food. If you are looking for the best places to eat in Dongdaemun Market, you have many options.
- There are many restaurants that specialize in whole chicken near Dongdaemun Market. Jin Ok hwa Halmoni Original Whole Chicken, Myeongdong Whole Chicken Main Branch, Jin Original Bosin Whole Chicken Main Branch, Original Won Halmae Whole Chicken, Gongneung Whole Chicken, Sijo Myeongdong Whole Chicken, Jin Original Whole Chicken and more. If you like spicy chicken stew, visit these places.
- You can also go to the grilled fish alley in Dongdaemun Market. There are many restaurants that sell grilled fish and spicy soup here. Jeonju Okdoljeong, Jeonju House, Songjeong Restaurant and more. Grilled fish and spicy soup are typical Korean snacks that go well with beer.
- If you want Chinese food, try Deokseonggak Old Jajang Hot Pepper Jjamppong or Honglimaratang.
- If you want Vietnamese food, try pho or rice noodles at Emoi Hyundai City Outlet Branch.
- If you want American food, you can enjoy burgers and shakes at Shake Shack Doota Branch. If you want steak, you can have a luxurious meal at BLT Steak.
Dongdaemun Market is a place where you can enjoy shopping and culture in Seoul at once, and it is a place worth recommending to many people. In Dongdaemun Market, you can enjoy various products, food, and attractions at low prices and conveniently. If you visit Dongdaemun Market, you can feel the history and culture of Seoul, and enjoy the pleasure of shopping. If you are interested in Dongdaemun Market, please visit it at least once.
