Gwangjang Market Is Booming With Tourists — But Know This Before You Go

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If you search for things to do in Seoul, there is a good chance Gwangjang Market will appear somewhere near the top.

Netflix food shows, YouTube travel videos, TikTok clips of sizzling mung bean pancakes, rows of gimbap, steaming tteokbokki and plates of raw beef have helped turn one of Seoul’s oldest markets into an international tourist destination.

And the interest is real.

Global Google searches for “Gwangjang Market” have surged in 2026, while foreign visitors are increasingly adding traditional markets to their Korea itineraries.

But there is something visitors should know before they go.

Gwangjang Market has also faced repeated controversies over prices, aggressive sales practices and service — including complaints involving foreign visitors.

That does not mean you should skip the market.

It means you should visit it with your eyes open.

Why Gwangjang Market Became So Famous

Gwangjang Market is not a tourist attraction invented for Instagram.

Its history stretches back more than a century. Established in the early 1900s, it became Korea’s first permanent traditional market and remains a working marketplace selling textiles, hanbok, bedding, groceries, vintage clothing and much more.

Food, however, is what made it internationally famous.

Walk through the food alleys and you will see enormous mung bean pancakes frying in oil, rolls of mayak gimbap lined up on trays, tteokbokki bubbling in red sauce and vendors slicing sundae, Korea’s blood sausage.

Yukhoe — Korean-style raw beef — is another specialty associated with the area.

For a first-time visitor, it can feel like someone compressed dozens of Korean street-food experiences into a few crowded alleys.

That energy is genuinely part of its appeal.

But There Is Another Side to the Story

This is where many travel guides stop.

We won’t.

Gwangjang Market has faced several highly publicized disputes over pricing and selling practices.

In one case that drew widespread attention in 2025, a customer said she ordered an 8,000-won serving of sundae but was asked to pay 10,000 won after meat she had not requested was added to the dish. The stall disputed aspects of the accusation, but the controversy became large enough that the merchants’ association temporarily suspended the business.

Then, in April 2026, another controversy erupted after a Myanmar-born creator visiting with a Russian friend was reportedly charged 2,000 won for bottled water at a food stall.

The incident attracted particular attention because free drinking water is extremely common in Korean restaurants.

These stories understandably make travelers nervous.

But there is an important distinction to make:

A problem involving some vendors does not mean every merchant at Gwangjang Market behaves this way.

Hundreds of people make their living there, and it would be unfair to label an entire century-old market because of individual incidents.

At the same time, pretending the controversies never happened would not help travelers either.

Seoul Is Trying to Fix the Problem

The controversy has not simply been ignored.

Seoul and Jongno District have introduced measures intended to improve transparency, including displaying quantities alongside menu prices and monitoring vendors.

In May 2026, authorities announced another round of inspections covering roughly 260 shops and food stalls.

Both Korean and foreign “mystery shoppers” were brought in to check for problems including overcharging, aggressive selling, unfair treatment of foreign customers, poor service and hygiene issues.

That tells you two things at once.

The problems have been serious enough to require official attention.

But there is also an active effort to improve the market.

How to Enjoy Gwangjang Market Without Regretting It

You do not need to walk through the market suspicious of everyone.

Just shop the same way a careful Korean customer would.

Check the price before ordering.

If the price or portion is unclear, ask before sitting down or accepting the food.

Confirm what you ordered.

If additional meat, side dishes, drinks or other items appear, do not assume they are complimentary. Ask whether there is an extra charge.

Look for clearly displayed menus.

Transparent pricing makes the experience easier for everyone.

Cards are generally accepted, but confirm before ordering if payment matters to you.

Official tourism information lists card payment as available at Gwangjang Market, although individual stalls and circumstances can vary.

And perhaps most importantly:

You do not have to eat at the first stall someone calls you toward.

Walk around. Look at the food. Look at the prices. See where locals are sitting. Then choose.

There are plenty of options.

Prefer Exploring with a Local Guide?

If you would rather discover Gwangjang Market through a guided food experience, Creatrip lists a group tour focused on Korean street food and traditional market culture, with English support. Review the itinerary, food options, tour length, and booking conditions before reserving.

Explore the Gwangjang Market Food Tour on Creatrip →

Affiliate disclosure: This section contains an affiliate link. HEAF may earn a commission if you book through it, at no additional cost to you.

So, Is Gwangjang Market Worth Visiting?

Yes — with some perspective.

The market is historically important, visually chaotic, delicious, crowded and undeniably touristy in parts.

You can eat a freshly fried bindaetteok, try yukhoe, wander upstairs looking for vintage clothing and experience a kind of market atmosphere that is difficult to reproduce in a modern shopping mall.

But Gwangjang Market should not be treated like a perfectly curated theme park version of Korea.

It is a real market.

And real places can have both wonderful traditions and problems that need fixing.

Perhaps that is actually a more useful way to experience Korea.

Enjoy what deserves to be enjoyed.

Know what to watch for.

And if something does not feel right, it is perfectly okay to walk away.

That is advice many Koreans would follow too.