Streets for Night Time Snacks – Gangnam, Markets

Seoul arguably contains the most 24-hour restaurants in the world. It is the city where you can taste Korean traditional authentic food, not to mention fast food like hamburgers and noodles, every hour of every day; a fact not associated with Koreans love of dining out. In truth it is more related to the fact that Koreans tend to work late and relieve their stress by eating and drinking. Time is not an issue when you want to taste Korean food such as beef ribs, raw crabs pickled in soy sauce, broiled cattle intestines, stir-fried octopus, spicy steamed anglerfish, and more.

Pro Soy Crab (Crabs with the Taste of Korean Soy Sauce)

Pro Soy Crab still uses the soy sauce its owner made 26 years ago for a consistent taste. The soy sauce used in Pro Soy Crab is referred to as “jeopjang” and is patented. The restaurant boasts food of fine taste and quality as it uses crabs caught in Korea only. Pro Soy Crab is popular among Japanese visitors due to the restaurant being featured on the Japanese TV network TV Asahi.

Exit 4, Sinsa Station, Subway Line 3

82-2-543-4126

24 hours

Raw crabs pickled in soy sauce for 50,000 won (2 crabs), broiled octopus with hot pepper sauce and vegetables for 25, 000 won

Masan Agujjim, Store No. (1Spicy Steamed Anglerfish)

Boasting 30 years of history, Masan Agujjim is famous for its spicy steamed anglerfish seasoned with hot pepper sauce and mixed with a variety of vegetables, including bean sprouts and Japanese parsley. This is the right place to go if you love spicy food.

Exit 4, Sinsa Station, Subway Line 3

82-2-543-4126

24 hours

Raw crabs pickled in soy sauce for 50,000 won (2 crabs), broiled octopus with hot pepper sauce and vegetables for 25, 000 won

Jagalchi Sijang (Joy of Dining in a Bustling Restaurant)

Jagalchi Sijang is a tented restaurant that serves all kinds of seafood, such as sushi, spicy fish stew, grilled fish, and fish cakes (or odeng in Japanese); along with stir-fried pork.

Exit 4, Sinsa Station, Subway Line 3

82-2-546-8546

17:00~ 07:30 the following morning

Assorted seafood for 38,000 won and others in various price ranges

Gopchang Street near the Seoul National University of Education
(Broiled Cattle Intestines Served Only in Korea)

Cattle intestines, or “gopchang” in Korean, are no ordinary food ingredient as their preparation requires special techniques. The area around Seoul National University of Education, near Exit 14 of Seoul Nat’l University of Education Station, on Subway Line 2 or 3, is famous for broiled cattle intestine dishes. The stir-fried rice served after you finish your gopchang is a must-taste. Among the many restaurants, Gyodae Gopchang and Geobuk Gopchang are particularly famous. Gopchang for 1 is priced at 15,000 won and stir-fried rice at 2,000 won.

Exit 14, Seoul National University of Education Station, Subway Lines 2 or 3

Gyodae Gopchang 82-2-3474-9167
Geobuk Gopchang 82-2-586-0032

until 1:00 a.m.

Jinhalmae Whole Chicken in Dongdaemun Market (An Affordable and Yet Unique Chicken Dish)

Boasting 30 years of history, this restaurant serves soup containing a whole chicken. With reasonable prices and a friendly atmosphere, the restaurant is crowded with people who come to taste the famous dish.

Dongdaemun Station, Subway Line 1

82-2-2275-9666

10:00~22:30

One whole chicken for 13, 000, noodles for 2,000 won

Nanjeon in Gwangjang Market

Gwangjang Market is the oldest traditional market in Korea. While it is famous as a wholesale fabric market, it is also well known for its various restaurants of affordable prices. The array of small restaurants inside the market serves unique dishes of their devising.

Exit 8, Jongno 5(o)-ga Station, Subway Line 2

82-2-586-0032

07:00~22:00 (closed on Sunday)

Cattle intestine stew for one for 15,000 won, fried rice for 2,000 won

“Naegohyang” in Namdaemun Market

Situated in an alley in one of the leading traditional markets in Korea, Namdaemun Market, the restaurant “Naegohyang” is much sought after for its scabbard boiled with radish in soy sauce and served in an earthen bowl. This is one of those unique treats you will regret not trying.

Exit 5, Hoehyeon Station, Subway Line 4

82-2-752-7954

07:00~19:00

Scabbard boiled in soy sauce for two for 10,000 won