Top 5 Night Markets in Seoul for Your Shopping Fix

Seoul does not slow down when the sun sets. Across the city, traditional markets, fashion districts and street-food areas continue drawing shoppers and hungry travellers well into the evening.

Some places specialise in late-night clothing and accessories, while others are better known for sizzling mung bean pancakes, rice cakes and freshly prepared Korean snacks. Seasonal markets also appear beside the Hangang River and at major public spaces, although their locations and schedules change from year to year.

From Dongdaemun’s fashion malls to the food stalls of Gwangjang Market, here are some of Seoul’s best markets to explore after dark.

1. Hangang Moonlight Market

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Seoul occasionally hosts the Hangang Moonlight Market, a seasonal event featuring food trucks, handmade goods and performances beside the Han River.

The market developed from the former Seoul Bamdokkaebi Night Market, but it no longer follows the fixed 2019 schedule or operates simultaneously at all the locations listed in the original article.

Recent editions have taken place at parks such as Banpo and Yeouido, with dates, operating days and programmes changing each year.

When the market is running, visitors can expect food trucks serving Korean and international dishes, booths selling products by independent makers and entertainment against the backdrop of the Hangang River.

Check the Seoul Metropolitan Government or Visit Seoul event calendar before travelling, as the market may only operate during selected weeks and is not guaranteed to return to the same venue each year.

2. Dongdaemun Night Market

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Dongdaemun is Seoul’s best-known late-night fashion district, with shopping malls, wholesale centres and speciality stores spread across the streets surrounding Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

Opening hours differ considerably between buildings. Some retail malls operate mainly during the day and evening, while selected wholesale fashion centres open at night and continue trading into the early morning.

Check the latest hours for the specific mall you intend to visit rather than assuming that the entire district remains open until 5am.

Be sure to step out of these retail enclosures. The space gleams with neon and the air fills with loud music — the outdoor stage comes to live with regular dance performances and concerts. And then, there is more shopping to be done.

The Open Market

The Open Market, often recognised by their bright yellow tents, draws in crowds to the quiet streets at 10pm with endless rows of leather apparels and shoes, bags, souvenirs and other items that are sold at discounted rates. The Open Market is just one outdoor shopping outlet that is located near Exit #4 of Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station.

Pyounghwa Fashion Town

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A walk along the Cheonggyecheon Stream at 9pm will bring you to Pyounghwa Fashion Town that has been known for selling fashion clothing and accessories since the end of the Korean War. According to the official Korean Tourism website, North Korean refugees in 1953 began selling clothes made from army uniforms of American soldiers. In the hope of survival through such means, their market was named Pyounghwa, that translates to peace, in faith that no more wars will occur in the country.

Divided into four districts — Gu Pyounghwa, Shin Pyounghwa, Dong Pyounghwa and Cheong Pyounghwa, the Pyounghwa Fashion Town is a historic fashion venue that sparked the growth of the shopping district of Dongdaemun we know of today. All outdoor markets also close around 5am.

3. Myeongdong Night Market

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Myeongdong is probably a name that is all too common, but it still deserves a mention. After all, it is one of the most popular areas patronised by tourists visiting Seoul for the first time. Well, why not? Myeongdong is home to two anchor department stores — Lotte and Shinsegae — and many stores line the area selling clothes and accessories. The area is also famous for its cosmetic line-up. You will be able to find every Korean cosmetic brand in Myeongdong!

But that aside, let’s talk about food, shall we?

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At around 5pm, street vendors set up their stalls for the night market along the main street. Here, you can find all sorts of Korean street food — tteokbokki, Korean fried chicken, baked chestnuts, Korean egg bread called gyeranbbang, and much more. The stalls here close earlier around 10pm unlike the other markets but that should not deter you from exploring it.

4. Namdaemun Night Market

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Namdaemun is another open-air market that sees crowds at both day and night from 10am to 5am. It is said that you can find anything that you need here — clothing, handicrafts, accessories, shoes, hardware, electronic appliances and what not. But of course, that list misses out one important commodity — food! While most stores open all night, some vendors work according to their own hours, and a lot of shops may not be open on Sundays.

The shopping spaces in Namdaemun are not necessarily outdoors. There are shopping centres like Sungyemun Imported Goods Shopping Centre that sells, as its name suggests, imported goods like electronic appliances and other miscellaneous goods; Daedo Shopping Centre that sells anything from imported goods, men, women and children clothing, and food to natural and artificial flowers; Daedo Arcade for children clothing such as jeans, T-shirts and shoes at affordable prices. These are just a few!

You can also check out the Mesa Shopping Centre that was the first shopping mall built in the district. With 32 floors with 9 underground, the family shopping mall also offers dining avenues at any of the 50 over restaurants that cater traditional Korean cuisines as well as fusion feasts. Be sure to check out the restaurant on the 16th floor that gives a brilliant view of the Namsan Mountain and Seoul N Tower. The mall is opened from 10am to 5am, and is closed on the first and third Sundays of each month.

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The food stalls that line the streets in Namdaemun’s food alley offer a wide range of dishes such as dried cuttlefish, anchovy and octopus, braised scabbard fish, chopped noodles, dumpling and shellfish soup, skillet-fried mung-bean pancake, bibimbap and many other interesting delicacies. The Restaurant Alley also boasts a great range of Korean restaurants!

5. Gwangjang Market

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The oldest market in Seoul, Gwangjang Market, established in 1905, is a popular go-to place among Korean shoppers, yet it is still lesser known to tourists. Gwangjang Market is situated at the corner from Dongdaemun Gate. If you had been shopping at Dongdaemun, you should take a kilometre walk down to this traditional Korean market.

While the higher level boasts a splendid collection of fabrics and textiles (the market is known for selling the traditional Korean attire, hanbok), the street level is equally enticing when night falls — the food alleyway, meokja-golmok, opens up for both the fabric sellers and foodies touring around the area.

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From freshly cooked noodles and dumplings, tantalising meat and seafood to Korean mung bean pancakes (bindaetteok) and spicy rice cakes (tteokbokki), the food alleyway is like a food haven, with steam rising out from each of the tiny kitchens, all busy preparing delicious Korean street food for their eager and hungry visitors. Fresh sashimi anyone? You can have some beer or soju with it too!

The market is open all night — so if there is still time on you after exploring Dongdaemun, give this market a try!

If you’ve visited Seoul often enough, do you know of more exciting night markets not mentioned here? Share your experiences with us — you’d excite many more travellers, we bet!