Namdaemun Market Gourmand Alley (Kalguksu Alley) (남대문시장 먹자골목(칼국수 골목)) - Area information - Korea travel information

Namdaemun Market Gourmand Alley (Kalguksu Alley) (남대문시장 먹자골목(칼국수 골목))

2.0Km    2023-11-06

42-1, Namdaemunsijang 4-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Namdaemun Market is a massive market in Seoul filled with history and traditions. In the market, there is a place where people can dine without worrying about time or money, in an unmistakably Korean atmosphere, and that is the Gourmand Alley (Kalguksu Alley). The alley is lined with stalls selling similar fare, and people sit down in front of them, shoulder to shoulder, to enjoy their meal. Namdaemun Market’s Gourmand Alley specializes in noodle soup and steamed barley rice sets. The latter is a mixture of rice and barley, which is then steamed together. Its call to popularity is the nutty flavor imparted by barley. It has a healthy taste like no other, so make sure to check it out. Each order often comes with two or three separate menus (noodle soup, steamed rice, cold buckwheat noodles, etc.), along with a sumptuous array of side dishes like kimchi. Because this spot is beloved by diners of all ages, one often has to wait to get one’s turn during meal hours or on weekends. Keep in mind that the alley’s age often manifests itself in its crowdedness and lower attention to hygiene.
Another thing to note is that first-time visitors often find it difficult to find the entrance to the alley. The entrance is the transparent plastic door right next to “Segye-ro Eyeglasses Shop,” which can be found right across from Exit 5 of Hoehyeon Station on Seoul Subway Line 4. The door is rather small and difficult to find, but once you enter the doorway, you will immediately see the stalls unfolding in front of your eyes. 

TV program “Life Masters (2005-)”
TV program “A Walk Around the Neighborhood (2018-2022)”

Gungnara Naengmyeon Mukbap (궁나라냉면묵밥)

2.0Km    2017-04-12

6, Jibong-ro 12-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-744-4701

Gungnara Naengmyeon Mukbap originally opened in Ansan, serving up delicious meals of naengmyeon and mukbap. The restaurant became popular, and eventually moved to its current location in Seoul. The jiggly acorn jelly goes well wit the sweet and sour broth in mukbap, a favorite summer-time dish. Visitors can also order the dish with a warm broth for a delicious and healthy dish year round.

The Dresser(더 드레서)

2.0Km    2025-05-21

서울특별시 중구 정동길 43 (정동)

The National Folk Museum's Korean Folk Performances for Visitors (국립민속박물관 우리민속한마당)

2.0Km    2021-07-07

37, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
• 1330 Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese) • For more info: +82-2-3704-3114

The National Folk Museum is the leading museum depicting Korean folk culture that attracts 3 million visitors every year. Every Saturday, the museum offers free performances where Korean music, traditional dance, martial arts, and mask plays are performed for Korean and international spectators to illustrate Korea’s major seasonal events, special exhibitions, and traditional intangible cultures.

Jeongdong Theater (국립 정동극장)

2.0Km    2024-06-19

43 Jeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
+82-2-751-1500

Jeongdong Theater is located along Deoksugung Stone Wall Path and serves as a cultural hub for local citizens. Opened in 1995, Jeongdong Theater is historically significant as it was established to restitute the legacy of Wongaksa, the first modern theater in Korea. Jeongdong Theater features numerous critically-acclaimed productions, such as “Traditional Art Performance,” “Masters Exhibition,” and “Art Frontier,” as well as programs like “Art Stage at Noon” that are geared toward the general public. As a result, Jeongdong Theater has become one of Korea's representative traditional arts performance theaters and was designated as a Seoul Future Heritage in 2015.

The theater successfully held the performance “Miso” in 2010, featuring the traditional musical "Love Songs from Chunhyang," written and created by Jeongdong Theater. The musical attracted many international visitors from all over the world, passing on Korean cultural values and beauty, as well as gaining the attention of critics worldwide. In addition, the theater also produced "The 2nd Story of Miso: Baebijang-jeon," offering a modern interpretation of the fundamental values found in Korea's culture and art.

National Folk Museum of Korea (국립민속박물관)

2.0Km    2019-03-19

37, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Located inside Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Folk Museum of Korea presents historical artifacts that were used in the daily lives of Korean people in the past. Through the displays, visitors can learn about the domestic and agricultural lifestyles, as well as Korea’s cultural beliefs.

The National Folk Museum of Korea has three permanent exhibitions and two special exhibitions as well as a library, souvenir shop, and other subsidiary facilities.

National Folk Museum of Korea Children’s Museum (국립민속박물관 어린이박물관)

2.0Km    2019-03-18

37, Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3704-4540, 4524

The Children’s Museum is a hands-on experience museum run by the National Folk Museum of Korea. A variety of visual aids and assembly models allow children to touch and feel pieces and experience folk history in an interactive way. The theme of the exhibitions consists of folk clothing, food, shelter, social life, and entertainment. The museum has a number of interactive spaces including a table set for an ancestral ritual, magnet miniatures depicting a baby’s first birthday, and an area where young visitors can build a folk house. Young learners can also create an avatar wearing in Hanbok, make kimchi using visual aids, or play gonu (a traditional board game). The museum also collects, preserves, and maintains relics and historical items related to youth and youth culture.

The Great Full Moon Festival (정월대보름 한마당)

2.0Km    2025-02-05

37 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
+82-2-3704-3106

The National Folk Museum is celebrating the first full moon of the Lunar new year, Jeongwol Daeboreum. A variety of experiences are prepared to eliminate bad luck and pray for prosperity and health. The event provides a chance for locals and tourists alike to learn more about the traditional culture of Korea.

Hanaro Optics [Tax Refund Shop] (하나로안경원)

2.0Km    2024-04-19

48, Namdaemunsijang 4-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

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Hwanghak-dong Flea Market (Dokkaebi Market / Manmul Market) (황학동 벼룩시장 (도깨비시장/만물시장))

2.0Km    2025-04-11

11-7 Majang-ro 5-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul

Hwanghak-dong Flea Market was named after the way how merchants travel from one place to another all over the country, as if like fleas hopping around from one spot to another, to collect rare and valuable items. This market was once a haven of antiques and collectibles, but with the formation of old-fashioned art street in 1983 in Janganpyeong, many classic art shops had moved out, leaving only used item and general goods stores. Now, visitors can find stores selling antiques, used furniture, electronics, clocks, jewelry, musical instruments, camera, and machinery – pretty much anything one can name. Hwanghak-dong Flea Market is also referred to as Dokkaebbi Market, to describe how even the most rundown items become just like new, as if like the work of a dokkaebi (Korean folk goblin).