Both sides of the Cheonggyecheon Stream are home to many of Seoul’s markets and shopping areas.

Both sides of the Cheonggyecheon Stream are home to many of Seoul’s markets and shopping areas.

Make yourself some handmade chocolate.

A few years ago, I remember visiting a Mongolian friend’s family’s home in Seoul. It was filled with chocolate, butter and a large amount of cheese. To be honest, many Koreans would probably find that difficult to image. Which markets did they go to, to buy all this stuff? Families with young children might be interested to hear about the markets I’m going to talk about today. It’s a great place to buy the ingredients to make shaved ice dessert, patbingsu (팥빙수), or bread, too.

Around Cheonggye 6-ga and Euljiro 5-ga, you can find all kinds of markets.

Around Cheonggye 6-ga and Euljiro 5-ga, you can find all kinds of markets.

Before long, the holidays of Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, and White Day, March 14, will be back. Those who think that some sumptuous chocolate would be a great gift on either of those holidays should go to one of the market’s I’m going to introduce today. The markets I’m going to introduce today are Bangsan Market (방산 시장) and Gwangjang Market (광장 시장), which face each other across central Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon Stream (청계 천).

Bangsan Market and Gwangjang Market (광장 시장) are located on either side of the Cheonggyecheon Stream.

Bangsan Market and Gwangjang Market (광장 시장) are located on either side of the Cheonggyecheon Stream.

Bangsan Market is a great place to buy ingredients, tools and materials to make chocolate and to bake, and for packing materials. Gwangjang Market is famous for traditional Hanbok attire, toys and home decorations and for street food.

Gwangjang Market is well known for its Hanbok stores. A standard Hanbok for an adult woman can go for around KRW 350,000.

Gwangjang Market is well known for its Hanbok stores. A standard Hanbok for an adult woman can go for around KRW 350,000.

First, let’s visit the famous Bakery Alley of Bangsan Market. Walk along the part of the market that faces Gwangjang Market across the Cheonggyecheon Stream, and head toward the corner of Bangsan Market. There is Bakery Alley, with stores that sell everything from peanuts and almonds through to the ingredients to make chocolate, such as raw cocoa.

Bangsan Market’s Bakery Alley sells everything you need to bake or to make some handmade chocolate at home.

Bangsan Market’s Bakery Alley sells everything you need to bake or to make some handmade chocolate at home.

Chocolate costs roughly KRW 1,000 per 100 grams. A 2 kilogram pack of Philadelphia Cream Cheese goes for around KRW 23,000 and the sauce for red bean sherbet (팥빙수) goes for about KRW 14,000 per 5 kilograms.

Red bean sauce for shaved ice desserts goes for about KRW 14,000 per 5 kilograms.

Red bean sauce for shaved ice desserts goes for about KRW 14,000 per 5 kilograms.

Hand-knitted scarves, tuques, neck warmers and sweaters are available at a gwangmyeong mosa boutique (광명 모사), or a “bright wool” boutique, along the Cheonggyecheon Stream. The middle set goes for around KRW 300’000 and the right-hand set for about KRW 150’000.

Hand-knitted scarves, tuques, neck warmers and sweaters are available at a gwangmyeong mosa boutique (광명 모사), or a “bright wool” boutique, along the Cheonggyecheon Stream. The middle set goes for around KRW 300’000 and the right-hand set for about KRW 150’000.

If we look the market, there are all sorts of woolen products and towels available at reasonable prices. There’s also a section that sells candles wholesale.

Chests and boxes inlaid with mother-of-pearl are available at Gwangjang Market.

Chests and boxes inlaid with mother-of-pearl are available at Gwangjang Market.

The second market I’m going to introduce today is one of the most representative traditional markets of the country. It sells everything from food to run-of-the-mill clothes to traditional ornaments, and it’s always filled with tourists. A lot of stores also sell traditional Hanbok attire, mostly to Korean couples getting ready for their wedding.

These doors lead up to the second floor where there’s an array of shops that sell traditional ornaments normally used for one’s wedding.

These doors lead up to the second floor where there’s an array of shops that sell traditional ornaments normally used for one’s wedding.

Today, I’m going to talk about the price and appearance of traditional women’s wear, traditional children’s clothing, traditional jewelry and traditional hand bags. Note, however, that in such markets prices are not fixed. There are more expensive ones and cheaper ones both available.

A pair of wooden ducks, required at most weddings, goes for around KRW 20,000.

A pair of wooden ducks, required at most weddings, goes for around KRW 20,000.

This market is Gwangjang Market, and it’s most famous for its Hanbok and for its traditional ornaments, furniture and bedding. The tables inlaid with mother-of-pearl are beautifully displayed in the windows.

Hanbok for children between about 1 and 2 years old goes for around KRW 35,000.

Hanbok for children between about 1 and 2 years old goes for around KRW 35,000.

Finally, and most importantly, we can’t forget about the food. Just about any food you’ve seen on the streets of Korea can be found at Gwangjang Market. Handmade dumpling soup or chopped noodles go for about KRW 5,000 per bowl, which is cheap and plenty. Pigs’ feet in barbecue sauce (족발), savory pancakes (빈대떡), rice cake and blood noodle sausage (순대) are all available here.

As dusk falls, the banks of the Cheonggyecheon Stream are lit with the brilliant lights of the two markets.

By An Sang-young
Korea.net Honorary Reporter
Photos: An Sang-young