Before traveling to Seoul, South Korea on a fun-filled weeklong vacation, I had read that Dongdaemun District was considered a great shopping and tourist destination in the city. Little did I know that Dongdaemun was actually a massive 24-hour shopping behemoth of its own situated inside Seoul’s bustling metropolis. That’s right, it was a city within a city! .
Covering 5 shopping districts across a whopping 10 blocks, Dongdaemun Market sold everything from clothes, fashion accessories, makeup, electronics and books, to sporting equipment, pet animals, office supplies, and mouthwatering Korean cuisine and street snacks. Cool, right? Thank God I decided to grab a hostel in the heart of Dongdaemun during my trip.
But first, let’s backtrack: The first item that caught my eye during my stay in Dongdaemun was Heunginjimun Gate, also known as Dongdaemun East Gate. I learned that the gate was originally built in 1398 and was once one of the two largest fortress gates in Seoul that were primarily used to defend against enemies during the Joseon Dynasty.
Today, Dongdaemun Gate is viewed as an ancient treasure, and thus, has become a popular tourist attraction. That means you are allowed to examine its outer, semicircular brick wall—dubbed Ongseong—and its highly decorative roof, Ujingak, which consist of four sided eaves, up close. It was pretty cool catching sight of such a historical monument parked right in the middle of a lively intersection. I haven’t seen anything like that in the US that I can remember.
Next up was taking a leisurely stroll throughout Dongdaemun, where I stumbled upon plenty of wholesale suppliers, towering department stores, boutiques, densely packed alleyways selling goods, and of course, local restaurants.
I managed to explore Dongdaemun on three separate occasions and around three different times, and during each visit I found a seemingly endless number of locals and tourists alike carrying huge trash bags stuffed with goods.
Additionally, lining the streets were piles upon piles of large bags waiting to be delivered to customers. I had never seen anything like that before!
Located throughout the small alleyways were tons of small to large restaurants serving up everything from delicious street snacks such as gimbap, spicy rice cake, fish cake skewers, barbecue, and fried squid, to burgers, sushi, and kimchin dishes.
Furthermore, with so many shoppers moving in and around the region, one of the more memorable experiences of my trips to Dongdaemun was stopping at a bustling intersection located in front of the Nuzzon building. Therein lied hundreds of people crossing the street in every direction.
Don at Shibuya intersection in Tokyo, Japan.
The scene greatly reminded me of the Shibuya crossing in Tokyo, Japan, which is the busiest intersection in the world. It’s definitely a place you’ll want to stop by if you’re an avid photographer
My trip to Dongdaemun was awesome!
Important Tourist Stops in Dongdaemun District:
Dongdaemun Fashion Town
Pyeonghwa Market
Dongdaemun Shopping Complex (Exit 7)
Haeunginjimun Gate
Dongdaemun History & Culture Park
Dongdaemun Fashion Town
Pyeonghwa Market
Dongdaemun Shopping Complex (Exit 7)
Haeunginjimun Gate
Dongdaemun History & Culture Park
Hours: 10:30-5am, some stores open 24hrs, some closed on Mondays & holidays.
Directions to Dongdaemun District in Seoul: Hop on Subway Line 1 or 4 to Dongdaemun Station. Take Exit 7.
Directions to Dongdaemun District in Seoul: Hop on Subway Line 1 or 4 to Dongdaemun Station. Take Exit 7.
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