Early Morning Food Hunting at Gwanjang Market

That morning was the 1st of March,  initially our plan was just indulging ourselves with heart-healthy food and a bit of shopping before flying back to Singapore the next afternoon.

I decided to make a trip to Suwon which we cancelled on the second day because we went to Soraepogu instead after Fusion Hanbok photoshoot.

The day before, we found out from 1330 and KTO that we can visit Seodaemun Independence Park and Tapgol Park to know more about March 1st Movement Day.

Suwon City Tour starts at 10am, so we need to be there by 9:30 at latest because we didn't manage to book the tour online.

 Standing in front of Gwangjang Market at 6:30 am.

We took taxi here to minimize the time for walking up and down the subway stations and possibly facing difficulty to find the correct direction to get to Gwangjang Market.

History of Gwangjang Market - nation’s first permanent
traditional market which established in 1905.

We're at the West Gate, and to get to the  Food Zone
we have to walk to North Gate 2 or South Gate 1.

Hanbok~ Hanbok~~!! I want Hanbok~~~!!! 

 "Ehm... where are we now?!"

"Search me~!!!" (blur blur)

 "It's ok... I'll check it out myself!"

"Turn to right to Food Zone! See... clever me~!^^"

'The early bird catches the worm'

This pink bird was so disappointed for getting no warm food at Food Zone!!! ㅠㅠ

 Majeongyo (마전 = Horse Market) Underground Shopping Center...

 Opposite Cheonggyecheon Stream.

 

Finally found this restaurant that one of kind ahjussi recommended us

as we're wandering at the market, as he said other stalls not open so early. 

The problem is I don't really like to have these type of food for breakfast.

This Gwangjang Toast Bread was opened early, 

and few people were waiting for their orders.

Actually I wanted to buy, but hubby said should try 

some specialties in this Gwangjang market...

Hooray! Finally could see life at Food Zone when yellow bulbs were lighted...


  and vapor from the big pots with nice smell came from some of the stalls around 7:00 am.


But most of them still preparing and open for business yet
including this friendly stall owner.




Finally this shop was ready to serve us...


Japchae, Odaeng, Tteokbokki, bite-sized Gimbap, Sundae, Jokbal,...

 

I ordered small pack of Narcotic Gimbap.
Don't be scared of the name 'Mayak' (마약 = Drug) Gimbap.


Wanna try this cute Mayak Gimbap?
Dont worry! The ingredient has 0% narcotic in it, just pickled radish and carrot.
It's named Mayak Gimbap because it's just so addictive that you can't stop eating!

Pig's feet Jokbal (족발), Assorted Blood sausage Sundae (순대고기모듬) and liver (간)!

I only tried a bite of jokbal, and left the rest because I don't really fancy eating these pig's organs, especially after seeing the veins inside the liver. OMG! totally lost my appetite... Ok, let me just focus on my cute mini gimbap!

We'd Sundae in soup as our first meal on our first visit to Korea in 2012.

Forgot how much we paid... should be around 12,000 Won - $15,000 Won for Mayak Gimbap and these assorted plate of pig's organs and...

 

Free Seaweed soup (미역국 = Miyeok guk) as 'service'

   Happy face after had our breakfast.

just wanna take photos with these toilet tissue paper rolls ㅠㅠ


 Bindaetteok pancake is one of the speciality here...

We wanted to eat this, but the stall just opened after we'd our breakfast. We like this mug bean pancake after we had it at Seobichon Village in Yeongju.

Soy raw crabs (간장게장 = Ganjangejang) and

others fermented / marinated side dish.

 Gwangjang Market (광장시장)
88, Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea
서울특별시 종로구 창경궁로 88 (예지동)
 Operating Hours: 08:30-18:00

 Going to Jongno 5-ga Subway station
opposite Gwangjang Market.
See you in Suwon soon~^^

Related Posts:

~ Trazy Gwanjang Market

~ Suwon City Tour

[Seoul] - 월매네 Traditional Folk Pub

After watched 'My Love From Another Star', just checked my emails and browsed Facebook. Then looked left and right to see what're others customers doing there... Ah~! Please note that normally I'm not a nosy person, just that a bit boring sitting there and nothing to do :P

Horray~! My friend finally finished his work! And we just cleared our table and stepped out from the cafe around 20:45 pm. 

Although we'd danpatjuk earlier, but that couldn't be considered as our dinner. This miserable cold weather made me easily feel hungry. My friend asked whether I want to have Chinese food, Japanese or Korean food or McDonalds.

"Anything is fine, just no beef for me... if have Korean food with makgeolli better." just wanted to fill my tummy the soonest possible.

"Makgeolli, you want makgeolli?" he started to look around and 

found this 월매네 (Wolmaene) Makgeolli Tavern

with unique Gourd bottle signboard.

Korean Traditional painting covered the whole walls, 

made 월매네 reminiscent of Traditional Folk Pub.

Staircase behind cashier counter is leading to the attic.

Some of the customers enjoying their meals up there.

Graffiti, messages, names and signatures all over the walls...

very heartwarming atmosphere with Korean paintings, 

Chinese calligraphy, old wine bottles and dim lights.

There's a big television just beside the shelves. I watched for the fourth time of the same news of Sochi Olympics 2014, and reunion of hundreds of South and North Korean families for that day.

Menu List

Sweet and refreshing 알밤 막걸리 (Chestnut Rice Wine). 

They served makgeolli and a bowl of snack first. But we've to wait a bit longer for tteokbokki as they need time to prepare and cook it and added that it's quite crowded on that day.

Thought it's yummy, but it's super spicy that I almost burst out eating this  

낙지 떡뽂이 (Octopus Rice Cake), as my ears were in sharp pain 

(that's the reason why I seldom eat spicy food). 

But it's just normal spiciness for my friend. Really?! 

Then, he ordered 계란말이 (Omelette Egg Roll) for me with cheese, meat 

and vegetables with Ottogi ketchup sauce, quite similar to Heinz ketchup. 

 ㅎㅎ not spicy at all :P  

땡큐... 브로~! ^^

Jonggak Station Exit 4 

Related Posts:

~ [Seoul] - Chez Maak (셰막) Makgeolli House

~ [Jeonju] - Gain Makgeolli House (가인막걸리)

Just Jeju (Yakcheonsa, Cheonjeyeon, Jeongbang, Braised Hair Tail Fish)

Jeju Island is a volcanic island, dominated by Halla-san (Halla Mountain). Jeju Province was divided into two cities (si), Jeju and Seogwipo, and two counties (gun), Bukjeju (North Jeju) and Namjeju (South Jeju) respectively. In 2005, Jeju residents approved, by referendum, a proposal to merge Bukjeju County into Jeju City and Namjeju County into Seogwipo City.

Jeju's temperate climate, natural scenery, and beaches make it a popular tourist destination for South Koreans as well as visitors from other countries.

Our initial plan was to visit Jeju, Island of the God on the first day. But luckily we changed it to the second day, else we might have missed our flight as our flight from Singapore was delayed about 3 hours in Vietnam due to technical problem.

Jeju, here I come!!! 

We took a domestic flight T'Way Airlines from Gimpo Airport to Jeju Island. After checked in to Hotel Little France, we headed to Seogwipo area and quickly had our lunch.

It's yummy Braised Hair-tail Fish. Firstly, we didn't know what to choose, but we saw the table next to us had this tempting looking dish. So we asked to serve the same dish for us. I think this is quite popular dish in Jeju. After a while, a coach bus with about 30 locals came and dine there too.

Braised Hair-tail fish with banchan

Minimum order for Braised Hair Tail Fish is for 2 person

괸당네 갈치요리집 located around Chilsimni Food Street.

After filled up our tummy, we visited few popular tourist spots:

1. Jeongbang and Cheonjeyeon Waterfalls. 

2. Yakcheonsa Temple
    Measuring an impressive 30m high and spanning a total area of 3,305 meters squared, it is the
    largest temple in the East.

    Yakcheonsa has a Temple stay program offering an opportunity to look back on your life and
    experience traditional Buddhist culture. Upon joining the program, you may learn temple etiquette,
    take Yebul (Buddhist service), Chamseon (Zen meditation), Haengseong (walking meditation) and
    may also experience the life of a Buddhist practitioner.

5m-tall statue of Vairocana

Soft Amitofo chanting heard around the temple...

~May all living beings be happy and free from suffering~

3. Jungmun Beach.
    This video included Hyeopjae Beach (which I visited after came back from Udo Island).

Triangle Cave?!! 

Resting at Jungmun Resort after lost our ways wandering around

 Love you... my 2 kiddos!!!

waiting for bus back to Hotel after grabbed some Jeju tangerine and (super sweet) pineapple.

 
Hahaha... we didn't managed to find the restaurant that recommended
by Wingspoon although the hotel receptionist told us the direction ㅠㅠ

So, we just grabbed street foods. We tried almost everything from tteokbokki, grilled and fried food,...  and bought a bottle of soju from nearby convenience store.

That ended our second day in Korea... Will post more interesting places that we visited on Just Jeju (Part II). The next day, we went to Udo Island (please click the link for earlier posting) for 1 night before back to Jeju again.

For more information on direction to the locations, please check Visit Korea.

See ya~ Annyeong!

Related Posts:
~ Just Jeju (Hallim Park, Hyeopjae Beach, Biyangdo Island, Black Pork BBQ)
~ Just Jeju (Yeongduam Rock,  Geumneung Beach, Hyeopjae Beach)
~ Just Jeju (O'Sulloc Green Tea Museum, Jusangjeolli Cliffs)
~ Just Jeju (Oedolgae Rock, LoveLand, E-Mart Jeju)

~ How to go to Udo Island from Jeju?