Gwangjang Market in Jongno is one of the oldest and largest traditional markets in Seoul, but its reputation rests on food. The main covered food hall is a long corridor of vendors selling bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes), tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), japchae (glass noodles with vegetables), and mayak gimbap — small sesame-rice rolls flavoured with mustard and soy. The vendors have been selling the same things from the same stalls for decades, and the quality is consistently excellent.
Come hungry and eat at the counter directly in front of whichever stall appeals. The beer and makgeolli available from the adjacent vendors pair well with the bindaetteok. The textile section of the market — where you can buy traditional Korean fabrics, hanboks, and dressmaking supplies — is a separate pleasure.