Seoul Gwangjang Market Street Food Walking and Tasting tour
Description
Discover Seoul’s traditional culture, hidden alleys, and famous street food on this guided walking tour. Explore Insadong, known for its traditional Korean art, antique shops, and local crafts, while learning about Seoul’s history from your expert guide. Stroll through the charming hanok streets of Ikseon-dong Hanok Village, where historic Korean houses meet trendy cafés and modern culture. Continue to Gwangjang Market, one of Seoul’s oldest traditional markets, and taste a variety of authentic Korean street foods while exploring its lively atmosphere and rich culinary heritage. Browse colorful food stalls, local snacks, textiles, and handmade goods as you experience everyday Korean culture. Please note: This tour includes several Korean street food tastings but does not provide a full meal. The largest tastings are served toward the end of the tour, so we recommend eating lightly beforehand.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Insadong is a cultural neighborhood located in the heart of Seoul, South Korea. It is known for its traditional Korean architecture, art galleries, handicraft shops, tea houses, and traditional Korean restaurants. Insadong is a popular destination for both locals and tourists alike, and is particularly famous for its art scene. The neighborhood is home to numerous art galleries and studios, showcasing both traditional and contemporary Korean art. In addition to its art scene, Insadong is also known for its traditional handicrafts. Visitors can find a variety of unique and handmade items, such as pottery, calligraphy brushes, and traditional Korean paper. Another highlight of Insadong is its traditional Korean tea houses, which offer a peaceful respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. These tea houses serve a variety of teas and traditional Korean snacks, and are a great way to experience Korean culture and hospitality.
Gwangjang Market is a popular traditional market located in the Jongno-gu district of Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the oldest and largest markets in the city, and has been in operation since 1905. The market is known for its wide variety of traditional Korean foods and textiles. Visitors can find numerous food stalls and restaurants serving popular Korean dishes such as bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes), tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), and bibimbap (mixed rice bowl). Gwangjang Market is particularly famous for its selection of Korean street food, and is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- A minimum of 4 people are required for the group tour. If the minimum group size is not met, you will be notified by email 3 days before departure with a full refund. For specific departure date requirements, we recommend confirming group status with customer service in advance.
Reviews(14)
Mitch was a great tour guide. He was very personable and knowledgeable about the areas he went into. 10/10 would recommend him as a tour guide to family and friends.
Thank you for choosing SA Tour for your South Korean trip. We are glad to hear that you have enjoyed our tour, please keep us in mind when you book your next trip!
Food is not delicious at all. The seller is not friendly 😒
Dear guest, thank you for your feedback. We apologize for any unpleasant experience. The friendliness of the shops within the attraction and the deliciousness of the food are beyond our assessment. We will ask the guide to improve the condition of the recommended restaurant and provide a more pleasant experience.
The guide was so nice and kind!!😍 It was a sorching hot day, but he did his best and his explanationed the history really nice. He also kindly answered all my questions!
The streets are amazing. There are lots of small markets. We ate well. Lots of different choices. Great, really.
Be prepared to walk ~ 5k (3.1 miles) and learn less about food and more about the neighborhood. I booked the tour as part of the Seoul Go Pass but felt slightly disappointed. I thought the tour could have been improved tremendously. I was expecting more information and explanations on Korean food and less on the art/cultural aspects of the neighborhood. There was not much when it came to food tasting, so don't expect much. We walked through Isa-dong, a really neat neighborhood, but we didn't get time to understand or see the food. A simple improvement could have been going into an actual tea house and having tea instead of just quickly walking through the area and looking at artwork. It would have been nice to spend half an hour tasting tea at a traditional tea house instead of looking at a menu from one of the tea houses. Our first tasting was "poop bread" at the poop-themed cafe. It was tasty, and the theme was interesting, but overall, it was immature for the audience in our group. I can see how it is funny or "instagram-able", but it wasn't the right vibe or experience we sought during a food tour. The second tasting was rice cake at a vendor. We were given an explanation of why rice cake was important, which was somewhat useful/interesting. The third tasting was fish cakes at some local street vendor. It was explained to us that this was a popular meal during the wintertime. There was no history of where it came from, the different kinds of fish cakes, and why it became part of Korean culture. The last tasting was fried pancakes, pickled onions, and tteokbokki at the "Netflix" famous restaurant. We were given a brief lesson on some etiquette at the dinner table, which was nice. The food overall was just so-so and disappointing. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this tour to a friend.
Alan Han was very personable and knowledgeable. He took his time with us, allowed for many questions. The street food and browsing of the shops was my favorite part. Would recommend!
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience with Alan Han! We're thrilled to hear that his expertise and patience made your tour memorable. If you have any more questions or need assistance in the future, feel free to reach out. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!
Very crowded with locals and tourists. Prices have increased for the merchandise. Cheaper food can be found in a small lane near to Euligiro 4ga exit 4 but the store owners speak Korean only. Queues for twisted donuts and raw beef are extremely long.
Great way to experience Seoul by learning about the neighborhoods and trying the local foods. An unexpected rainstorm made things a bit soggy, but it didn’t hamper the experience. Well worth your time.
The tour was fun and our guides were very kind. I got to learn a lot and experience a lot. I definitely recommend it to anyone!
Thank you for your treasurable opinion~ Hope you enjoy your trip in Korea!
Sally was awesome, she showed us many great places to eat which were hidden down alleyways I wouldn't even think of walking through. Also, the ikseondong hanok village was so cool! Many great cafes to dine in. Sally also bought food for us to try during the tour and at our last destination - Gwangjang market. She was very informative and friendly. Definitely recommend.
Thank You for your comment~! Hope you have a nice trip in Korea！
