The best time to visit is at night, especially on the weekends, when it is most crowded and alive.
Learn to bargain. Usually you can haggle down the price of an item by 20%.
Shopping here is 24/7 but many shops are closed on Mondays.
Dongdaemun Market is a large commercial district consisting of over 20 shopping malls and traditional markets, 30,000 shops, 50,000 manufacturers. All of this can be found within a few city blocks.
The market is named after the nearby Heunginjimun Gate (Dongdaemun Gate).
When opened in July, 1905, it was known as Baeugaejang. During the Korean War, the area was completely destroyed. In 1959, a new market building was constructed. Since then, the market has been slowly rebuilt and modernized to become what it is today.
If you are looking for international brands, go to Myeongdong. If you are looking to spend big on high end luxury items, then go to Garosu-gil. But if you are looking for wholesale clothing and unique fashion items at competitive prices, then look no further than Dongdaemun Market.
One thing you will notice is that no matter what time of the day, it is always packed with locals and tourists. The best time to visit though is at night when all the lights are flashing and the area is jam packed with shoppers trying to find deals on anything and everything from shoes, hats, purses, jackets, scarfs, glasses, suits, sporting goods, and lots more. Even if you are not planning to buy anything, just being here and walking around is quite the site, especially if you are a tourist.
Table of Contents
Dongdaemun Market Hours
Retail shops are open from 10:00 to 5:00 the next morning.
Wholesale shops are open from 20:00 to 800 the next morning. Some shops stay open all day until 17:00.
Some shops operate 24 hours a day.
Most shops are closed on Mondays.
Admission
FreeHow to get to Dongdaemun Market
Option 1
Take Subway Line 2, Line 4, or Line 5 to Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station (Exit 14).
Option 2
Take Subway Line 1 or Line 4 to Dongdaemun Station (Exit 8 or 9).
Map
Additional Resources
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Book Recommendations
While The Seoul Guide provides plenty of information about traveling to Seoul, sometimes it helps to bring a book with you on your journey. Want to visit Gwangjang Market, hike Bukhansan National Park, visit an ancient palace, or sing karaoke all night long? The book I always recommend is Fodor's Seoul, which provides expert recommendations including sights to see, restaurant reviews, maps, and essential trip-planning information for everything related to Seoul.
Learn more about book recommendations
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Last Updated on Dec 23, 2021