Tongin Traditional Market

Chanced upon this traditional market when we overheard a bicycle tour guide talking about it. No regret coming here to take a look and grab some local food. If you’re visiting the palace, this place is just 10 mins walk away, worth the trip if seeing local culture is of your interest.

If you're looking for a truly authentic local vibe, this is totally the place to go. It's a super chill spot, definitely off the beaten path and away from the usual tourist crowds. You can tell everything is super fresh and sourced from nearby. Plus, the prices are really reasonable for what you get. Seriously, don't miss out on this gem!

got ripped off buying octopus for 12.0won and hardly coukd see any baby octopus tentacles and couple small pieces pf the body… the stall in the centre, with orders on the right, and dining on the left. the lady also took 20.0won and didnt return my 1.0 won, which was nothing compared to getting scammed as a tourist. totally, false advertisement. else the tabokki was nice. else, the market is nice and HIGHLY RECOMMEND the chicken stall on the Left, near the entrance. had the sea salt chicken (kids loved), the 🔥 hot chicken (loaded w mozzarella cheese) and dpicy chicken with shredded perilla leaves. see the image with the guy 👍👍

Relatively smaller market compared to Mangwon/Gwangjang market, but it is more of a novelty thing whereby you can purchase "ancient coins" to exchange with food vendors for food items. You can exchange 500Won for 1 coin and it's usually in bundles of 10. You'll be given a lunch box also as well. There is a seating area on the second floor where you exchange your coins.

Not sure if we have completed the whole market but we managed to walk through one lane, which is peppered with small coffee stands, and some local street snack stands. Nothing really exciting or unique here.

This is a tourist spot in Seoul. If you want to buy something here, you need to convert currency into old tokens and use them for shopping inside the market. It is a cute way to maintain the originality of the old days. In terms of food stalls, you have lots of variety, however, if you are squeamish like me, this is a hard pass!

I really like the concept and the food was delicious. The mandu and kimchi pancakes were crispy 😍

This place is a little overhype. But there is still much feels for the place. One good reason is the idea of utilizing the coin/canteen mindset. You will get 20 gold coins from 10,000 won, which you will need to juggle how much to spend accordingly. The portions are debatable but you can consider it like a trial tasting concept. If I'm not wrong, you can refund any remaining gold coins; each gold coins are originally 500 won. Alternatively, you can pay the store owner with real money; there is actually no difference. Lastly, there is an eating area but not really that big; turn over rate is generally 15 min or 30 min I think.