Highlights
- Guided by local food writer with 3 books about Seoul's restaurants
- Enjoy 15+ Korean dishes paired with traditional drinks
- Discover the hidden local side of Gwangjang Market
- Taste traditional liquors from independent local breweries
- Non-alcohol option available • Children 13 and under join free
Description
**Want to eat and drink like a local at a Korean market?**
Explore the local side of Gwangjang Market through carefully selected food, drinks, and stories. Enjoy 15+ authentic Korean dishes and traditional drink pairings, guided by a food writer.
This experience is for travelers who want to move beyond tourist restaurants and discover the real flavors of Seoul. Whether you're a food lover, cultural explorer, or non-drinker, you'll leave with a deeper understanding of Korean food culture and recommendations for the rest of your stay.
**Why This Tour Is Different
Gwangjang Market has two sides.
There's the tourist side: famous stalls with long waits, designed for quick tastings and Instagram photos.
Then there's the local side: quieter stands where office workers unwind after work, owners know their regulars, and food is made for taste rather than trends. Most visitors never see this side. I'll show you exactly that.
**Your Guide's Story
I'm not just a guide. I'm a food writer who has spent more than 20 years eating, researching, and writing about Seoul's food culture. Every stop has been personally selected from places I've visited and recommended over the years. These aren't random tourist picks. They're places with history, character, and flavors that keep locals coming back.
**What You'll Experience
1) A Market Feast of Land, Sea & Local Favorites
Enjoy Gwangjang Market's most iconic foods, including crispy mung bean pancakes (Bindaetteok), beef tartare with live octopus (Yukhoe & Sannakji), spicy rice cakes, fresh raw fish, and Korean drinking dishes loved by locals. These aren't random foods chosen for tourists. They're dishes Koreans genuinely enjoy, paired with drinks that locals actually order together.
2) Korean Drinks You Won't Easily Find Elsewhere
Try makgeolli (rice wine), different styles of soju, and traditional Korean liquors that are rarely found outside Korea. Each drink is carefully selected to complement the food and help you understand Korean drinking culture.
3) Real Local Stands
Visit local stands where regulars gather after work. Sit beside office workers, hear the sounds of the market, and experience the atmosphere that makes Korean market culture so special.
4) Stories Behind the Food
Learn why Koreans pair certain foods with certain drinks, how market culture developed over generations, and what these dishes reveal about everyday life in Korea.
**Non-drinkers are very welcome!
If you don't drink alcohol, simply choose the Non-Alcohol Option. You'll enjoy the same food experience without the alcohol while learning about Korean food and drinking culture.
**Children's Participation
- Children aged 13 and under can join free with a participating adult.
- Free-participating children share food portions with their accompanying adult.
- If you'd like your child to receive their own food, please book them at the adult rate.
- One child may join free per adult. Additional children must be booked at the adult rate.
Includes
9 authentic Korean dishes and 1 traditional Korean dessert
5 varieties of Korean traditional liquors, soju, and makgeolli etc
Visits to hidden local eateries trusted by neighborhood residents
Detailed explanations of each food and alcohol pairing
Intimate small-group experience
Excludes
Personal additional food or drink orders
Easy cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
