Jeju Dongmun Traditional Market

Ten minutes or so by car from Jeju Airport, beside the Sanjicheon stream in old Jeju City, lies Jeju's largest and oldest permanent traditional market. Dongmun Traditional Market packs its covered lanes with silver hairtail and red tilefish, hallabong and tangerines, Jeju souvenirs and street food, which makes it a handy stop on the first or last day of a trip. After dark a night market opens inside.

History: founded after liberation, rebuilt after a fire

The market opened after the end of Japanese colonial rule. A major fire destroyed it in March 1954, but it was rebuilt on its current site under the same name and became the commercial heart of Jeju's old town. Jeju City later spent KRW 1 billion of national and local funds to install a night market in the arcade by the customer support centre, starting a trial run with 32 mobile stalls in March 2018.

What to see

• Seafood lanes: hairtail, red tilefish (okdom) and mackerel fill the counters. Many stalls will pack sashimi to take away, popular with travellers eating at their accommodation. Hairtail prices vary a lot with length and thickness, so compare a few stalls before buying.
• Tangerines and hallabong: in season, many visitors buy whole boxes and ship them home, and shops selling tangerine chocolates and other souvenirs cluster together.
• Night market: food-truck-style stalls under the arcade grill black pork skewers, lobster and other dishes on hot plates.
• Sanjicheon stream: the stream right beside the market runs to the sea and makes a short walk before or after shopping.

Good to know

• The market is divided by numbered entrances (gates). If your group splits up, use a gate number as the meeting point.
• A short walk west brings you to Jeju-mok Government Office and Gwandeokjeong, the heart of Joseon-era Jeju town.

Nearby

• Jeju-mok Government Office and Gwandeokjeong: less than 10 minutes' walk west, the restored Joseon governor's office, open in the evening from Wednesday to Sunday.
• Sanjicheon and the Kim Man-deok inn: walk down the stream towards the sea to find a site honouring Kim Man-deok, a celebrated Jeju merchant of the late Joseon period.
• Yongduam Rock: around 10 minutes by car, a quick seaside break before or after the market.

Tripto tips

• When to go: daytime for shopping, evening for the night market. The night market started with opening hours of 18:00–24:00, but times may vary by season and stall, so check on the spot. Regular shops close one by one as the evening goes on, so browse the market first and move on to the night market afterwards.
• Time needed: 45 to 90 minutes for browsing and snacks.
• Getting there: the old town is served by many city bus routes, and it is a short taxi ride from Jeju Airport. Nearby public car parks get busy in the evening.
• Tip: if you want to ship fish home, ask first whether the stall can pack it in an ice box.