Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
early hours of the morning.
deer.
neath Jungang Market.
Learn about your yin and yang and the traditional Korean approach to medicine at the
Explore Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
Taking its name from the Great East Gate (Heunginjimum) to the city, Dongdaemun - an
area synonymous for centuries with shopping in Seoul - is now famous for the Zaha Ha-
did-designed Dongdaemun Design Plaza & Park (DDP), an architectural showpiece so
complex that it wasn't ready in time for Seoul's stint as World Design Capital in 2010.
With the DDP now fully formed, it's fascinating to explore the ribbon of indoor mar-
kets that stretch around it and along either side of Cheong-gye-cheon, spilling out into
side streets where you can find anything and everything from succulents and sewing-ma-
chine parts to every hue of zipper and variety of kimchi. Much of the action is wholesale,
with traders haggling over deals until the break of dawn, but there's also plenty of retail,
particularly in fashion goods.
Further east there are more interesting markets to discover, including ones devoted to
herbal medicines, antiques and second-hand goods. There's also the Jungang Market, an
evocative, old-school food market, beneath which lies the Seoul Art Space Sindang,
where up-and-coming artists and young creatives hone and display their craft. A couple of
big green spaces - Seoul Forest Park and the Children's Grand Park - provide natural re-
lief from the commercial activity.
Local Life
ยป
Late-night shopping
Join fashion bargain-hunters as they trawl the high-rise malls of
Migliore, Cerestar, Hello APM and Doota into the wee hours.
