Window Shop And Eat The Catch-Of-The-Day At Seoul’s Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market

Pretend to be a local for a day as you explore the quiet neighborhood of Noyangjin-dong

Nestled in the visitor-acclaimed “slower” neighborhood of Noryangjin-dong, residential streets, local pubs and eateries are dispersed throughout the area to serve its local audiences as a small college town near Chungang University. That’s what’s nice about the Noryangjin Fisheries Market—while you are aware it is a hot tourist attraction, the area surrounding it and within holds a very local vibe so visitors are able to take in an authentic experience. Initially established in 1927 in Jung-gu near Seoul Station, Noryangjin moved to its current location in 1971. Since then, it has been a mecca for Korean seafood vendors, restaurant suppliers, fishermen, and both local and international tourists.

Weave in and out of live seafood stalls at the bustling Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market

From the Noryangjin station, you will cross a cement bridge to follow steps down to overlook the vast, wonderfully chaotic and colorful market. Take a moment here to awe at the enormous amount of vendors and activities going on, as you have a bird’s-eye view of it all. This fisheries market is not your typical dreary, pungent, dark, and wet one you’d find of the sketchy variety. Quite the contrary, once descending the steps down to the market, expect to walk into a cold warehouse, scented with the aromas of Seoul’s freshest sea creatures sitting on ice. Hundreds of stalls line the space in rows—organized by creature category (i.e. shellfish in one section, crustaceans in another, fish in another row, etc.). Tip: Do bring something warm to wear, as the market is kept at low temperatures to keep the seafood alive and fresh.

Enjoy the interactive market experience by using your five senses on the seafood: touch, see, smell, taste, and BUY

The Noryangjin market presents an interactive experience between buyers, sellers, and of course—the marine life (aka your next meal). With the permission of stall owners and their hope of you purchasing one of their catches, you can ask to take photos, touch the creatures, and haggle prices for the taking. Despite being a hot tourist attraction, Noryangjin has hundreds of serious local buyers and sellers from restaurants and supermarkets conducting business each day. Wholesale auctions begin after midnight and go on until dawn.

Buyers can purchase in bulk, by the quantity, or by the kilogram—and did I mention they sell at wholesale prices? Do remember to haggle, as this is expected. Otherwise, you may be paying a hefty price for your seafood. You can also opt to take your purchase home for later cooking or you can have it cooked to your liking in the restaurants upstairs. I was able to buy a whole king crab and 8 medium-sized sea snails for a total of 40 USD. You will, however, have to pay the restaurant a small amount for the side dishes, prep work, and any drinks. Once making your transaction, you would be led upstairs to one of the restaurants where they would cook your selected seafood to your liking.

Take your fresh seafood purchases upstairs to be cooked and eaten on the spot

The restaurants in the upstairs corridors of Noryangjin are specifically for preparing the products at the market. Most are small spaces, set up in a traditional sit-on-floor/shoes-off style. The restaurants bustle with happy eaters, with the sounds of shell-crunching and the smell of fresh-cooked seafood in the air. Often, the restaurants will prepare your seafood steamed, fried, sashimi’d, or in a soup—all based on your preference, with a side of Korean garnishes and a bowl of rice.

I can’t really say that I enjoyed the sea snails as they turned out hard and rubbery, but the crab was a different story… the simple steamed crab, sweet and succulent, practically melted in my mouth. I held a pair of scissors in one hand to cut the shells open and broke off crab claws with the other as I practically inhaled the meat, using chopsticks to poke, pull, and pick up my food. There really is no graceful way to eat crab, but eating your fresh purchase just might be the most rewarding way to end a day exploring the seemingly never-ending seafood stalls at the Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market.