Experience Korean street culture at Gwangjang Market

Every city has a market that locals are proud of. For locals, it's a place where the hustle and bustle of life comes together, where people buy and sell, and where they connect with each other. For visitors, it's a great place to experience the local culture. Gwangjang Market is the largest traditional market in Seoul. It was established in 1904 and has a history of over 100 years. In the beginning, you could buy all kinds of clothes, daily necessities, household items, and fruits and vegetables at this market. It was a place that encapsulated the essence of life for the common people of Seoul. However, as the food and snacks here became more and more popular with locals and foreign tourists, Gwangjang Market has received a lot of attention from the Korean government and has been designated as a world tourist destination. It has become a veritable food street. As you walk through the bustling crowds, you can hear the vendors shouting in Korean about their food, and a wide variety of food is displayed in front of you, with steaming snacks giving off a tempting aroma. Being here, you can feel the unique charm of Korean street culture. The diners here come from all over the world. They sit around the tables of each stall, eating, drinking, and chatting, while the vendors are as enthusiastic as family members, with friendly smiles on their faces. The whole scene is full of laughter, like old friends who have known each other for a long time. When it comes to food, the most distinctive ones are raw beef, live sea intestines, and live octopus. Next to us was a foreign couple who ordered a live octopus at the vendor's persuasion. The octopus on the plate was still alive and kicking, and its tentacles were waving around, which was a bit intimidating. Ding Ding couldn't resist their persuasion and tried it. When she put the still wriggling octopus tentacle into her mouth, it was quite a sight, but the feedback was that it tasted just average. Besides the diners, I think the most active people in Gwangjang Market are the vendors. They guard their small stalls, preparing food quickly, shouting enthusiastically, and chatting with customers. In my opinion, this is not just about doing business, but also about continuing the hustle and bustle of the city, passing on the local flavors, and using food to connect people and the city, so that every passerby can feel the most authentic warmth of Seoul.