Seoul is a sprawling megalopolis. The surface area itself is one thing but almost 50% of South Korea’s population calls Seoul home. There is so much to explore, with a lot of focus given to the historic center of Seoul and modern districts like Gangnam. But for this story, we would like to take you on a journey through East Seoul, a place full of history, food, fashion and many more wonders.

Dongmyo

When it comes to thrifting in Korea, there is no better place to enjoy it than Dongmyo. Once you go out Gate 3 of Dongmyo Metro Station, you are introduced to a long strip of street, busy with people buying and selling goods.

Within what many call “flea market street,” there are people of all ages and genders talking to each other, bargaining and enjoying their time. Inside the market, you can find much more than just clothes, including little collectibles, pins, lighters, pans, knives, rice cookers, bikes, helmets, wallets, statues, TVs, DVDs and even both ROK and U.S. Army-related trinkets. Not only that, you will no doubt be attracted to all the street food they have to offer, such as iron-griddle toast or Korean-style twisted donuts (kkwabaegi). While you walk around enjoying the shopping and food, you will soon reach the Donggwanwangmyo Shrine, or Dongmyo Shrine in short.

The Dongmyo Shrine was built in honor of Guan Yu, a 3rd century Chinese commander famous throughout many Asian cultures for his heroism and bravery. Requested by the Chinese people during the Imjin War (16th century Japanese invasions of Korea), it holds great history, representing the friendly relations between China and Korea at the time. Although frowned upon by Koreans when it was built, it’s now a landmark sitting in the middle of the Dongmyo flea market community.

Dongdaemun (Great East Gate)

Walking further east from Dongmyo, you will reach Dongdaemun, or the Great East Gate. This gate is one of eight gates into old Seoul (Hanyang), and is instantly recognizable by its imposing structure and architectural peculiarity. This is the only gate in Seoul that has a semi-circular fortification ring in front to prevent direct frontal attacks by invading forces. Approaching the gate from the east gives a true sense of its grandeur and importance. While it is not possible to walk through the gate, walking past it will take you to the most eastern point of Jong-ro – the main central thoroughfare in Hanyang, now lined with shops, modern buildings and skyscrapers.

The modern-day area around Dongdaemun has grown into a diverse and culturally exciting hub, with vibrant Indian, Nepalese and Central Asian neighborhoods located nearby, with local shops and restaurants showcasing the cuisines of those countries. Within eyeshot of the gate is the DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza), a monumental neofuturistic landmark designed by Zaha Hadid, featuring a park on the roof and large exhibition spaces indoors (the annual Seoul Fashion Week is held here). Dongdaemun has also always been famous for its markets, especially fabric and textiles.

Naksan Park (Hanyangdoseong)

Naksan Park, extending north from Dongdaemun, is part of the Hanyangdoseong, a fortification wall that was made when King Taejo founded Joseon (1392-1897) and moved the capital of Korea from Gaesong (in modern-day North Korea) to Hanyang. With the wall reaching an enormous length of 18.6 kilometers, it was made to protect the palaces and city from enemies during war time. The word Naksan itself means “Camel Mountain” in Korean, a nod to the humped shape of the mountain ridge.

Of course, the wall no longer serves its old purpose as a protective measure against enemies. However, the wall and the hiking trails along it currently stand as a popular sightseeing area, with Naksan Park being a top spot to go take in the city skyline. It is well known for its beautiful night view of the city. If you like K-Dramas at all, you may have realized many of the shows use this area to film different scenes. Some notable K-Dramas showing Naksan Park are “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” and “Itaewon Class.”

John & Mark

After a long day of touring East Seoul and having fun, there is only one thing left to do: recharge and eat. John & Mark is a Korean fusion restaurant where you can drink and have a great time. The mood inside was welcoming. The lighting, pictures on the wall, food and music all made it a great experience.

John & Mark is especially well-known for their makgeolli, a traditional Korean alcohol made with rice. Think of it as basically rice wine. John and Mark had 14 makgeolli and 2 house makgeolli to choose from, sorted according to its flavor profile (sweet, sour, dry). They also had a choice of 4 highball drinks. We ordered a 600ml house makgeolli for 5,000 won, one non-alcoholic apple highball for 6,000 won, and an alcoholic apple highball for 8,500 won. The drinks were tasty and good value.

As for the food, we were served some soft tofu and pickled radish and jalapeno for starters. The tofu was dipped in a soy-based sauce and was surprisingly very good. Other than the starters, we ordered a Bacon Cheese Kimchi Jeon (pancake), Chinese and Korean Fusion Japchae (glass noodles) and steamed pork. All of the food was delicious and pared really well with the drinks. The kimchi jeon was crunchy, the japchae spicy, and the steamed pork was nice and soft.

With our tummies full and tired from the long day, it was time to go home. As much as we enjoyed exploring trendy, creative and diverse East Seoul, I hope you enjoyed the experience reading about it too and following us on our journey. We hope you have a chance to visit Korea, the Land of the Morning Calm!

Speakin’ Korean

• Please take us to Dongmyo: Dongmyo-ro gajuseyo (동묘로 가주세요)

• This wall is huge: I seongbyeok-eun geodae-haeyo (이 성벽은 거대해요)

• Let’s go shopping: Shopping-hareo gayo (쇼핑하러 가요)

• The food is delicious: Eumsigi masisseoyo (음식이 맛있어요)

• Let’s drink some makgeolli: Makgeolli masibsida (막걸리 마십시다)

USAG Yongsan

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