At Yeongdeungpo Traditional Market, a Saturday evening can feel very different from the shopping trip suggested by the word “market.” On October 31, 2026, I sat in a busy food alley where groups grilled pork belly at tables set along the market passage. Cool air moved through the space, the tables were lively, and a glass of soju with sizzling pork made the night memorable. This guide shows what I actually saw and paid, how to find the market, and what to check before choosing your own table.
Yeongdeungpo Market at a glance
| Place | Yeongdeungpo Traditional Market (영등포전통시장), Seoul |
|---|---|
| Market address | 16-1 Yeongdeungpo-ro 45-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul — the city’s market listing, not the address of a particular barbecue table |
| Rail starting point | Yeongdeungpo Market Station (영등포시장역), Line 5. Search the market entrance in a map app after leaving the station. |
| Our visit | Saturday evening, October 31, 2026 |
| Best reason to go | Market-alley atmosphere and a relaxed Korean barbecue dinner |
📍 Find Yeongdeungpo Traditional Market
16-1 Yeongdeungpo-ro 45-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
영등포전통시장 · 서울 영등포구 영등포로45길 16-1
In NAVER Map, search 영등포전통시장. This pin marks the market, not the exact barbecue table from our visit.
Seoul’s 2026 traditional-market list supplies the market address. The market has several entrances and businesses. After leaving Yeongdeungpo Market Station (Line 5), use the map to choose an entrance, then look for the food passage. Do not confuse this station with Yeongdeungpo Station (Line 1).
A market by day, a barbecue alley at night
Seoul classifies Yeongdeungpo as a traditional market. During the day, the area serves ordinary shopping and food needs; a city feature on the market describes its mix of buildings, shops and alleys. My own visit was at night, so the comparison with the daytime market is based on that setting, not a claim that I inspected every daytime stall. Some restaurant stretches were full of people eating and talking under the arcade. The whole market does not turn into one organized night-market event.
This style of casual table dining is often called yajang (야장). It suggests the pleasure of eating in the open air or a semi-open street setting. Here the roofed market passage still let us feel the cool October breeze. The appeal was the contrast: a working market space becoming a social dinner spot, with red stools, conversation across the alley and the sound of pork meeting the grill. It was noisy rather than intimate, which was exactly what I enjoyed that night.
What we ordered and paid
These are the menu prices I saw at the place where I ate on October 31, 2026. I have not named the restaurant or checked today’s menu. They are not prices for all Yeongdeungpo Market eateries. “Pieces” describes what arrived on my plate, not a standard weight or a promise of identical portions elsewhere.
| Item | Price seen on our visit | What arrived |
|---|---|---|
| Thin-sliced pork belly (daepae samgyeopsal, 대패삼겹살) | ₩10,000 per serving | About six pieces in that serving |
| Regular pork belly (samgyeopsal, 삼겹살) | ₩15,000 per serving | Two thicker pieces in that serving |
| Soju | ₩5,000 per bottle | Check the brand and size when ordering |
| Beer | ₩5,000 per bottle | Check the brand and size when ordering |
Because cut thickness and weight were not recorded, the piece count cannot tell you which serving offers better value. Ask to see the current menu and the stated grams per portion before ordering. Side dishes, extra orders, payment methods and minimum-order rules may vary by restaurant; I cannot verify one rule for the whole alley.
How to enjoy a Korean market yajang
- Find the right alley. Navigate to 영등포전통시장, then look for the food passage and the restaurant’s own sign. A market-wide pin is only a starting point.
- Check the menu before sitting. Confirm the cut, serving weight, minimum number of portions and drink price.
- Follow the staff’s cooking routine. Some places cook for you; others expect you to turn the meat. Ask before moving a hot grill.
- Leave the walkway clear. Tables can be close to a passage still used by staff and other visitors.
- Plan your return. Check the last useful Line 5 service or your taxi route before the evening runs late.
Useful phrases: 삼겹살 1인분 주세요 (one serving of pork belly, please); 대패삼겹살 있어요? (do you have thin-sliced pork belly?); 메뉴판 주세요 (the menu, please). For cuts, cooking and side dishes, see our Korean BBQ guide and dining etiquette guide.
Was it worth going?
For me, yes. Sitting among many groups, feeling the cool air while the pork cooked, and sharing soju in a bustling market passage felt like a distinctive Seoul evening. It was not a quiet restaurant experience. After a drink, the atmosphere felt even warmer to me, but the appeal was already there in the ordinary scene of people eating together. If you like lively local food spaces, this is worth considering. If you need a calm meal, precise accessibility information or smoke-free surroundings, inspect the venue before deciding.
Last visited: October 31, 2026. Location checked: November 3, 2026 against Seoul’s market listing. All prices and portion descriptions are from one visit and may change. The photos document that evening; no restaurant has sponsored this account. For more Seoul planning, browse our Seoul guide.