Myeongdong is one of Seoul’s most famous tourist districts, offering everything from shopping and cosmetics to restaurants, cafés, and nightlife.
Among all the attractions, there’s one thing I highly recommend:
The street food stalls.
Korea has many famous street food markets, such as Gwangjang Market, but what makes the street food in Myeongdong special is its convenience.
It’s located right in the heart of one of Seoul’s busiest tourist areas, and some stalls stay open until late at night.
If you’re staying at a hotel in or around Myeongdong, it’s an experience you definitely shouldn’t miss.
When I visited Myeongdong, I ended up at one of the street food stalls at around 1:00 a.m.
Just before that, my friend and I had been drinking at a nearby bar.
After a few drinks, we started getting hungry, so we decided to grab a late-night snack.
By that time of night, only one street food stall was still open.
Since we weren’t looking for anything specific, we decided to eat there.
The menu was fairly small, but we ordered Tteokbokki and dumplings.
They were absolutely perfect after a night of drinking.
Personally, I’ve never had bad tteokbokki anywhere in Korea.
No matter where I’ve ordered it, it’s always been delicious, and I’ve never found it so spicy that I couldn’t eat it.
If you’re trying Korean street food for the first time, I think it’s one of the safest choices.
One funny thing happened while we were eating.
The stall didn’t sell any drinks, so I asked the owner,
“Do you have anything to drink?”
She smiled and replied,
“We don’t sell drinks here, but you can buy beer at the convenience store nearby and drink it here.”
So that’s exactly what we did.
My friend went to the convenience store and bought beer for both of us.
Enjoying Korean street food with an ice-cold beer in the middle of the night turned out to be one of my favorite memories from the trip.
There was something special about eating and drinking at a small street food stall in a foreign country long after midnight.
Then we spotted one brightly lit street food stall still open. That was the one we decided to visit.
By the time we finished eating, we were the only customers left.
However, before we arrived, there had been a Japanese couple and two Korean customers enjoying food at the stall.
The tteokbokki had just the right amount of spice, and the dumplings were delicious as well.
The prices were very reasonable, and since the stall stays open until late at night, I definitely recommend stopping by if you’re in Myeongdong.
There was also one unexpected moment that made us laugh afterward.
While I wasn’t paying attention, a woman who appeared to be homeless quietly came up behind my friend and tapped him on the shoulder.
He was completely startled.
Later he joked,
“Whenever I travel overseas, random people always end up touching my shoulder!”
He wondered if people somehow saw him as an easy target.
Personally, I think it might just be because he has such a young-looking face.
Either way, it became one of those funny travel stories we still laugh about today.
Even though South Korea feels very safe—and in many ways quite similar to Japan—it’s still another country.
Like anywhere else in the world, it’s always important to stay aware of your surroundings.
Personally, I never felt unsafe while traveling in Korea, and I don’t think there’s any reason to be overly worried.
Still, it’s always worth using common sense and staying alert wherever you travel.
Before leaving, we spent a little time chatting with the owner, who even taught us a few Korean words.
It was one of those small interactions that made the experience feel even more memorable.
If you ever visit Myeongdong, I highly recommend stopping by one of the street food stalls.
Personally, I think they’re even better late at night, when the crowds have disappeared and the atmosphere feels much more relaxed.