Note: All photos were taken by Native Speaker Productions and are subject to copyright.
You may have seen it in every tourism video of South Korea, mixed in with the nightlife, nature, and the KPop star of the day. It is marked as one of the "must visit" locations if you happen to be in Seoul. South of the Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁) is the famed southern gate popularly known as Namdaemun (남대문) or officially named Sungnyemun (숭례문), a gate that had been created in 1398 C.E. It's original purpose was to receive foreign dignitaries headed toward the palace but as a popular gate, a market thrived at it's steps as well. If you have ever watched a period drama (from any country) or played a RPG, it is almost certain that you will have seen a market that stretches from the entrance all the way down to the main square.
When you first see it, you will notice a few things. First, that it is located within a large (almost insane) intersection and is now a landmark. In a sense of irony, modern cars and commerce do not pass through the famed gate. Second, the colors of the bricks are different from the others and that the structure is in in very good condition for a structure that is over 600 years old. That is because the gate was destroyed by arson and rebuilt in 2013.
Purple marks the gate. Pink marks the location of the market.
Click to enlarge photos
On February 10th 2008, Chae Jong-Gi set fire to the historic structure with paint thinner and disposable lighters. He was disgruntled that the government was ignoring his case against developers who hadn't paid him in full for land that he had sold to them. This marked the second time that he was arrested for arson. The first arrest happened after Chae decided to commit arson at the Changgyeong Palace (창경궁) two years earlier. In the wake of the destruction, it took the country four years to reconstruct the gate to its former glory but it's scars are very clear and not easily forgotten. I was lucky enough to visit soon after the restoration of the gate. You can read more about that here.
A short walk away is the famous 24 hour Namdaemun Market (남대문 시장) that has a large variety of things to buy from cheap anything to hard to find goods that you most likely won't find in other parts of the country. Surely the internet is a great tool to find goods that you had trouble finding, but nothing beats being able to go find what you're looking for at a simple . If you happen to be not "Korean-sized" like me, your best bet in finding clothing to fit you will come from here. Not only that, but with the increasing popularity of "foodies," you'll find a plethora of food vendors that slowly ensure that your wallet will lose its waistline while yours may increase.
Scroll through the photos. Hover over image for description.
Many of the shop owners are intense in their quest to get you to buy their goods. While some shops in section may be dealing in all different goods, it is also common that some vendors are right next door to each other, selling the same or similar merchandise. It becomes a battle of who can sell what to the customer the fastest that decides the victor.
Disclaimer No. 1 : I took these photos in 2013 while the article is written in 2018. I assume that some things have changed. More reason for you to visit in person.