Street markets in South Korea are special because they have so many food vendors. These are like mini restaurants that sell foods that are traditional to specific regions of the country. As I traveled across South Korea, I was able to see the difference in meals and foods that are popular in different areas of the country by viewing the street markets.
In South Korea, families and individuals have the tradition of going to street markets once a week to buy fresh groceries. Vendors sell cooked meals and hand-made clothes all weekend long. Children eat fish-shaped waffles filled with red bean paste while parents negotiate for cheaper fruits and vegetables.
In the past, South Korea was a farming community with traditional markets which stayed in the same place and opened every day. Koreans would sell food there at affordable prices. After the Korean War, there was a rapid population growth near Gyeongbokgung Palace. This caused more vendors and stores to open in the area. Over time, these vendors and stores became a busy marketplace. Street food vendors sold cheap, hot meals for people who did not have access to pre-cooked meals before the war.
