Just 20 minutes by bus from my in-laws’ house, Dongdaemun is a hub of fashion, food, and culture. It’s our go-to spot for a day of exploration. It’s a neighbourhood that truly never slows down, where fashion wholesalers work through the night and street food grills sizzle around the clock.
On my last trip, we spent half a day here—grabbing street food for lunch, hitting the markets, and wrapping it all up with dinner and a relaxing jjimjilbang visit. Dongdaemun is a whirlwind of design and energy, and you can find out how to balance this neighbourhood’s intensity with the rest of your trip in my comprehensive Ultimate Seoul Guide.
In this post, I’ll share the very best things to do in Dongdaemun, exactly as we experienced them.
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Eat a Baked Baffle on Dongdaemun Food Street
Dongdaemun’s food street is at its best after dark, when the night markets are in full swing and fashion wholesalers grab quick bites between shifts or shoppers need to refuel. But even in the afternoon, there’s plenty to eat, and that’s exactly why we came, specifically for a baffle from the famous Netflix food stall.
Korean name: (구워먹는)밥플
Featured on the Netflix series Street Food: Asia, this stall has become a must-visit in Dongdaemun. There is also a Netflix Lady in Gwangjang Market, where we had some fine noodles before, but only recently discovered her lesser-known counterpart here on Dongdaemun Food Street.
So what is a baffle?
Made by pressing rice into a waffle iron, think of it as something between a waffle, sandwich, and takoyaki. It comes stuffed with cabbage and bacon, shrimp, or octopus, gets a generous drizzle of mayo and hot sauce, and finishes off with a handful of bonito flakes that dance in the heat.
It’s crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle, and packed with flavour. The owner suggested we get the combo baffle with all the fillings in one. It was excellent.
While we came to Food Street for the baffle, we couldn’t resist also trying the tempting croquettes when we passed the 추억의 야채빵 stall, which translates to Vegetable Bread of Memory. It was just a few stalls down the street from the baffle stand.
The dough is coated in panko and deep-fried until crispy and golden on the outside. It is then stuffed with coleslaw, cucumber, and ham. They were amazeballs.
While Dongdaemun is a haven for shopping and architecture, you’ll also find some of the city’s most unique flavours here, which I’ve covered in detail in my complete guide to what to eat in Seoul.
Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)
DDP, short for Dongdaemun Design Plaza but also Dream, Design, and Play, is one of Seoul’s most iconic landmarks. Besides being a pretty building, DDP is a creative hub that hosts design fairs, pop-ups, and art installations.
Designed by Zaha Hadid, its flowing silver curves are inspired by bojagi, the traditional Korean wrapping cloth used to protect precious items. The entire building seems to ripple under the light, futuristic yet somehow organic, like something from a sci-fi movie.
Inside, it’s just as striking. Wide, open spaces curve seamlessly into each other, with smooth, white spiralling passages. The grand staircase is quite trippy and a perfect photo spot.
We’ve been here a few times and always find something worth seeing. On previous visits, we caught some fantastic art exhibitions, including an Andy Warhol showcase. DDP also hosts the annual Seoul Design Week, featuring the latest K-design, fashion and art trends.
It was the DDP in Seoul that triggered our massive fetish for Zaha Hadid’s architecture. After losing our virginity to the DDP, we always search the internet to see if there is one of her buildings in a city we visit. We’ve since seen her magical buildings in Baku, Guangzhou, Macau, Beijing, and Prague. And we look forward to seeing more!
Entry to DDP is free, but you’ll have to pay to see any of the major exhibitions.
Dongdaemun Shopping
I don’t know why so many influencers call Dongdaemun Seoul’s fashion district. Sure, there are wholesale clothing malls and endless racks of clothes, but fashion district feels like a stretch.
Also, the wholesale and night markets mainly cater to Korean online shop owners looking to buy 600 pairs of socks or 350 extra small blouses. Shopping here can be hit or miss unless you’re looking for bulk buys.
Shopping is usually the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about things to do in Dongdaemun. So let’s tell you where we shop.
Instead of going on about night markets in the fashion district, we go straight to Doota Mall, which has international and Korean brands in sizes for real people. Doota is open daily from 10:30 until midnight.
The Nike store in Doota Mall is one cool shop, not just for its selection but for the customization station. It has hundreds of funky designs to customize your shirt, track pants or sneakers with and truly reflect your identity. We loved the Hangeul and Seoul-inspired prints for uniquely Korean gifts that someone will actually wear. The designs are printed onsite within a few minutes.
For discounts, Hyundai Outlet Mall (10:30-21:30) is the best bet. Alongside big international brands, it’s a great place to find Korean labels you won’t see back home. Outdoor brands like Nepa and Black Yak are popular, and SPAO and Top 10 have affordable casual wear.
While at the Hyundai Outlet Mall, it would be a shame not to have ice cream at Baek Mi Dang. This Korean ice cream brand claims to use only 1A-grade organic dairy, and the ice cream looks and tastes terrific. We got the classic milk flavour, but there is also soy milk and extra strong chocolate. You’ll find Baek Mi Dang on the basement floor of the Hyundai Outlet Mall.
One Dongdaemun night market we do recommend is the Kwanghee Fashion Mall for leather and fur. Jin bought a really nice leather jacket here, and my mom loves her mink scarf, which I got here as a present. This mall is open from 21:00 until 05:00.
Cheonggyecheon, Heunginjimun, & Naksan Park
On our way to Naksan Park, we passed two of Dongdaemun’s landmarks: Cheonggyecheon Stream and Heunginjimun (Dongdaemun Gate).
Cheonggyecheon is a 10-kilometer-long urban stream that was once paved over but later revived as a peaceful walkway through the city. The sound of flowing water and some greenery make it a relaxing escape from the busy streets above.
Many will also go on about Cheonggyecheon being a must-see in Seoul. I don’t get it. It’s nice for a stroll when the streets get too hectic, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it.
Anyhoo.
But since it’s along the way to our next stop, I’ll tell you about it.
Nearby, Heunginjimun stands as a reminder of Seoul’s past. Built in 1398, this ancient fortress gate once protected the city. Dongdaemun refers to East (Dong) Gate (Mun), which was one of eight in the outer wall of Seoul Fortress. It’s impressive during the day, but at night, when it’s fully lit up, it’s truly stunning.
We weren’t the only ones who wanted to catch the sunset from Naksan Park. The hill overlooking Dongdaemun was buzzing with people, all waiting to watch the sky turn gold over the Seoul skyline. It’s one of the best spots for views over Dongdaemun Gate and the historic Seoul Fortress Wall, which snakes across the hillside.
Some of our fellow sunset chasers came for the view, others because they’ve seen this spot in K-dramas. Fans of My Love from the Star or Chicago Typewriter might recognize this part of Seoul, often used for cinematic night-time strolls. If you’re a K-drama fan, here are more Seoul shooting locations of your favourite dramas.
Uzbek Food for Dinner in Little Russia
While Moscow is over 6,000 km from Seoul, few know that Russia and South Korea are practically neighbours, with only the bad Korea separating them. Before the sanctions against Russia, weekly overnight ferries ran between Sokcho in South Korea and Vladivostok in Russia. A trip I still dream of taking one day.
Tucked away in Dongdaemun is a Central Asian community, a fascinating pocket of culture shaped by history. I like to refer to this area as Little Russia.
In 1937, during Stalin’s rule, nearly 170,000 ethnic Koreans living in Russia’s Far East were forcibly deported to modern-day Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Accused of being potential spies, they were sent to the harsh steppe, where they built new lives.
Over the years, many of their descendants, known as Koryo-saram or Soviet Koreans, have found their way to South Korea, bringing their unique blend of Korean and Central Asian culture with them.
Today, a few streets in Dongdaemun’s Gwanghui-dong area are lined with Kazakh, Uzbek, Mongolian, and Russian restaurants. Cyrillic shop signs advertise vodka, caviar, courier services, and cheap flights to Tashkent and Almaty. It’s also one of the best places for Halal food in Seoul.
For dinner, we hit up the Fortune Restaurant for some Uzbek food. We had baked samosas filled with mutton and pumpkin and two large shashlik skewers. We were also happy to find tarkhun in their fridge. On our Caucasus trip, we discovered this sparkling tarragon-flavoured soft drink, which is widespread across the entire former Soviet Union.
For dessert, Jin led me around the corner to Russian Cakes by Irina Moroz, one of Seoul’s trending dessert spots. We hoped for some of their famous Napoleon or Medovik honey cake, but they were already closing for the day when we arrived. Luckily, Jin convinced them to give us a Medovik takeout to share with Mom and Dad at home.
Sparex Jjimjilbang
After a long day exploring Dongdaemun, there’s no better way to unwind than at Sparex Jjimjilbang, a 24-hour Korean sauna. Found in the basement of Good Morning City Mall, it’s the perfect mix of relaxation and culture. Whether it’s your first jjimjilbang visit or your hundredth, Korean suanas are always a great experience.
There are dry and wet areas in a Korean sauna. The dry areas are where men and women can hang out, clothed in your jjimjilbang outfit. The wet areas are separated by gender, and you’ll be in your birthday suit.
In the shared areas, you can nap on the heated floor, watch TV, or just hang out. There are dry saunas at different temperatures, an ice room, and a restaurant serving Korean classics like chimek (chicken + draught beer combo), kimchi stew, bibimbap, pork cutlet and ramyeon noodles. We grabbed a banana milk before heading to the baths.
The bathing areas are separated by gender and require full nudity. Nerve-wrecking if it’s your first time, but you get used to it. Sparex has three hot pools, a cool pool, and a tiny ice-cold plunge pool with a strong stream of water overhead. There are also two steam saunas.
I loved rotating between the hot pools, sauna, and cold plunge—it gets the circulation going and leaves your skin tingling and refreshed. It feels amazing!
You can also get a massage or body scrub (yes, still naked) for the full jjimjilbang experience.
Sparex is open 24 hours a day
Prices:
Adults ₩ 12,ooo (05:00-20:00)
Adults ₩ 15,ooo (20:00-05:00)
Children ₩ 7,ooo (05:00-20:00)
Children ₩ 8,ooo (20:00-05:00)