Yeongcheon Market saved, Tongin Market already bukchonized

Shall I start with the so-so good news or the not so good news (the good news being that there's no really bad news out there)?

The so-so good one? So be it: Yeongcheong Market has been officially recognized as a market by Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Spoiler: the other piece of news has something to do with another traditional market, Tongin Market.

I know, I know, most of you don't give a fart in a high wind and I fully understand that. But to me it's important, and If you're familiar with this excuse for a blog, you already know that I have a crush for Seoul's markets. Recently, I even mentioned these two in the same (gimbap-ddeokbokki) breath*.

So. What does the Yeongcheon Market recognition mean? This covered street is now a legal entity municipal authorities can deal with, and a priori that's good news: each member becomes stronger and forces can be pooled more easily, so this lively spot might resist more efficiently against potential redevelopments that could mean the end for one of the last remaining 'villages' in the area.

Note that the towers already planned at the Northern entrance (see "Wonjo Ddeokbokki - a.k.a. "Ddeoknimmun"") will be developped as scheduled, but the main entrance should be safe and that's essential for the future : Donuimun New Town will be erected on the other side of Euijuro**, and too many cute places will disappear in the process around Gyonam-dong.

Well. Yeongcheon Market is not exactly "cute". And even after recent improvements it's still a bit dirty. But it does have a soul. And the reason why I'm just so-so pleased by the news is that Yeongcheon Market might be too much 'sanitized' or 'gentrified' for my taste.

Of course local authorities have in mind the preservation of this small animated landmark, but they should be careful not to let it become a tourist trap.

Mind you: Tongin Market is not a tourist trap. But as I feared would happen*, its atmosphere is changing at an alarming pace. On the bright side, the place is cleaner, fresher, better lit with a high ceiling that lets daylight in, and there's much more joy and - yes - fun than ever before. Art students decorated each booth and regularly organize exhibitions (the other day about two sisters who own a shop there). Now there's even a market newspaper... Everybody is smiling, and you can still enjoy the great Hyoja Gimbap*** for only KRW 2,000 a roll (big, tasty bites with a 4 to 1 filling / rice ratio).

But.

If most members stayed, newcomers are not exactly in the same vein. They're good and nice people, and their food does look and smell great, but it's often more the kind of neat shops or eateries you'd find on a busy street. Tongin market is by no means turning into a mall of course, but it's becoming more a gallery than a market, or maybe more the Covent Garden kind of market. I don't see the old generations of merchants resist the sirens of a fat profit: more will sell as the area welcomes more tourists.

Hanoks are being restored around Tongin Market, and the first one that benefited from the renovation program sponsored by local authorities (following the protection of Seochon hanoks) lies precisely in the small vertical alley that joins Tongilsijang-gil in its middle. The feat is well advertised on the door, and the artisan from nearby Nuha-dong even made a wooden box to hold a pack of his business cards. In this alley, a few signs announce trades from another era ("ice" sold here, clothes fixed there...). I bet it won't be long until hanok stay guest houses take over.

I have a word for this : bukchonization.



Seoul Village 2011
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* see "Tongin market opens up to art : adaptation or yet another symptom of Seochon's "Bukchonization" ?"
** dang, I'm still not used to call this street "Tongil-ro". Tongil-ro used to start only from Eunpyeong-gu (the former frontier of Seoul city), and now it goes all the way to Seoul Station (see footnotes of "Culture Station Seoul 284").
*** Hyoja Gimbap (gimbap), Tongin Market, Tongin-dong, Jongno-gu. Tel +82.2.730.73.69

Wonjo Ddeokbokki - a.k.a. "Ddeoknimmun" (Seoul)

Yeongcheon Market (영천시장) is a classic alley roof Seoul market starting on Euijuro, halfway between Seodaemun Station and Dongnimmun, and leading to the small garden at the crossroads, under the overpass, just opposite the gate.

These days, Dongnimmun his half hidden by a fence : Seoul city is making the area more suitable for pedestrians and visitors to the adjacent Seodaemun Prison park. Unfortunately, the overpass shall remain, casting its massive shadow over the monument.

Some day, Yeongcheon Market will disappear. Unlike many old indoor markets, slowly dying across Seoul, this one looks very much alive and boasts all types of food, including excellent quality vegetables, and even an old cryptic bookstore. Furthermore, Gyonam New Town shall bring scores of new customers from the other side of Euijuro.

But if the long and thin triangle forming the Eastern side of Yeongcheon Shijang doesn't seem to be rushing towards redevelopment, change is clearly coming from the Western side. Since former inhabitants disagreed on modalities, only the Northern half has already decided what to do : this derelict area is to give place to a couple of towers combining shops with appartments.

Theoretically, the ddeokbokki house at that Northernmost entrance of the market may survive this major change... but it will never be the same for them.

"House" may be too grand a word to qualify this shanty tent where an old adjuma serves the usual street snacks (ddeokbokki, odeng, nakji, kimbap, mandu...) while her husband sits on a couch, talking to visiting merchants.

Besides losing the other half of the entrance to the market, this old couple will lose the small alley which cuts right in front of them. I don't know the name of that path but I call it "Ddeokdaero" because it hosts a dozen of tteok manufacturers and that's probably where they get their exceptional ingredients. You can walk up the alley (towards Dongnimmun Samho Apt) and get your fix for a song (even if you're not in a cooking mood, "raw" ddeok is an excellent snack - of course, there's a lot of varieties to choose from). But keep that for later.

What makes "Wonjo Tteokbokki" ("Original Tteokbokki") special is of course the ddeokbokki : seasoning is just perfect (strong but not too hot, tasty and not too sweet...), and the texture exactly the kind you expect from the snack (chewy but not "plastic", keeps its sauce as well as its resistance...). They also make white ddeokbokki, but you don't want to miss the red pepper version. One portion comes for KRW 2,000.

"Original" is not an original name for a restaurant or a street food place in Korea, but this one deserves the label. They've been selling this miracle for over 35 years and I hope their receipe will survive them and Yeongcheon Market (whichever lasts longer, hopefully as long as possible for both).

I'm quite a tteokbokki fan, but it's hard to find a really good one. I've been highly disappointed by "Shindang-dong Tteokbokki" and anyway, this is street food, not something to enjoy in a restaurant. Every market has its tteokbokki and this one is easy to spot : at its gate, and at THE gate. That's why I knicknamed it "Ddeoknimmun".

SM 2008

Wonjo DDeokbokki / 원조 떡볶이 (Snack)
Yeongcheon Market, Yeongcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, ROK
Tel: +82.2.312.5436