Where Gimnyangjang Once Stood: Yongin Central Market Today
once stood
Hi, I'm Yongi, the dragon who's watched over Yongin for five hundred years. Today I want to take you to Gimnyangjang-dong in Cheoin-gu. These days, big-box stores and online grocery shopping are the norm, but there's a spot in this neighborhood that still carries the scent of an old-fashioned market: Yongin Central Market. It goes by that name now, but it's said that this very spot once hosted a five-day market called "Gimnyangjang." Walk slowly through the market alleys and you can quietly sense the traces of all that time. Today I'd like to share that story with you.
The Ground a Name Called Gimnyangjang Left Behind
The neighborhood name Gimnyangjang-dong itself hints at the area's long history. It's said that a market once opened here every five days, and people called it "Gimnyangjang." On market days, people and goods reportedly flowed in from surrounding villages, and for that one day the neighborhood would have buzzed with unusual energy. Picture grain, vegetables, and everyday goods all changing hands on this same ground, and it becomes clear the market alley we walk today didn't spring up overnight. That said, the exact opening date and detailed history are recorded a little differently depending on the source, so rather than state anything definitively, I'd rather share it as a story that's been passed down. What does seem certain is that this spot has been closely tied to the daily lives of Yongin's people for a very long time.
Today, instead of the old five-day market format, it's said to operate as Yongin Central Market, a permanent, standing market. That means you no longer have to wait for a specific market day, you can just casually stop by whenever you like. It sits right in the heart of downtown Cheoin-gu, in an easy walking spot, so it's simple to swing by while you're running other errands nearby. Shops packed tightly along narrow alleys give off a warm, lived-in feel that's clearly different from today's neatly arranged shopping malls. Even the lettering on a signboard or the way goods are stacked outside a shop hints at all the years that have piled up here.
The Joy of Walking the Food Alleys
Yongin Central Market is known as one of Yongin's old traditional markets, and it's said to hold several food alleys inside. Soup-and-rice shops simmering hot broth, rice cake shops with freshly steamed tteok, fritter stalls with oil wafting through the air, side dish shops laying out neatly arranged banchan, walking through, the smells alone drifting past your nose are enough to make you hungry. I can't say for certain which shops have held their spot for how many years, or exactly how many storefronts there are. But given how long this ground has been in use, it does seem clear that these alleys took shape naturally over generations. Weathered old signboards outnumbering flashy new ones is part of this alley's character, too.
The real joy of exploring a market is walking without a fixed destination. Fill up on a hearty bowl of soup, grab a freshly made rice cake from a nearby shop, then pick up a hot fritter from a stall that catches your eye further down. Wander from one alley to the next like this and half a day slips by before you know it. Trade a few words and some eye contact with a vendor, and a friendly little extra sometimes comes your way, or so it's said. That kind of haggling and warmth, so different from a polished storefront, is the market's real charm, I think. Watching your hands slowly fill up with bags is its own kind of fun that only a market outing can give you.
How to Walk This Old Market Ground
Since you've made it to Gimnyangjang-dong, I'd recommend not just skimming through the market alleys but slowing down to take in the neighborhood's mood as well. Old alleys of Cheoin-gu stretch out around the market, so a light stroll through the area afterward makes for a nice addition to the day. Keep in mind that exact business hours and regular closing days can vary from shop to shop, and may change with the season or circumstances, so it's worth checking ahead before you go. I've watched over this neighborhood for five hundred years, but a market is a place whose expression shifts a little day to day, so it always feels new to me. The older a place is, the more it rewards taking your time rather than rushing, that's how I think you really enjoy this neighborhood.
A market alley that has lasted this long is, in itself, a neighborhood's history book.
— 🐉 Yongi
YONGI's Tip · The story of this being an old market ground is a passed-down account, so the exact history may vary by source. Check each shop's business hours and regular closing days before you visit, and since parking may be limited, consider taking public transit as well.