Jongno 3-ga Pocha Street

Jongno 3-ga has had street tents for decades, but the lane between Nakwon Arcade and the Myodong intersection has become the best-known stretch. In 2024 Jongno-gu designated it a coexistence street and started licensing the stalls: the pavement was widened, the road turned one-way, utility boxes and public toilets were redone, and a joint safety team patrols every evening. In late September 2026 the district counted 77 licensed businesses here, 24 street tents and 53 shops with outdoor tables, trading from 18:00 to 04:00. Around 17:00 the plastic tents go up, and by about 20:00 on a busy night most tables are taken by office workers, students and travellers. The menu is classic pojangmacha food: spicy chicken feet, rolled omelette, udon, seafood pancake, grilled hagfish (kkomjangeo) and seafood, washed down with soju or beer. Some tents near Exit 13 are run by owners who have worked the area for over 20 years. It is loud, cramped and cheerful, and part of the fun is squeezing in next to strangers under the tarp.