Haebangchon Sinheung Market

Sinheung Market sits high on the slopes of Namsan in Haebangchon, the hillside neighbourhood settled after Korea's liberation in 1945 by returnees and refugees from the North. The market itself dates back more than 70 years and began as a place where residents traded whatever they could find. Today a few old stalls and faded signs still remain, but the narrow, covered alleys are now shared with specialty cafés, small wine bars, craft-beer spots, design shops and restaurants cooking food from around the world, including a well-known Thai kitchen. The mix of worn concrete, hand-painted signs and string lights gives it a look that visitors often describe as part old Seoul, part small European town. It is small enough to walk around in about 20 minutes, but most people linger: browse in the afternoon, catch the sunset with Namsan Tower in view, then sit at an outdoor table for dinner and drinks. Being close to Itaewon, it draws a large mix of locals and foreign residents.