통인시장
The coin lunchbox, where you swap cash for old-style brass coins and fill a tray stall by stall, is a favourite with visitors to Seochon and was featured by The Korea Herald in May 2026.
Tongin Market is a long, roofed market lane in Seochon, the old neighbourhood on the west side of Gyeongbokgung, and it is best known for its coin lunchbox. You buy brass yeopjeon coins and receive an empty compartment tray, then walk the lane looking for stalls marked as lunchbox members. Each one posts a price in coins: a scoop of gireum tteokbokki, the market's oil-tossed rice cakes in red chilli or soy versions, a slice of tteokgalbi, a few pieces of jeon, gimbap or sweet fried chicken. Rice, cup noodles and drinks can be bought with coins too, so a full lunch is easy to build. Outside the lunchbox programme, shops sell side dishes and snacks the usual way, for cash or card. From 29 September 2026 to 30 January 2027 (planned), the customer centre is being renovated, so coins are sold from a pop-up store across from the old centre and lunch is eaten at outdoor tables near a traditional pavilion. The Gyeongbokgung palace walls and the Seochon cafe lanes are a short walk away.
Photos: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 1) / Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type 3)
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Last checked: Nov 14, 2026 · Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
