Officially known as the Seoul Bamdokkaebi Night Market, it is held every Friday and Saturday night from March to October at four locations— Yeouido Hangang Park, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Mokdong Stadium, and Cheonggyecheon Stream. The one in Yeouido boasts the largest scale, featuring a total of 42 food trucks and 70 sellers of handmade goods, along with performances by indie musicians. It was named after Bamdokkaebi, which roughly translates to night demon, since it shows up only at nights.

Ever since its launch in March, it has enjoyed a warm reception from the public, steadily increasing the number of visitors from 10,000 to 50,000 per day. In fact, it was chosen as the best tourism policy of the SMG, according to a survey conducted by the Citizen’s Ombudsman Commission of 1,173 foreigners. Each night market has different themes, such as the World Night Market at Yeouido and Dancing Night at DDP. 

However, it is neither the food trucks nor the handmade goods that greet the visitors, even before they step into Yeouido Park. Rather, they are immediately absorbed into an overwhelming sea of people, who have all flocked here to spend their weekends. Once they enter the market, there is one long street flanked by rows of food trucks awaiting customers. Each food truck has a lineup of roughly 50 people in waiting, which means the waiting time takes about an hour on average. It is no surprise that many of them are carrying some sort of food or a can of beer in one hand, while waiting in lines. 

 

 

Although people are not so thrilled about having to wait for so long, all the discomforts melt away as soon as the food hits their taste buds. Ranging from rather exotic Hawaiian, Mexican, and Cuban cuisine to more familiar Italian, Japanese and Chinese food, visitors can have their picks from almost anywhere in the world. To top it off, make sure to leave some room for desserts such as Belgian waffles, churros, and gelatos.

Alessandro Sola, a tourist from Italy, said he visited the night market at Yeouido several times and plans on coming back again. “I heard about this place from other tourists. The food tastes good and the place seems to be wellmaintained,” he added. Will Schultz, an American resident in Korea, also expressed his satisfaction with the night market. He mentioned that the lineups are quite long, but that they are still “manageable,” saying, “it could be much worse.”

In the middle of the market, there are long lines of booths, where sellers offer a wide array of handmade products at affordable prices. These products are mostly handmade accessories, including jewelries, phone cases and wallets. All of the sellers are highly qualified, as they are screened by a group of judges that is made up of professionals and average citizens. Moreover, the fact that they take credit cards makes it convenient for customers. 

The Bamdokkaebi Night Market was particularly popular this summer with record-high temperatures, as the Han River offered a refuge from the sweltering summer heat. Accompanied by cool night breezes, the whole place even now gives off a romantic vibe with families and couples scattered along the river, who are making unforgettable memories. The stunning view of nighttime Seoul from across the river is another special treat the place offers.

Needless to say, these food truck owners and sellers are running highly lucrative businesses here, thanks to the night market’s booming popularity. For instance, some sought-after trucks earn as much as five million won per day. Overall, the night market is being celebrated as a successful case of promoting youth entrepreneurs. In fact, roughly 80 percent of the participants are young entrepreneurs in their twenties and thirties. Looking at how the night markets have taken roots as start-up incubators, an official at the SMG has announced that the city government is planning on “expanding the scale of the night markets to ten locations next year.” 

Nevertheless, even an exemplary policy like this night market is not free from its vice, as there have been concerns regarding rampant littering. In March, multiple complaints about a lack of trash cans in the park were filed. Although the SMG has been seeking to address the issue, their efforts have been only marginally effective. Given the large expanse of Yeouido Park, most visitors do not bother to make a trip to the garbage disposal area. As a result, food wastes and garbage are strewn all over the park. It remains to be seen how the SMG will cope with littering, as the scale of the Bamdokkaebi project continues to grow. 

All things considered, the Seoul Bamdokkaebi Night Market creates a sense of novelty by converging a wide variety of cultures in one place, while boosting the local economy at the same time. Indeed, a staggering number of people is not exactly a tempting sight, but it is only a matter of time before one gets used to it. After all, it would not be a night market without a throng of people and a buzzing atmosphere.