6 Best Places to Go Shopping in Yeosu
Where to Shop in Yeosu and What to Buy?
Yeosu’s traditional markets and fish markets are mostly gathered in one place, around the Yeondeungcheon Stream in Gyo-dong. Gyodong Market, Seo Market, Fish Market, Seafood Specialty Market, and Jungang Market are popular markets for locals and tourists.
Most of the Yeosu markets are characterized by a high proportion of seafood. Fresh fish, dried fish, salted fish, fresh kimchi, and other items that travelers love can be easily bought at the markets. Each market has restaurants selling local food, so you can enjoy shopping and food together.
1. Gyodong Market
Succulent seafood market
Good for: Shoppers, Budget
Gyodong Market, near Yeosu Coastal Passenger Terminal, is a traditional market with a long history that began in 1965. Adjacent to the passenger terminal, it is a place where fresh seafood caught in the sea off Yeosu is gathered. Although mainly a seafood market, it sells a variety of products such as vegetables, fruits, and meat..
In the evening, there is a Pungmul Street Night Market. Try the local food; samhap, stir-fried pork and aged kimchi accompanied by seafood such as fermented skate, pen shell scallops, jumbo shrimps, and octopus, is a good accompaniment to beverages.
Location: 15-10, Gyodongsijang 1-gil, Jungang-dong, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Open: Daily from 5 am to 5 pm
Gyodong Market
2. Yeosu Seo Market
Hundreds of shops and vendors
Good for: Shoppers
A traditional market located across the Yeondeungcheon Stream, Yeosu Seo Market sells seafood, agricultural products, clothing, and daily necessities. Although it opens at dawn, there’s a lull in the afternoon, when it gets quieter, before people start to gather and business picks up again and visitors flock to the over 600 shops and street vendors.
The food plaza of Seo Market is also a popular spot for tourists, and popular menu items include sashimi, tripe hotpot, pork trotters, seafood pancakes, handmade burgers, and fish cakes.
Location: 16-6, Jwasuyeong-ro, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Open: Daily from 6am to 8pm
Yeosu Seo Market
3. Yeosu Fish Market
Fresh fish, dried fish, salted fish, and more
Good for: Shoppers, Food
There are 2 fish markets specializing in seafood around Yeosu Gyodong Market. Yeosu Fish Market opened in 1968 and has been selling seafood to Yeosu citizens and tourists for over 50 years. After a fire in 2017 damaged the building, it was remodeled and modernized, giving a cleaner, smarter feel.
This is where to go to find all kinds of seafood: live fish, fresh fish, dried fish, and shellfish. In addition to these, they also sell salted fish, kimchi, and vegetables. You can buy sashimi on the first floor and, if your legs get tired, pay for table seating in a restaurant on the second floor.
Location: 24, Yeogaekseonterminal-gil, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Open: Daily from 5 am to 9 pm
Yeosu Fish Market
4. Yeosu Specialty Seafood Market
Beachside market with 3 floors of seafood
Good for: Shoppers, Food
Near Yeosu Fish Market, there is Yeosu Specialty Seafood Market, which modernized the old Gyodong Fish Market. It is a 3-story building dedicated to seafood. When it was designated as a shopping and food establishment for tourists during the 2012 Yeosu World Expo, it was further developed.
Seafood lovers will be in awe at the huge spread of fish and shellfish options available to them, both to eat there and to take away. You can also appreciate the sea at the same time, as the market is located on the beach. The great views mean you can see Yeosu Port, Jinnamgwan, and Dolsan Bridge at a glance.
Location: 60-31, Namsan-ro, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Open: Daily from 5 am to 10 pm
Yeosu Specialty Seafood Market
5. Dokkaebi Traditional Market
Small, quiet area with shops and cafes
Good for: Shoppers
Dokkaebi Traditional Market in Hak-dong got its name from the fact that the market opens and disappears just like a goblin is said to have appeared around this area in the past. It is a relatively small market that sells household goods, mainly dried fish and seafood.
In this rather quiet area, there are many simple restaurants commonly found in traditional markets, selling pork trotters, pork soup, chicken, mandu (dumplings), steamed anglerfish, and meat. There are also stores nearby and more. The market gives its name to a bus stop making it easy to get to.
Location: 18, Hakdongseo 5-gil, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Open: Hours vary
Dokkaebi Traditional Market
6. Yeosu Specialty Products Store
A huge variety of kimchi
Good for: Shoppers
You can find the main specialties of Yeosu in one place at the Yeosu Specialty Products Market, located in the Fishing Port Complex in Bongsan-dong. You can purchase agricultural and marine products such as kimchi, gejang (marinated fresh raw crabs), salted fish, fish sauce, anchovies, fish, and dried fish.
The most popular product is kimchi, and there are many varieties such as Dolsan mustard leaf kimchi, godeulppaegi (hawksbeard plant) kimchi, green onion kimchi, and Napa cabbage kimchi. Only domestic seasonings are used and no MSG is added, so they have a clean taste. Seasoned gejang, soy sauce gejang, salted sea urchin, salted cutlassfish, and salted octopus are also popular items.
Location: 30-12, Bongsannam 9-gil, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea
Open: Daily from 9 am to 8.30 pm
Yeosu Specialty Products Store
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