From Namdaemun Market Street Food to Outdoor Makgeolli, a Food Tour Experienced by a Japanese Influencer

Sanabi, a Japanese influencer who is so familiar with Korean culture that she has visited Korea more than 20 times, visited Seoul's Namdaemun Market to experience various foods, from street food to enjoying makgeolli at outdoor tables (yajang). In the video released on the YouTube channel 'Foodie Otaku | A Third-Generation Japanese Korean's Tour of Old Korean Restaurants', the representative snacks of Namdaemun Market and the local atmosphere enjoyed at outdoor tables (yajang) are vividly captured.

From Hotteok to Tteokbokki, Street Snacks Filling the Alleys of Namdaemun Market

The tour began at 'Jolla Hotteok', a famous hotteok shop in Namdaemun Market. In the video, the participant tasted vegetable japchae hotteok (2,500 won) containing vegetables and honey hotteok (2,000 won), specifically mentioning the flavor and texture of the vegetable hotteok. It was noted that the hotteok is filled with honey, making the texture of the first bite special.

At the next stop, 'Jang Woo-son Busan Eomuk', they enjoyed eomuk, tteokbokki, and fried foods. Eomuk is offered at 2,000 won, tteokbokki at 5,000 won, seaweed roll fritters (gimmari) at 1,000 won, and squid fritters at 1,500 won. The participant noted the chewy texture of the tteokbokki made with rice and accompanied it with various fried foods such as seaweed roll fritters and squid fritters. In particular, the reaction was that the thick and elastic texture unique to rice cakes was impressive.

As a sweet dessert, Injeolmi Bingsu (5,000 won) from 'Namdaemun Bingsu' was introduced. Unlike the Japanese shaved ice 'kakigori', Korean-style bingsu is characterized by mixing the ingredients as you eat, and the participant enjoyed the taste of the combination of injeolmi and bean powder. Additionally, the peanut bread from 'Daesin Peanut Bread Namdaemun Market Branch' was introduced at a price of 3,000 won for 20 pieces, conveying a crispy texture.

Desserts to Soothe the Palate and Sharing Personal Experiences

In the middle of the meal, desserts that cleanse the palate appeared. Following the injeolmi bingsu, the savory taste of peanut bread followed, and the video shows various snacks appearing in sequence, demonstrating the abundant food of Namdaemun Market.

In the video, the participant mentioned her past experience of losing 17kg through dieting in Korea. At that time, they also talked about lifestyles related to Korean food culture. These personal experiences show the local adaptability accumulated through repeated trips to Korea. Furthermore, the participant revealed that her main profession is a beauty YouTuber and continued the conversation about Korea's beauty culture and local atmosphere.

Mung Bean Pancakes Enjoyed at Outdoor Tables and Makgeolli in Frozen Cups

The tour concluded by fully enjoying the 'yajang' atmosphere of Namdaemun Market. Sitting at an outdoor table and feeling the local sentiment, the participant ordered mung bean pancakes (7,000 won) and galguksu (8,000 won) from 'Tiger Bunsik'. The freshly cooked mung bean pancakes were provided warm, having been cooked on the spot.

In particular, the way makgeolli was consumed drew attention. The video revealed the sight of drinking makgeolli from frozen cups. The method of using ice-cold cups to maximize the coolness of the makgeolli was described as a unique pleasure that can be experienced locally. The participant enjoyed the lively atmosphere unique to Namdaemun Market while pairing the makgeolli with mung bean pancakes.