Dongdaemun Market

In Seoul, South Korea's Jongno-gu neighborhood, there is a sizable business area known as Dongdaemun Market or Tongdaemun (abbreviated DDM). It is a well-known shopping and tourism attraction with traditional marketplaces and shopping complexes that has been designated a "Special Tourism Zone" since 2002. Around the world, there are numerous markets that are well-known for various things. However, none of them compare to Seoul's Dongdaemun Market. One of the interesting facts about Seoul is that this market is home to over 50,000 producers and over 30,000 shops in the fashion industry.

The market offers a wide range of products, but it is known for its silks and fabrics, clothing, footwear, leather goods, sporting goods, electronics and plumbing, office supplies, fortune-tellers, and toy shops, as well as food sections that specialize in Korean cuisine. It also has a lot of pet stores. The Korean snacks Soondae and mandu, it is included as one of "Asia's 10 Greatest Street Food Cities" by Seoul.

DDM was previously a night market, with wholesalers open from 1:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. With some stores open 24 hours a day, the neighborhood is now open for 18 and a half hours per day from 10:30 am to 5:00 am, while most are closed on Sundays and major holidays.