Seomun Market is one of the three major markets in Korea and is the largest market in Gyeongsang Province. It is a traditional market famous for various food items along with textiles such as silk and linen. In June 2016, with the opening of “Seomun Night Market,” the largest night market in the nation, it became a must-see tourist destination for people looking for the tradition and taste of Korea.
As of 2017, about 5,522 stores and 30,000 merchants are in the market. The market has become so huge that it has nearly everything from textiles, such as linen, fabric, and clothes, to food produce such as fruits and vegetables. The quality of the textile and fabric-related products is also exquisite to the point that people come from all across the nation to buy them.
Seomun Market is not just the largest traditional market that supports the livelihood of the people of Gyeongsang Province, it is also a tourist hotspot where visitors can get a glimpse of the “life of the Korean people” that they cannot get anywhere else these days. The Dongseong-ro Downtown, Kim Kwang-Seok Memorial Art Street, and Modern History Alley are all situated nearby and these are all great places for visitors looking for cultural experiences.
If you come to Daegu, you should not miss what Seomun Market has to offer.
Seomun Market was established as one of the three major markets during the middle period of the Joseon Dynasty. Originally it was known as “Daegu Jang (Daegu Market)“ and was no bigger than a small section outside the north gate of Daegu Eupseong (a town castle that surrounded the residential area). It later developed into a large-scale market in the aftermath of the two Japanese invasions of Korea (Imjin Waeran, Jeongyu Jaeran) as it became the center of logistics for reconstruction materials.
Afterward, it grew by leaps and bounds when the Gyeongsanggamyeong, a public office governing the area, was established in 1601 (the 34th year of King Seonjo’s reign).
In 1669, the 10th year of King Hyeonjong’s reign, Gyeongsang Province, which was separated by the Nakdonggang River, became integrated into one administrative area.
This arrangement drove the exponential growth of the market, and because of its development its location was moved to where Dongsan Police Station was at that time.
As a result, Daegu Market (then called “Dongmun Market”) became a commercial hub, interconnecting all parts of the province with a complete market network as well as incorporating the markets in Chilgok Eup and Daegu Eup.
The market then moved to its present location in 1920 as the downtown of Daegu-si expanded, and since then has been called “Seomun Market.”
