Noryangjin Fish Market

Wake up early to watch the fish auctions at this boisterous market and purchase fresh seafood to have prepared before you at casual restaurants.

Noryangjin Fish Market (officially the Noyangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market) is booming, chaotic, dynamic and entertaining all at one time. The range of seafood available is huge; if you can eat it and it lives in the sea there’s a high probability that you can find it here. Visit Noryangjin Fish Market to witness frenzied auctions conducted by hundreds of traders. Enjoy sampling delicious fish and seafood dishes served directly from the market to your plate.

This 24-hour market opened in 1927 and moved to its current location in 1971. It has 700 stalls and trades over 250 tons (226,000 kilograms) of produce a day. See the auction area and a retail zone, which is divided into fresh, frozen, live and shellfish goods.

The seafood on display ranges from the colorful to the curious and colossal. See counters decorated with crabs, lobsters, octopuses, sea cucumbers, rays, tuna, urchins and more. An auction begins before sunrise every morning. Arrive at this time to observe as the fishmongers first prepare their catch for sale. Listen as they engage in negotiating battles with competitive buyers, many of whom are restaurateurs.

Test your own bargaining ability in the retail area. Select your fish of choice, wait for it to be weighed and priced and make a counteroffer to the vendor. Be comfortable walking away if you aren’t happy as the vendors have many potential customers.

Go to the market’s second floor, find a seat and relax as talented chefs turn your produce into sashimi-style dishes. Alternatively, have it cooked with spices and extras such as noodles, rice and vegetables. The restaurants charge a separate fee for service.

Walk a short distance via a footbridge from Noryangjin metro station to the market. Several public buses also stop at the station. Parking is available for a fee on the building’s upper levels.

Noryangjin Fish Market is open year-round. Auctions take place from Monday to Saturday, except for select national holidays. Visit the market’s official website for more information.