I visited Yesan Market, the heart of Yesan in South Chungcheong and an up-and-coming hot spot.
It happened to be a five-day market day, so I got to feel the market’s full energy and excitement.
If you’re looking for places to visit in Yesan, don’t miss it.
When Is Market Day at Yesan Market?
As its name suggests, Yesan Market is open every day, but it carries on the tradition of the five-day market.
So it’s lively all the time, but on market days it turns into a real festival.
Yesan Market day schedule
Market days fall on the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th of every month.
(In months with 31 days, the 30th is still the market day.)
On those days the market is packed with far more vendors and visitors than usual,
and every alley rings with laughter and bargaining.
Fresh produce, seafood and household goods:
it’s a real market where you can find everything.
Tip: parking is tight on market days,
so walk from Yesan Station or take public transport if you can.
(We visited on October 10, 2025.)
A Food Paradise at Yesan Market
Yesan Market is so talked about that it’s called a mecca for food lovers,
and at its center is chef Baek Jong-won’s project for his hometown.
It’s even called the Baek Jong-won market,
and everywhere he’s touched feels full of life.
A newtro mood that reinterprets the old market feel in a modern way,
plus plenty of cheap, delicious local food.
Must-Try Foods at the Market
- Grilled meat: pork belly, dwitgogi and grilled chicken cooked on the spot
- Noodles: anchovy noodles, scallion oil bibim noodles and kalguksu with deep market flavor
- Fried treats: mung bean pancakes, twisted doughnuts and fried dumplings
- Local specialties: fish porridge, spicy fish stew and alley makgeolli
The market plaza in the center
has a shared dining area where you can enjoy food from many stalls in one place.
Lines can be long on weekends and market days, so give yourself plenty of time.
The Heart of the Market: Buy It, Grill It Plaza Culture
This isn’t a market just for browsing.
It’s a hands-on market where you buy ingredients and grill them yourself.
- Market plaza: a large, clean indoor and semi-outdoor dining area where you can eat food bought from different stalls
- Butcher and grill rental: buy meat at Singwang Butcher and rent a grill to cook it yourself
- Improved facilities: new paving, restrooms and tray return for a clean, hygienic market
Signature Shops You Shouldn’t Miss
- Godeok Bulgogi: grilled bulgogi set with smoky Baek Jong-won-style flavor
- Haenim Bindaetteok: mung bean pancakes, the market’s signature and always busy
- Gwangsi Castella: apple castella, a soft dessert made with Yesan apples
- Omincho: mint chocolate desserts with a unique, youthful concept
- Singwang Butcher: dorae-chang and dwitgogi, the center of the grill experience
- Seonbong Guksu: scallion oil bibim noodles with the aroma of Yesan chives
- Hupo Red Crab: red crab ramen made with Baek Jong-won ramen, a great hangover dish
Tip: each shop has different days off, so check the official social media or the Yesan County website before you go.
Yesan Market isn’t just a place to buy and sell;
it’s a living space where local warmth, memories and great food come together.
It’s plenty of fun as a day trip,
and if you time your visit for market day, you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of a lively festival.
If you’re looking for places to visit in Yesan,
spend a day at Yesan Market on market day.
You’ll find the real charm of Yesan in alleys full of warm hospitality and delicious smells.
Prices, hours and details in this post are from our visit in October 2025 and may have changed, so check the latest information before you go.