In Seoul, street food is performance art — photogenic skewers, viral corn dogs, queues orchestrated for Instagram. In Sokcho, it is something older and less polished: fishing-village snacks and North Korean refugee recipes that predate the selfie by half a century. The food here does not need a ring light. It needs napkins.
Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market is the nerve center. What follows is a walking route through the market's best stalls, plus the secondary spots most visitors miss. Budget ninety minutes if you plan to eat at every stop. You will.
The Market Route
Dakgangjeong Alley — Sweet Crispy Chicken That Started a Turf War
Dakgangjeong Alley is the first thing you hit inside the market, and the smell will stop you before the signs do. More than ten stalls line this corridor, each frying bite-sized chicken pieces and glazing them in a sweet, sticky lacquer that shatters on first bite.
Two styles dominate:
- Sweet (단맛) — honey-based, caramelized, approachable for all palates
- Spicy (매운맛) — gochujang glaze with real heat, the version locals actually order
Prices start around ₩10,000 for a generous bag. But if you are going to eat dakgangjeong once in Sokcho, walk past the alley stalls and find the original.
Manseok Dakgangjeong — The One That Started It All
Manseok Dakgangjeong is the brand that put Sokcho dakgangjeong on the national map. The operation has the confidence of a place that knows it does not need to shout — clean trays, a tight menu, and a large box of botongmat (original flavor) that runs ₩19,000.
Open 10:00–20:00. English menu available.
Twigim Alley — Deep-Fried Everything, Done Right
Walk deeper into the market and the air shifts from sweet to savory. Twigim Alley is where vendors stand behind glass cases of battered squid, sweet potato, shrimp, seaweed rolls, boiled eggs, and whatever else fits in a fryer. A bag of modeum twigim (assorted fried items) costs ₩5,000 — roughly what you would pay for a single corn dog in Myeongdong.
Ojingeo Sundae — The Dish You Cannot Get Anywhere Else
This is Sokcho's most distinctive street food, and the one most likely to confuse you at the counter. Ojingeo sundae is not blood sausage — it is a whole squid stuffed with tofu, vegetables, and glass noodles, steamed until the filling sets, then sliced into thick coins and served with soy dipping sauce.
Available at multiple stalls inside the market. Budget ₩15,000 for one squid at Abai Sundae Town.
Across the Water: Abai Village
To reach Abai Sundae Town, you have two options: walk the long way around, or take the galmaetgil — a hand-pulled cable ferry that crosses the channel for ₩200. Take the ferry. It is one of the last operating hand-pulled ferries in Korea, and the crossing takes about two minutes.
Abai Village was settled by North Korean refugees who fled south during the Korean War. The food here reflects that heritage. The two essentials:
- Abai sundae (₩15,000) — North Korean-style blood sausage, chewier and more mineral than the Seoul version, with squid ink darkening the casing
- Ojingeo sundae (₩15,000) — the stuffed squid described above, made in the style the village has served for decades
For a sit-down version of this food, Dancheon Sikdang is a third-generation restaurant in the area serving abai sundae-gukbap (₩10,000) and naengmyeon (₩10,000). Open 08:30–19:00, English menu available. It is the kind of place where the broth has had sixty years to figure itself out.
Beyond the Market
Sokcho Beach Area
In summer (June through August), food trucks and temporary stalls appear near Sokcho Beach. The offerings rotate, but you can reliably find grilled corn (₩3,000), whole squid on a stick (₩5,000), and shaved ice desserts at nearby cafes (₩8,000–12,000). The quality is inconsistent — follow the crowds, not the signage.
Yeonggeumjeong Waterfront
A quieter alternative with a handful of seafood snack bars sitting directly on the water. Less foot traffic, more locals, better light for a late-afternoon beer and some grilled shellfish. Nobody will rush you here.
Street Food Rules
Four things that will make your market visit smoother:
- Eat where you buy. Carrying food from one stall to eat at another vendor's seating area is considered rude. Every stall has its own chairs or standing counter.
- Return your dishes. Stack plates and bowls at the return area when you finish. Staff will handle the rest, but do not leave a mess behind.
- Bring cash. Most stalls accept Korean bank cards, but smaller vendors — especially in the alleys — are often cash-only. ₩20,000 in notes covers a full tour.
- Queue without complaint. Lines at the popular stalls move fast. Cutting is a serious breach of etiquette, and nobody will be subtle about telling you.