Noryangjin Fish Market Guide & Nodeul Island Sunset in Seoul

Sunset over the Yeouido skyline from Dongjak Bridge on the Han River

How to buy and eat at Noryangjin Fish Market, plus the best Han River sunset on Nodeul Island. A local guide from Maison Sangdo, 15 minutes away.

Noryangjin Fish Market is Seoul's biggest seafood market, and one of the most memorable meals you can have in the city. Pair it with a sunset on Nodeul Island, an island in the middle of the Han River, and you have a perfect Seoul evening. Both are about 15 minutes from Maison Sangdo, our home stay three minutes from Sangdo Station (Line 7). This is how we tell our own guests to do it.

Noryangjin Fish Market: how it works

Noryangjin Fish Market (archive photo)
Noryangjin Fish Market (archive photo) · Photo: Gaël Chardon, CC BY-SA 2.0

Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market has fed Seoul for about 70 years. Since around 2016 it has been housed in a modern building, but the energy hasn't changed: long rows of tanks, crabs, shellfish, ice and the calls of the sellers. The rule is simple. You choose your seafood downstairs, and a restaurant upstairs cooks it for you.

Step by step

  1. Walk the whole floor first. Prices are usually by weight and vary from stall to stall, so compare before you buy.
  2. Ask the price before it goes on the scale. Sellers often show the price on a calculator. Pointing works well, and a smile and "bissayo" (that's expensive) is part of the game.
  3. Say how you want it. Hoe (sliced raw fish), steamed, or grilled. The seller cleans and prepares it, then bags it for you.
  4. Take it upstairs. The restaurants upstairs serve what you bought with side dishes, for a small table charge per person.
  5. Order maeuntang. A spicy fish stew made with the leftover bones. It's the best part of the meal.

Noryangjin Fish Market (archive photo)
Noryangjin Fish Market (archive photo) · Photo: Hwk (Wikivoyage), CC BY-SA 1.0

Good to know

  • When to go: Wholesale auctions run before dawn. For visitors, the late afternoon and evening are easiest: the stalls are open and the restaurants upstairs are lively. Check the official site (susansijang.co.kr) for current hours.
  • Language: English is limited, but pointing, a calculator and a translation app get you everywhere.
  • Getting there: Noryangjin Station (Line 1 / Line 9), about 5 minutes on foot. From Maison Sangdo, about 15 minutes by bus.

Nodeul Island: the Han River sunset

Nodeul Island and Hangang Bridge
Nodeul Island and Hangang Bridge · Photo: travel oriented.jpg), CC BY-SA 2.0

Nodeul Island sits under Hangang Bridge, right in the middle of the Han River. It reopened in 2019 as a "music island", and it is one of the best places in Seoul to watch the sun go down behind the Yeouido skyline.

  • The lawn: a wide plaza facing the river. Bring a light blanket and stay until the lights come on.
  • Livehouse: a 456-seat concert hall. Check what's on that night.
  • Nodeul Seoga: an independent bookshop for a quiet browse.
  • Outdoor areas are open 24 hours. Indoor spaces usually open around 10:00–21:00.
  • Cars can't drive onto the island, so it stays calm.

Sunset over Yeouido from Dongjak Bridge
Sunset over Yeouido from Dongjak Bridge · Photo: Ox1997cow, CC BY-SA 4.0

Getting there: Nodeul Station (Line 9), Exit 2, then about 12 minutes on foot across Hangang Bridge. From Maison Sangdo, about 30 minutes on foot or a short bus ride.

Tip: Arrive about an hour before sunset. Walk the bridge, find a spot on the lawn and watch the city turn gold.

A perfect Seoul evening: our route

  1. Late afternoon: Yongyangbongjeojeong Park, a hilltop pavilion with a wide Han River view (see Seoul Hidden Gems: 4 Quiet Walks).
  2. Sunset: Nodeul Island.
  3. Dinner: Noryangjin Fish Market.
  4. Home: back to Maison Sangdo, 15 minutes away.

FAQ

Can I visit Noryangjin Fish Market if I don't speak Korean?
Yes. Sellers show prices on a calculator, pointing works, and a translation app covers the rest.

Can I eat right at the market?
Yes. Buy your seafood downstairs, then take it to one of the restaurants upstairs. They prepare and serve it for a small per-person table charge.

What's the best time for Nodeul Island?
About an hour before sunset, so you see the golden hour and the night view.

Where should I stay nearby?
Maison Sangdo is about 15 minutes from both places, in a quiet residential neighbourhood with its own kitchen and free parking.

Stay close: Maison Sangdo

Maison Sangdo is a small home stay in Sangdo-dong, three minutes on foot from Sangdo Station (Line 7). It's a quiet base for the river side of Seoul, and an easy ride to Gangnam and the Express Bus Terminal.

Maison Sangdo I
Maison Sangdo I

  • Maison Sangdo I: warm, deep-orange tones and a European retro mood. For couples, friends and slow stays.
  • Maison Sangdo II: bright, white and full of soft light. Pet-friendly, with a welcome kit for your dog.
  • Both have a home-café kitchen, a De'Longhi coffee machine, high-speed Wi-Fi, self check-in and one free private parking space. Each sleeps 2–4 guests.
  • From Incheon Airport: about 60 minutes by Airport Limousine Bus 6019.

Why stay in Sangdo? Read Where to Stay in Seoul Like a Local.

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Information as of October 2026. Hours and prices may change, so please check Naver Map or Kakao Map before you go. In Korea, they give more accurate directions than Google Maps.

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