In Dongmyo, old things keep finding new owners.

Along the stone wall of Donggwanwangmyo Shrine in Sungin-dong, Dongmyo Flea Market mixes vintage clothes, records, books, household goods and antiques in the same lanes. The shrine dates to 1601; secondhand merchants began gathering nearby in the 1980s, and sellers displaced by the Cheonggyecheon restoration later helped shape the market seen today.

Dongmyo-ap Station · Lines 1 / 6 · Walk 3분

How a flea market grew beside a 400-year-old shrine

Dongmyo takes its name from Donggwanwangmyo, the Guan Yu shrine built here in 1601 after the Imjin War and now designated a national Treasure. Seoul Metropolitan Government records trace the flea market to merchants gathering nearby in the 1980s. Its present form expanded after sellers from Hwanghak-dong relocated during the 2003–2005 Cheonggyecheon restoration.

Because you never know what the next pile will contain

Dongmyo is the opposite of shopping from a fixed catalogue. Vintage clothes sit beside old cameras, watches, vinyl, books, tools and everyday objects, and an item you see today may be gone tomorrow. Longtime bargain hunters and younger vintage shoppers now search the same lanes for completely different things.

A shrine wall beside street stalls

Secondhand stalls run directly beside the stone wall of a Joseon-era shrine.

KRW 1,000 clothing beside old records and tools

The thrill comes less from a fixed product list than from accidental discovery.

Different generations sharing one treasure hunt

Longtime bargain hunters and younger vintage shoppers search the same lanes for different reasons.

Normally 12:00–16:00

This is when the greatest number of stalls and shoppers are usually out.

Second-hand goods in Dongmyo · archive photo

10:00–17:00/18:00

Official guidance; actual hours vary by shop and street stall.

Sep 26

It is the final day of the Chuseok holiday, so stall density and closing times may differ from a normal Saturday.

QUICK WALK

Shrine wall and the core flea-market lanes

WITH FOOD

Add street snacks or a Cheonggyecheon walk

Before you visit

Ask the price before buying when an item has no visible tag. Small-denomination KRW cash can still be useful for minor purchases. Weekend lanes can get tight; avoid blocking the flow when stopping for photos.