In a time of unprecedented globalization, which now means Americanization, it always proves difficult for foreigners to observe the unique characteristics of a country’s local society from the urban areas of large metropolises where they usually stay.
Every morning, when I pass by chain stores of McDonalds, KFC, Starbucks, and Pizza Hut on my way to my research office at Yonsei University, I always get confused for a couple of seconds: Am I in Seoul, New York City, or Shanghai? From the United States to Korea, from Korea to China, globalization infused with an America-centered consumer culture has successfully penetrated all cities, and considerably converted their urban cultures into homogeneous ones.
Thus, it is really difficult for a foreigner in Seoul to find, understand, and appreciate the native characteristics of local society. As a historian, in addition to visiting libraries, archives, and academic institutes, I seldom travel beyond the downtown area where I can find almost everything that I need. By the same token, like many friends of mine who are currently living in Seoul, I have found my activities pretty much constricted within the downtown area, which is filled with tall commercial buildings, GS convenient stores, E-mart supermarkets, Hyundai and Lotte Department Stores, and various restaurants. There seems to be no space in this city that has escaped the powerful influences of globalization. Yet, when I visit traditional markets in local neighborhoods, I am indeed able to perceive what is going on beyond the waves of globalization. These local markets, as a whole, form a sharp contrast to the modernism of this huge metropolis.

Genuine Scenes of Everyday Life

Seoul has many local markets, among which the Namdaemun Market stands out as the most famous attraction for foreigners. Every time I need to purchase some small but traditional Korean gifts for my friends in other countries, my friends in Seoul always suggest that I visit Namdaemun Market.
The Namdaemun Market is a 100 percent commercial market, and it overwhelmingly seeks to sell goods to foreigners. Many store owners know some English, Chinese, and Japanese, and they can say “Hello! This is very good!” “Ni hao! Zhege hen pianyi!” and “Konichiwa! Kore wa yasui desuyo.” My personal feeling is that the market has been so much commercialized that it is almost impossible for a foreigner to appreciate the traditional ways of a local Korean market.
In the meanwhile, I know there are many small markets in the city that are quite different from the Namdaemun and Dongdaemun Markets. Generally speaking, these markets are not very big but they play a key role in providing local residents with food, clothing, and other necessities at comparatively lower prices than other markets. As far as I know, each neighborhood of the city has at least two or three traditional markets that do a thriving business. Among these markets, one of the largest is Cheongnyangni Market, located in the northeast area of Seoul.
Although I am not an anthropologist or a sociologist, I am indeed interested in knowing about the daily life of the local residents. Cheongnyangni Market shows me the uniqueness of local Korean markets and local social life. Some of my Korean friends said I should visit there at least once, while many fellow colleagues of mine have never even heard its name because such a market is indeed far from our life pattern in ivory towers, and to a large degree, our daily concerns.

Observations of Cheongnyangni Market

I made my first visit to Cheongnyangni Market in November 2010, and I found it extremely interesting. My first impression of the vast market was that it was so busy and crowded. The market has several large sections that sell meat, fish, green vegetables, pickles, fresh and dried fruits, clothing, and other necessities. Each section was bustling with customers, exactly like Namdaemun Market. Yet, almost all the customers here were local residents from different areas of the city. Therefore, I never heard any “Hello!” “Nihao!” or “Konichiwa!” at Cheongnyangni.
One of the most interesting things that I found at Cheongnyangni was that several shops were selling dog meat. I know that Korea has a very long tradition of enjoying dog meat, but nowadays it is not so easy to find restaurants, supermarkets, or neighborhood markets in downtown Seoul that offer dog meat. Yet at Cheongnyangni, you can easily find that this tradition is still well preserved.
From this point of view, it indeed is a wonderful place for foreign visitors to perceive and appreciate Korea’s traditional features from within.

Wang Yuanchong, Ph.D. Candidate
History Department, Cornell University, U.S.A