Noryangjin Fish Market: How to Buy Seafood and Eat It Upstairs

At Noryangjin Fish Market, a central wholesale market set up by the city of Seoul, you buy seafood at a 1st-floor stall and have it served at a restaurant on the 2nd or 5th floor. Check the operator's daily auction prices before you buy (the Korea Tourism Organization says retail is 10 to 20% higher), read the origin signs on the tanks, and note what you bought: for eligible seafood bought at retail stalls and returned unchanged within 24 hours, the operator offers an exchange or a full or partial refund for wrong species, wrong origin or poor freshness. Used or eaten products are excluded.

Source: Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market (Korean/English), Visit Seoul and Korea Tourism Organization; checked Oct 31, 2026.

The short version

Source: Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market (Korean/English) and Visit Seoul; checked Oct 31, 2026.

How buying and eating works

1. Check the day's prices on the operator's "today's auction prices" page. These are wholesale prices by species, origin and size, so use them for the trend, not as a stall price.
2. Choose at a stall on the 1st floor. Note what you bought, from which stall, and the weight or number of fish; you'll need these for a recall.
3. Take it upstairs to a restaurant on the 2nd or 5th floor. Visit Seoul says many restaurants there will slice fish bought in the market into hoe (raw fish).
4. Pay twice: the fishmonger for the seafood, and the restaurant for side dishes, vegetables or sauces, as Visit Seoul describes the usual arrangement. Ask each for the price before you agree.

Source: Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market — auction prices (Korean), Visit Seoul and Korea Tourism Organization; checked Oct 31, 2026.

Hours

• Retail sales are open year-round. Auctions start between 00:00 and 03:00 depending on the category and don't run on Sundays, New Year's Day, Seollal (3 days) or Chuseok (3 days).
• On auction holidays in 2026, the market announced that its stalls and restaurants stayed open; check the notice board for each holiday.
• The operator doesn't list restaurant hours: ask at the restaurant.

Source: Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market — hours and notices (Korean); checked Oct 31, 2026.

Buying with confidence

• Origin signs on the tanks. Under Korea's origin-labeling rules, sellers at wholesale and traditional markets must label origin, and when the same kind of live seafood is sold as both domestic and imported, the tanks have to keep them apart with a sign.
• 24-hour recall. The operator says seafood bought at a retail stall in the market can be exchanged or refunded (fully or in part) if the species or origin is wrong or it isn't fresh. Bring it back unchanged within 24 hours with when and where you bought it and its weight or count. It doesn't cover fish bought individually in the auction leftovers area or the basement live-fish storage, or food you've already used or eaten.
• Daily radiation tests. The operator posts seafood radiation test results on its site daily.
• If you have a chronic illness such as hepatitis or diabetes, the operator advises against eating raw shellfish and fish: have it cooked.

Source: National Fishery Products Quality Management Service (Korean), Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market — recall, radiation tests and raw fish tips (Korean); checked Oct 31, 2026.

Getting there

Source: Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market — location and parking (Korean); checked Oct 31, 2026.

Before you go

1. Check today's auction prices on the operator's site.
2. Decide roughly what you'll eat and for how many people.
3. Ask the stall and the restaurant for their prices before agreeing.
4. Note the stall, time and weight of what you buy.
5. Want to see an auction? Go before dawn on a day other than Sunday or a major holiday.

Source: Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market (Korean/English); checked Oct 31, 2026.

FAQ

How does Noryangjin Fish Market work?

You buy seafood at a stall on the 1st floor, then take it to a restaurant upstairs that serves it and charges separately for side dishes, vegetables and sauces.

What time does Noryangjin Fish Market open?

Retail sales are open year-round, with hours by section: the high-class fish section trades 24 hours, while others run from early morning until 19:00 or 22:00.

How can I avoid overpaying at Noryangjin?

Check the operator's daily auction prices first (retail is higher, 10 to 20% according to KTO), ask for prices before agreeing, and keep a note of the stall and weight in case you need the 24-hour recall (eligible retail purchases, returned unchanged and not eaten).

When is the fish auction at Noryangjin?

Auctions start between 00:00 and 03:00 depending on the category. There are none on Sundays, New Year's Day, Seollal or Chuseok.

How do I get to Noryangjin Fish Market?

Take the subway to Noryangjin Station: Line 1 Exit 9, or Line 9 Exit 7 and through the underpass.