Oh Se-hoon visits Namdaemun night market, pledges support for traditional market tourism

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the "Seoul Moonlit Gourmet Fair" at Namdaemun Market on Saturday evening, taking on the role of one-day chef. He served food to visitors, met with vendors and pledged support for boosting nighttime tourism at traditional markets.

Running through Nov. 21, the fair is held daily from 6 to 9 p.m. to let tourists enjoy the market after dark. The centerpiece program, "Moonlit Tavern," features a special menu built around dakkalgusu — a chicken knife-cut noodle dish synonymous with Namdaemun Market. The event also includes "Moonlit Shop," showcasing everyday goods and novelty products, and "Moonlit Market," a flea market run by the vendors' association.

Oh dressed in traditional tavern attire and served dakkalgusu and boiled pork alongside chef Nam Jun-young and chef Cho Seo-hyeong, who appeared on the Netflix show "Culinary Class Wars" as "Business Genius Manager Jo." The mayor then toured the market with vendors to review how the nighttime tourism programs were running.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government last November built a design arcade modeled on hanok eaves along an approximately 135-meter stretch of the main thoroughfare at Namdaemun Market. Even as autumn rain fell Saturday, visitors continued to stream into the covered market.

At the opening ceremony, Oh said he felt a sense of accomplishment at the changes since the arcade was built. "More vendors are staying open late into the night, and visitors from around the world are coming in greater numbers — it's been a real transformation," he said.

Oh also mentioned a scarf vendor who has recently become a sensation. The vendor sells six scarves for 10,000 won ($8) while quipping "Don't buy too many — you'll get home and never use them," and has gone viral under the nickname "Scarfrio." Oh said he was "delighted to see so many people coming to Namdaemun Market, thanks in part to the 'scarf ajeossi' becoming a star."

He added that he hoped the fair would help Namdaemun Market "reinvent itself as an even more vibrant space at night," and pledged to "actively support Seoul's traditional markets — including Dongdaemun Market, Gwangjang Market and Gyeongdong Market — so that more people come to love them."