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Persevering with on in South Korea, I’m again on the mainland once more. After the brief three day journey to Jeju Island, we determined to go as much as Seoul for a day journey to discover the capital and absorb all of the sights. An enormous factor I needed to makre certain to go to was the biggest fish market in the entire of South Korea, Noryangjin Fish Market. The plan was to be dropped off on the close by metropolis of Cheongju on the KTX Excessive-Velocity Rail practice station and take the practice as much as Seoul. The high-speed rail turned a 2-hour drive with out visitors right into a 40-minute practice trip. The KTX Excessive-Velocity trains journey at a median pace of 305kmph(190mph) and often prices below $25 per individual for a spherical journey from Seoul to Cheogju.

After a brief practice trip via the Korean nation facet, we acquired out at Seoul Central Practice Station. From there we walked over to our first stopm, Gyeongbokgung Palace. This was the royal palace grounds of the Joseon Dynasty, set proper in the course of the town. A lot of the constructions had been systematically destroyed by the Imperial Japanese in the course of the occupation within the early twentieth century. The Palace have been progressively and painstakingly restored because the Nineteen Nineties again to their unique glory. In case you are visiting Seoul, take a pair hours and discover the palace, the entry payment is small and there’s a lot historical past to absorb right here.

Techinally on the unique palace grounds, however exterior of the primary complicated on the northwest nook can be the Nationwide People Museum of Korea. This museum is stuffed with displays that illustrates the historical past of conventional lifetime of the Korean folks. There is no such thing as a entry payment and open for all to see, we spent one other hour in there going via historic photographs going all the best way again to the late nineteenth century. There was an exhibit that basically piqued my curiosity, it confirmed the historic and present significance of the three species of fish in Korea. The Jogi (조기) – Yellow Croaker, Myeongtae (명태) – Alaska Pollock, and Myulchi(멸치) – Anchovy have fed the Korean folks for millennia, the croakers and pollock have ritual and non secular significance as properly. Displaying extra than simply the historical past with the connection korea had with these fish, the exbhibit confirmed present points as properly akin to their financial significance. 

After absolutely exploring the folks museum, it was time to get some lunch at an area donkatsu spot, and to discover a number of the historic procuring streets in different components of the town as properly. We did that for a lot of the afternoon, then because it acquired nearer to dinner I needed to go to Noryangjin Fish Market. This place just isn’t solely the biggest fish market it’s the oldest as properly.

The Public sale home shut down for the night, will probably be busy once more at 3am

Noryangjin is a large complicated, a multi-floor constructing that has over 700 distributors. A whole lot of tons of seafood strikes via these doorways daily. The Noryangjin Fish Auctions begin up at 3 am with tens of millions of received being exchanged for 1000s of kilos of fish. On the identical flooring because the public sale is the primary dwell seafood market, the place distributors have tanks stuffed with dwell fish and shellfish on the market both wholesale or retail. The ground above has distributors who promote salted and dried fish merchandise, in addition to some kitchen tools distributors.

These guys are removed from residence, farmed Bull Redfish

Noryangjin is sort of a public aquarium with the variability and amount of dwell seafood on show. It’s simply row after row of distributors who for probably the most half have tanks stuffed with dwell product. Fast facet notice, ensure you are carrying closed-toed footwear right here, and never cloth footwear as properly. The ground is perpetually moist and fishy right here, Noryangjin just isn’t solely a retail market/ vacationer spot. Numerous these distributors are wholesale suppliers to the native markets and eating places. Additionally please, be respectful. You’ll be able to have a look at the fish, however don’t contact them or faucet on the tanks. These are all companies right here making an attempt to make a residing right here.

The distributors right here largely converse Korean, some converse Chinese language as properly. I didn’t hear any English however with this being Seoul there are doubtless english audio system right here. If not context clues go a good distance, as does google translate. Just like the different markets I’ve proven the distributors could be pushy, theyre not making an attempt to be impolite. However they’re definelty wantint to make that sale. Don’t allow them to bully you when you don’t need what they’re promoting. Noryangjin additionally has costs listed on their web site right here so reference this to ensure you aren’t paying an excessive amount of for one thing.

Apart from simply exploring, the large draw right here is to purchase some seafood after which have it ready on the third flooring. Which is why I saved this place for final. The distributors on the primary flooring have partnered up with restuarants on the third flooring. So you should buy your seafood then let the seller know you need to have it cooked up. They’ll name upstairs and have them ship somebody all the way down to take you and your seafood as much as the restuarant.

I did a lap of the entire place simply to see each species of fish and shellfish they needed to supply. After which I went to a shellfish vendor for what I needed, dwell snow crab. I do know I can get snowcrab within the US, however not dwell or complete. So stopping by a shellfish vendor I talked to earlier, we purchased a snow crab, an octopus, a conch. I requested them about getting some sashimi as properly and the seller took us to his accomplice an aisle over. His accomplice dealt in dwell fish and gave us a superb worth on a platter. After this was all carried out, the resaurant runner got here down and took us as much as the restaurant.

We adopted him via the market and acquired in an elevator to go up a pair flooring, after which adopted him down the halls of all the opposite spots until we acquired to the resturant he labored at. There he dropped off shellfish with the host and left. The host then requested how we needed the whole lot prepped. We went the straightforward route and simply had the crab and conch steamed and the dwell octopus chopped up uncooked as sashimi. They provide alternative ways to organize the seafood however because it will get fancier the extra it prices. We needed to do the spicy fish soup as properly, however I believe within the rush of issues one thing was misplaced in translation and we ended up not getting it. I like to recommend you do get it when you go right here, it’s very tasty and actually thought-about to be extra correct manners for consuming on the restaurant, it does price a little bit extra although however not loads.

We acquired seated at a desk and waited for the whole lot to be prepped. They introduced out all of the cutlery, water, and sides we would wish. The sashimi and dwell octopus got here out actually fast. The sashimi got here out with some purple leaf lettuce, ssamjang, uncooked garlic, and chili peppers. The octopus was chopped up and however nonetheless shifting. It got here with a small dish of sesame oil and salt to dip it in. All of it was very contemporary contemplating the fish was simply swimming round a couple of minutes earlier than. The feel may be very totally different than one thing you’ll usually discover stateside. When the fish is that this contemporary the sashimi is chewier, making for a superb textural expertise.

Quickly after the sashimi got here out, the primary course was prepared. The snow crab and conch had been carried out steaming and had been introduced out. I do know it’s not an unique species just like the shrimp from Jeju, however that is one thing I can’t get stateside. They introduced the crab out the wrong way up on the steaming tray, so to maintain the juices inside the top of the crab. Whereas it’s not my factor crab tomalley may be very standard when blended into rice right here. You simply pop the highest of the crab off and add rice into it. The crab was tremendous stuffed with meat as properly, dwell snowcrab simply hits totally different perhaps it was simply my notion or perhaps it was higher, both approach the expertise was value it. This complete unfold of contemporary seafood got here out to a complete of 110,000 received ($84 USD) together with the price of having the whole lot cooked. Whereas up there with what we spent for meals in Korea, that is nonetheless approach cheaper than what it could price stateside for all this. Subsequent time in Seoul I’ll positively be going again to Noryangjin to have myself some extremely seafood.