Food, Lifestyle, Travel & Photography: Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market

While spending a day in Seogwipo, we visited the Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market both in the morning and evening. The morning felt rather quiet, allowing us to take in the local atmosphere at a slower pace. As tourists, we enjoyed immersing ourselves in the culture, observing how Koreans make their livelihood through their businesses.

Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market

The market felt like a cleaner, more spacious, and well-organized version of our wet markets, offering everything from seafood and fresh produce to baked goods and more.

Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market

Located in Seogwi-dong, Seogwipo, Jeju Province, this is the largest and oldest permanent market in the area. As both a major tourist attraction and an economic hub, it offers a glimpse into local life while showcasing a wide variety of goods, from fresh seafood to traditional snacks.

Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market

While exploring the market, we came across Songsabu and decided to grab some pastries and bread to try.

Songsabu

A golden-brown, twisted donut generously coated in sugar, giving it a delightful crunch on the outside while remaining soft and airy on the inside. Lightly sweet and incredibly addictive, it’s a perfect treat for a quick snack on the go!

Twisted Donut

A crispy, golden-brown croquette with a beautifully textured breadcrumb coating. With a bite, it reveals a creamy, savory filling that oozes out, making it a satisfying and indulgent street food delight.

Croquette

The Salad Series Bread came neatly packaged in a small cardboard box, making it perfect for munching on the go as we wandered through the market.

Salad Series Packaging

Deep-fried to golden perfection, the bread was irresistibly crispy on the outside and pillow-soft inside. Filled with shredded crabstick, egg, and a touch of salad cream, it was delightfully savory and addictive.

₩2500

While exploring one section of the market, we came across this iconic Jeju statue, playfully dressed with quirky sunglasses and a cute knitted hat. A fun and charming sight that perfectly captures the vibrant personality of Jeju!

Display

The market is quite large, with several distinct segments to explore. Each section offers something different, making it an exciting place to wander through.

Another exit

With a seafood craving in full swing, I couldn’t take my eyes off this fiery spectacle, a stall dramatically grilling lobsters with melted cheese over towering flames. It was an unmissable sight and an even more tempting treat!

Whole Lobster -₩10,000

After getting hooked on Jeju’s abalone from my last meal, I couldn’t resist having more at the market. I went back to the same stall, but this time, it didn’t quite live up to my previous experience.

Abalone - ₩10,000 (5 pcs)

While enjoying freshly grilled food at the shared benches, my eyes caught sight of something refreshing, the Watermelon Drink! Served in a mini watermelon with ice, it looked absolutely adorable and irresistible. Awww… just look at how awesome it is!

Watermelon Drink

I spotted some kimchi meat rolls and couldn’t resist joining the queue to try them out. Drizzled beautifully with sauce, each bite was hearty, savory, and satisfying.

Some Rolls

I guess we discovered this stall a little too late—our stomachs were already full from everything we had earlier. The long queue caught our attention, and it seemed to be selling some kind of rolls. Definitely a popular spot!