Behind Gyeongdong Market in Cheongnyangni there are two shops that specialise in yaki-mandu (those deep-fried dumplings you get at Korean snack shops). One is Jjanggune and the other is Gitae Mandu. I have no idea which one’s the original or which is tastier, but when I went, only Jjanggune had a line, so that’s where I bought mine. My guess is there isn’t much difference in taste either way.

A jokbal place on the way

It looked good for some reason, so I snapped a photo.

Jjanggune Yaki-mandu

There was a bit of a line, so I bought some..

The vibe..

They were also selling “ugly” gimmari (fried seaweed rolls).

Next door

They sell sundae cheap here. Places like this look great too, but it was hot that day, so I just headed home.

The day’s haul

I got yaki-mandu and “ugly” dumplings. Honestly, the prices are ridiculously low. Yaki-mandu are 3 for 1,000 won, and the ugly dumplings are 10 for 5,000 won. You could buy about ten servings and still spend under 20,000 won? Who knew food like this still exists these days.. Though of course you shouldn’t think about nutritional balance.

Gyeongdong Market scenery

Somehow I always feel at ease when I come to a market.

Herbal medicine ingredients

There were lots of these at Gyeongdong Market.

I zapped the yaki-mandu and ugly dumplings in the microwave..

To be honest, I think yaki-mandu really come into their own when you put them in tteokbokki.. but I couldn’t be bothered.. Next time I should pick up the tteokbokki sauce they sell too and eat them together.

Split in half

The filling is simply glass noodles and nothing else, well seasoned with salt and pepper, so they’re not bad eaten as they are. The ugly dumplings I bought were a generous portion too. There’s not much to the filling, yet they taste really good, and I think it’s because crispy bits alternate with plain, slightly salty bits.. The crispy ends even have a bit of a pastry feel..

You can keep them in the freezer and thaw them later, but they’re definitely best eaten right away. In these days of high prices, I doubt there are many places where you can buy a snack this good, and since the market is right next door, why not stop by while you’re doing your shopping..

And honestly, yaki-mandu is a name that doesn’t quite make sense to me. It should only be “yaki” if it’s grilled, and if it’s deep-fried it should be “age-mandu”.. Anyway.. it’s a taste of Korean bunsik shops that you’d struggle to find in any other country. Seeing how many people say they’ve been eating this since they were kids, I think it’s already become tradition and history. I think we can be proud of it as K-food..

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