Incheon (Sinpo) with

It's a cute market where you can find food similar to Gwangjang Market for roughly the same prices, but with fewer crowds. You can easily spend the day here, then walk straight to Chinatown.

I went on a weekday morning, and most stalls weren't open yet 😅. I could still tell what they sold, though. Seems like a good spot to check out local snacks and ingredients 👍

The hollow, dough-like snack was my surprise favorite. I was told its Korean name but forgot it. It doesn't look like much, but inside it's leavened bread with honey underneath. I get why locals buy 3-5 at once. They're big enough to share, and after buying two I realized how filling they are. I shared them with local friends who hadn't tried them either, and they're addictive, like potato chips 🤗. I also loved the Korean egg tarts. I tried the original and sour cream flavors, since I'm a big fan of Macau and Cantonese egg tarts and didn't want to risk disappointment. These had a crispier crust, were larger, and weren't too sweet. Even cold from the fridge, they were good. The fried chicken wings were the crispiest I've had around Incheon, and the place seemed popular with locals. I picked the non-spicy seasoning, but there were still tiny bits of chili in it. The large container was worth every bite. I spread it over three days and reheated it on low heat, and it was still delicious. You can eat in the restaurant or get takeout at stall 3 or 5. The eat-in option is right across from those stalls. They've been making it the same way since 1985. I was curious about the colorful corn and all its varieties, but it wasn't for me. It was chewy and sticky, almost like sticky rice, unlike the steamed yellow corn I've had in Asia, America, or Europe. I bought seaweed roasted over a charcoal burner too. The sponge cake wasn't what I expected, but locals seem to love it, so I shared it rather than trying to finish it myself. The large bun with sweet red bean filling was too doughy for my taste, though older locals seemed to love it, maybe because it's a childhood favorite. This is a local market I recommend for trying foods people here enjoy. It's not especially eye-catching, but I liked a lot of the snacks and food. Most of the shop owners were welcoming and friendly. I only saw four other foreigners, while locals were enjoying their favorite snacks.

There are tasty finds tucked into this local market. Seaweed and beef pancakes are must-tries. The fried chicken is so popular that there was a line even at 9 in the morning.