Selling for 10 Years in One Spot: 5 Places in Seoul Boasting the Authentic Taste of Tteokbokki

① Still Affordable Prices at Old Establishments

Lee Jung Hee Tteokbokki, located in Namgajwa-dong, Seodaemun-gu, is a nostalgic tteokbokki (Korean spicy stir-fried rice cake) hotspot near Myongji University. They have been selling tteokbokki at the exact location for over a decade.

Because they cook the tteokbokki on the spot, you can enjoy it even fresher. They are loved for their clean and sweet tteokbokki, which, rather than the heady, spicy flavor of tteokbokki, brings back the taste of your childhood memories.

In addition to tteokbokki, you can also enjoy dishes like kalguksu (wide-cut noodle soup), bibimguksu (spicy mixed noodles), and jjolmyeon (spicy chewy noodles). A single serving costs 3,500 KRW (about $3), so it’s still quite affordable.

• Address: 14, Jeungga-ro 10-gil, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
• Operating Hours: 09:00-21:30
• Menu: Tteokbokki $3, Handmade Fried Food (5 pieces) $3, Fish Cake $1.30

Mapo Original Tteokbokki is a tteokbokki hotspot located in Dohwa-dong, Mapo-gu. They have been serving their consistent taste since 1987. The harmony of spicy and rich tteokbokki sauce and chewy rice cakes captivates the palate.

Many customers can’t forget this taste and have been regulars for a long. Despite the passage of time, the taste of tteokbokki remains the same.

It’s an affordable but seasoned tteokbokki hotspot where you can enjoy a generous serving for about $2.60 without any sense of burden.

• Address: 3, Dohwa 2-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul
• Operating Hours: 08:30–21:00
• Menu: Tteokbokki $2.60, Sundae (Korean blood sausage) $2.60, Gimbap (seaweed rice roll) $2.60

② Over 20-Year-Old Pepper Tteokbokki Hotspot

Koreans’ soul food, tteokbokki, has been reborn in various forms over time. But no matter how many new types of tteokbokki emerge, they can’t beat the original. Old-school tteokbokki places with nostalgia are still loved. Let me introduce you to five of Seoul’s best old-school tteokbokki hotspots.

Hong’s Tteokbokki, located in Mangwoo-dong, Jungnang-gu, is famous for its pepper tteokbokki. It’s known as one of the three best tteokbokki places in Jungnang-gu, and it has been a fixture for over twenty years. You can enjoy old-school tteokbokki, fish cakes, sundae, and fried food here.

The most popular menu item is a mixed dish with flour cakes, fried dumplings, and boiled eggs soaked in tteokbokki soup. When you take a bite, you can taste the strong pepper flavor, a unique feature.
You can taste the tteokbokki you used to enjoy during your school days at this place.

• Address: 26, Mangwoo-ro 73-gil, Jungnang-gu, Seoul
• Operating Hours: 09:30–21:00
• Menu: Mixed Two $3.50, Sundae $4.30, Old-School Dumplings (4 pieces) $3.50

③ Tteokbokki Places with a 40-Year History

Gaebong Snacks, located in Gaebong-dong, Guro, is an old-school tteokbokki place with over 40 years of history. From the exterior, you can feel the passage of time in the quaint scenery. Gaebong Snacks gained more popularity after appearing on the TV show “Master of Living.”

Their tteokbokki has a sweet taste without being overly spicy. A single serving costs about $1.70, which might be the cheapest in Seoul. Despite its low cost, it offers the taste of nostalgia.

In addition to tteokbokki, they are also famous for their sweet and sour jjolmyeon. It’s an old-school snack place with affordable prices and generous portions.

• Address: 65, Gochuk-ro 21na-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul
• Operating Hours: 10:00–20:00; closed on Saturdays and Sundays
• Menu: Tteokbokki $1.70, Gimbap $2.60, Jjolmyeon $4.70

There’s a place that has been selling tteokbokki for nearly 50 years. Market Tteokbokki, located in Suyu Central Market, is a tteokbokki place with a 48-year history. This place has been running since 1976 and became more famous after YouTuber Tzuyang visited it. It was already a well-known place, but thanks to Tzuyang, customers have been flocking continuously.

Market Tteokbokki has held its place for a long, with many fans. If you miss the sweet taste of gochujang tteokbokki that you often had in front of school, I strongly recommend this place. Most customers who visit Market Tteokbokki cannot forget the taste of the tteokbokki they ate when they were young and visit often.

Visitors left reviews such as “When I miss the taste of the non-spicy tteokbokki I used to eat in front of the school, this is the place I visit,” “The chewy rice cake and the seasoning are charming,” and “It’s the real taste of old tteokbokki! It was a taste I had forgotten from childhood, and rediscovering it brought a sense of wonder and happiness.”

• Address: 21, Nohae-ro 17-gil, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul, Suyu Central Market 1F
• Operating Hours: 10:30–21:00, Closed on Mondays
• Menu: Tteokbokki $3.90, Sundae $3.90, Gimbap $2.60