A look at Doljip Sikdang in Mokpo, known for its 17-side-dish baekban from Heo Young-man's food show, and Seokgok Traditional Market in Gokseong, featured in the first episode of Baek Jong-won's market series.
Jeonnam, Home of the Southern Korean Table
Jeonnam (South Jeolla Province) is known for Yeosu's night sea, Suncheon Bay, and the bamboo forests of Damyang, and it has a long reputation for generous home-style feasts known as namdo hansang. Each area has its own specialties: soy-marinated stone crab in Yeosu, junggan noodles and fermented skate in Mokpo, grilled short-rib patties in Damyang, and full-course Korean set meals across the region. This post covers a set-meal restaurant in Mokpo and a traditional market in Gokseong, both featured on Korean TV.
Places from the Videos
Doljip Sikdang (Mokpo)
A Korean set-meal restaurant in Mokpo. The main draw is the baekban set meal with 17 side dishes. If you want to see what a table full of southern-style banchan looks like, this is a good place to try it.
It appeared in episode 8 of Heo Young-man's food travel show Baekban Gihaeng, titled "Mokpo – A Baekban Table with 17 Side Dishes."
Seokgok Traditional Market (Gokseong)
A traditional market in Gokseong that still keeps much of its old-time character. It's a place to wander slowly and get a feel for everyday life in a small Jeonnam town.
The market was the setting for the first episode of Baek Jong-won's market series, "[EP.01 Gokseong] A Rich Kongguksu Shop Whose Owner Doesn't Know Baek Jong-won" (kongguksu is a chilled noodle dish in soybean broth).
Getting Around
Mokpo sits on Jeonnam's southwest coast, while Gokseong is inland in the northeast, so the two are quite far apart. Rather than trying to fit both into one day, consider adding Doljip Sikdang to a Mokpo itinerary and pairing Gokseong with a separate trip through the eastern or northern part of the province, such as Suncheon Bay or Damyang. Traditional markets can feel very different depending on the day and time, so it's worth checking market days before you go.
Hours and locations change — check the map before you go.
