Shopping like a Korean at the 4/9 Market

This morning, the kids and I wanted to experience a true Korean Market so we walked to the 4/9 Market.  We went with two friends, which made it super nice, because I totally would have gotten lost if Sarah wasn't there to help guide the way.  One thing I have learned, is that Korea is not stroller friendly, so I carry Little Monster in my Ergo everywhere.  It sure gives me an amazing work-out.  Especially when it's hot outside.

Let's talk about the 4/9 Market.  What a weird name, right?!?  It's actually a descriptive name!  The 4/9 Market only runs on days that end in a 4 or 9!  How cool is that?   The market is miles of outside vendors selling everything you could thing of.  The main reason the 4/9 Market is so popular among the women I have met, is because they sell the best produce!

Imagine a 5 foot sidewalk, now on that side walk imagine a booth like at a fair, now take away the booth, and you have all the goods props up on tables, on the ground, on buckets and other flat surfaces.  The sidewalks have one vendor after another with only about 2-3 feet of sidewalk to pass.

See all the Umbrella's across the street?!

One thing about Koreans, is they know where they want to go and nothing will stop them or stand in their way.  It is perfectly normal for a Korean to push their way through, even separating you from your kids, to get by or to get where they want to go, and they don't say excuse me.  They aren't being rude, it's just what they do.  I was holding little A's hand, and a few times a bent-over very elderly Korean lady would shove her way between us to get by because we were blocking the way.  The look on little A's face when she did that was humorous and when she didn't say excuse me, little A's face became priceless!!  She pointed to the lady and whispered, "Mom, she's so rude".  We had a cultural lesson right there, and all the kids learned something new.  Hopefully they don't start incorporating this custom!  Yikes, just image four little kids shoving their way wherever they want to go without saying excuse me in the States.

The Market went down sidewalks, through alleys, in front of stores, and lined the streets on both sides.  Everywhere you turn, there are umbrellas covering a sidewalk stand.  In the alleys and closed-off streets, the vendors lined both sides of the streets and went right down the middle.  We saw fresh produce heaped on plates for 3000-10000 won.  We saw clothes, blankets, hair bows, dead fish, dried fish, live fish, dead hanging cows, a cow head on a table, live fish in tanks, beans, sprouts, grains, and so much more.  Unfortunately, we weren't able to see as much as we wanted because poor little Monster had fallen asleep in the carrier and was turning bright red.  I was getting very concerned about him.  Little A and M&M were also starting to complain that they were getting headaches and were hot.  

The highlight of what we saw was definitely the meat stand where the parts of cows were hanging and a full cow head (brains and all) was sitting on a table.  M&M took one look at it and turned a shade of green, turned around quickly and said she was going to be sick.  As evil as it sounds, I couldn't stop laughing!

Why yes, yes that is a cow head.

We also saw a huge vendor with every type of live sea creature you can imagine.  In of basket, there was a ton of little octopuses (or is it octopi?). The girls were extremely infatuated with them, and the vendor came over and grabbed a tentacle and started tugging one out of the basket.  The looks of utter disgust at him touching it, and surprise at the octopus moving around and extreme fascination was such fun to watch!

The vendor pulling out an octopus 

We ended up buying a huge plate of small nectarines (I think they were nectarines) and a plate of peaches.  I have a feeling that the 4/9 Market will definitely be a must-do on every 4, 9, 14, 19, 24, and 29th of the month!