Chapter 45: Strolling Through the Night Market

Seeing that Hyori had put away her phone, Lee Shin-haeng asked, "Are you going back?"

"Um, Mi-yeo unnie said it's fine, and she wants me to go back and continue working on the album."

"So, our vacation is over like this..." Lee Shin-haeng said with a hint of regret.

"Yeah, we haven't even climbed Hallasan, and we haven't visited other places either. Let's save it for next time. If we see everything in one go, there won't be anything left for the next visit," Hyori comforted him.

"Wow~! When did our little kitty become so eloquent?" Lee Shin-haeng said with a surprised look.

"Hey! What do you mean by that!"

"Hehehe, okay, I won't tease you anymore. Let's buy some local specialties when we go shopping later. The meat is ready, let's eat," Lee Shin-haeng cut the well-cooked black pork into small pieces.

Hearing that it was ready, Hyori didn't hesitate and immediately picked up a piece of black pork, dipped it in the special anchovy sauce, and put it in her mouth.

"Mmm~! It's so delicious. The black pork is really good. The meat juice flows out with each bite, mixing with the sauce, it's amazing! Oppa, I'll wrap some for you to eat." Hyori took a piece of lettuce and sesame leaf, wrapped the grilled meat, onion, garlic, and side dishes together, and stuffed it into his mouth.

He always eats this black pork whenever he comes to Jeju Island, and it's always delicious. He hasn't gotten tired of it yet. Especially their anchovy sauce, which goes perfectly with the black pork. Without this sauce, Lee Shin-haeng would say the taste would definitely be much less.

The two of them enjoyed the delicious grilled meat and drank refreshing makgeolli rice wine, truly a delightful meal that lifted their spirits.

"Phew~! Just right, seven-tenths full!" Hyori patted her stomach contentedly.

"Where do you want to go shopping later?" Lee Shin-haeng pulled out a tissue and leaned over to wipe the grease from the corner of Hyori's mouth.

"Later, we just need to buy some tangerine chocolate to take back, basically nothing else."

"Then let's go straight to the Dongmun Traditional Market." Lee Shin-haeng pulled Hyori up, and they walked out of the grill restaurant together.

Although it was not yet six o'clock, the sky had already darkened, and the streetlights and shop signs were lit up, adding a colorful and lively atmosphere.

Lee Shin-haeng suggested, "Let's walk there. It will help digest our food and make room for our stomachs, then we can have some late-night snacks."

"Good idea, lead the way for this queen." Hyori lifted her chin proudly.

"Yes, my queen." Lee Shin-haeng joined in the playful banter.

As they passed the central church, they noticed a cart selling walnut cakes, 2000 won per piece, with walnut paste and peanuts inside.

"Smells so good~! Oppa, I want to eat it." Hyori tugged at Lee Shin-haeng's hand.

"Okay, I'll buy one for you." Lee Shin-haeng bought a piece of walnut cake from the uncle at the cart.

This is a very popular layered cake in Korea, named for its walnut-like shape. It comes in various flavors: red bean, chocolate, cream, cheese, and five-nut, catering to different tastes. It is nutritious and healthy, suitable as a snack or a gift for friends and family, and can be enjoyed by people of all ages, regardless of region or season. A pack costs 2000-3000 won.

The walnut cake has grown alongside Korea's transportation culture and is a representative snack. The production technique started in Daejeon and spread throughout Korea. In Seoul alone, it can be found everywhere, from university areas like Ewha, Sinchon, and Hongdae to commercial areas like Apgujeong, Jongno, Myeongdong, and Gangnam Station.

Eating the walnut cake, they continued toward the Dongmun Traditional Market.

The walnut cake was truly delicious, with a soft and smooth texture. The filling wasn't too sweet, which suited Lee Shin-haeng's taste.

Just as they finished the walnut cake and started feeling a bit thirsty, they came across a street stall selling fish cakes, spicy rice cakes, seaweed rolls, hot tofu, and blood sausage. Without hesitation, they walked straight to the stall.

At the stall, Lee Shin-haeng first filled two cups with fish cake soup to quench their thirst, then they started eating the fish cake skewers. The fish cakes are made from mackerel paste, egg whites, cornstarch, white pepper powder, green onions, ginger, and salt. The soup is very fresh and rich, made from a broth primarily using anchovies.

A bite of fish cake and a sip of soup, it felt incredibly good in the cold weather.

However, the night market had just begun, and there were many more delicious foods to try, so they only had a few skewers before settling the bill and continuing on.

After walking for about ten more minutes, they arrived at the Dongmun Traditional Market.

For Koreans, if there's a place where you can buy everything you need for daily life and food, it's the market. The Dongmun Market is the largest and oldest market in Jeju Island, established after the end of Japanese colonial rule on August 15, 1945. It has since served as the commercial center of Jeju.

Now, the market has over 300 stores, selling a variety of goods including fruits, seafood, clothing, local specialties, and miscellaneous items. The market is famous for its Jeju specialties, such as Hallasan tangerines and oranges, which are diverse and reasonably priced, attracting many tourists to shop and explore, making it a popular shopping destination.

Before even entering the market, they could see stalls filled with Jeju Island's specialty tangerines at the entrance. The stalls were mostly filled with tangerines, with varying prices and types, but the most expensive were the Hallasan tangerines.

Hallasan tangerines are a specialty of Jeju Island, Korea, created by grafting oranges onto tangerine trees. Their distinctive shape resembles the peak of Hallasan Mountain, hence the name "Hallasan."

"Do you want to buy a few to eat?" Lee Shin-haeng asked considerately.

"No, let's not. Uncle grows them at home, let's go inside," Hyori said, leading Lee Shin-haeng inside.

Not far in, they found what they were looking for—tangerine chocolate.

"Let's not buy it now. We'll buy it on our way out, otherwise, it will be a hassle to carry," Hyori said.

"My little kitty is so smart. Come, I'll take you to a really good sweet pancake stall."

The sweet pancake stall Lee Shin-haeng mentioned was run by an old lady and was quite famous, often with people queuing up to buy.

The sweet pancakes are a popular street snack made by wrapping brown sugar in a dough and frying it. In the Dongmun Market, there is a "Sweet Pancake Street" with five stalls lined up, very popular among tourists. Besides the brown sugar filling, there is also a mixed vegetable filling available only during the cooler season.

When Lee Shin-haeng and Hyori arrived at the old lady's stall, there were only a few sweet pancakes left, but they were lucky to have come just in time, or the stall would have closed soon.

As they passed through the seafood area, they saw many vendors packaging ready-to-eat sashimi on plates, making it convenient for customers to buy and eat on the spot. They also saw many delicious snack shops, such as spicy rice cakes, sushi rolls, fried dumplings, and blood sausage.

"If we hadn't eaten so much for dinner, we could have tried more things. Now, everything looks so good, but our stomachs are full," Hyori said regretfully.

Seeing her like this, Lee Shin-haeng took her to a stall selling braised pig's feet.

"Ahjumma, please pack a portion of braised pig's feet." After saying this to the owner, he turned to Hyori and said, "Let's buy a few bottles of beer on our way home."

"Oppa, that's great." Hyori's eyes curved into a crescent moon, as Lee Shin-haeng usually restricts her drinking for her health.

After buying the braised pig's feet, Lee Shin-haeng also selected some pastries from a cake stall to serve as breakfast the next morning.

If they hadn't had dinner, the Dongmun Traditional Market would have been a great place to try various delicious foods, with many options and affordable prices. However, Lee Shin-haeng and Hyori could only wait for the next time they had the chance to come back.

After buying a few boxes of tangerine chocolate, the two of them got on the bus to go home.

---

End of Chapter 45