Incheon, where steam rises from every alley, from Chinatown to the old cafes in

The area of Jung-gu, Incheon, is where the concessions of Qing China, Japan, and Western countries overlapped in a single port city, starting with the opening of the port in 1883. From the jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) created by the Chinese community in the Qing concession, to the red brick warehouses and bank buildings left by the Japanese concession, and the dakgangjeong (sweet and spicy fried chicken) that grew in the commercial district of Sinpo Market, the three distinct food cultures and architectural styles are interwoven within walking distance.

The Jjajangmyeon Street in Chinatown, the dakgangjeong alley in Sinpo International Market, and the old port culture street in Songhak-dong and Jungang-dong are all within walking distance, but each street offers a different visual experience. Chinatown is filled with red pillars, Chinese characters on signs, and lanterns, while Sinpo Market is filled with the sight of simmering sauces in large pots and people carrying paper bags. The port culture street is filled with 19th-century brick and stone facades.

Incheon Chinatown Jjajangmyeon Street — The Alley Where Korean-Style Jjajangmyeon Was Born

Incheon Chinatown was formed in the Seonrin-dong and Bukseong-dong areas, where Chinese people gathered after the opening of the port. Initially, it was called ‘Cheonggwan’ (Qing Hall) because it housed shops and government offices of Chinese merchants. As trade flourished, large Chinese restaurants such as Gonghwachun were established. Passing through the paeru (archway) at the entrance of the street, you will see a row of red pillars, golden signs, and lanterns hanging from the eaves, with jjajangmyeon restaurants lined up on both sides of the uphill street. This alley is distinguished from a simple restaurant district by the fact that it is the place where the zha jiang mian (noodles with savory soybean paste) brought over by Chinese people from the Shandong Peninsula became the Korean-style jjajangmyeon that was quickly served to dockworkers.

Gonghwachun, a symbol of this street, started as ‘Shandong Hall,’ which was opened in 1905 by Wu Heiguang, who came from Shandong. In 1912, it changed its name to ‘Gonghwachun’ to commemorate the establishment of the Republic of China and flourished as a two-story Chinese restaurant until it closed in 1983. The building is now decorated as the Jjajangmyeon Museum and is designated as a registered cultural heritage. The permanent exhibition hall and special exhibition hall recreate the old kitchen and dining room and show the history of jjajangmyeon and the Chinese community in order. Before and after the meal, take a closer look at the red brick and arched windows of the museum’s exterior to get a sense of where the modern shops lining the street originated.

When choosing a restaurant, it is a good idea to look at the Chinese characters on the sign, the ‘original’ sign, and the founding year. The ‘baek jjajang’ (white jjajang), which is stir-fried with a light brown sauce to enhance the flavor of pork fat, and the modern jjajangmyeon, which is darker in color due to the addition of caramel, are different in color. Comparing these two colors at once in a single alley is a choice that is only possible on Jjajangmyeon Street.

The details of the street are also worth paying attention to, just as much as the meal itself. The ‘Three Kingdoms Mural Street’ in the middle of the alley features scenes from the Oath of the Peach Garden to the Battle of Red Cliffs, which are connected by tile murals, making it a natural extension of the walking route before and after the meal. On the stairs leading up towards the Jjajangmyeon Museum, you can see the brickwork and windows of the old Gonghwachun building directly in front of you, and the red color is most vivid in the late afternoon light, just before the lanterns light up.

If you only eat one bowl of jajangmyeon and leave, you've only seen half of the alley. The long-standing restaurants on the same street serve ganpunggi, menbosha, fried corn, and gonggalppang together. If you have two or more people in your group, it's a good way to taste the essence of the street by ordering a variety of dishes.

• Noodles: Start with a bowl of baek-jajang or modern jajangmyeon to establish the foundation.
• Fried dishes: Add a plate of fried Chinese-style dishes, such as a small portion of ganpunggi or menbosha.
• Snacks: Finish with a bag of gonggalppang, which is baked in a brick oven, for a sweet ending.

Details to look out for while exploring the Jajangmyeon Street

The point where the road surface changes from asphalt to red paving blocks marks the actual beginning of Chinatown. The awnings and Chinese character signs of the shops right next to this boundary are the most colorful, and the lion sculptures of the Paeru gate, the stone lion statues at the entrance of the shops, and the golden '福 (Fuk)' amulets, which are said to prevent fires, appear alternately every step of the way. The font and color scheme of the signs are also slightly different for each shop, so it's interesting to compare them.

After your meal, if you slowly walk back through the alley, you'll see that the kitchen scenery visible through the windows is different for each shop. You'll see hands stirring large woks, kneading dough, and shaping dumplings to put in steamers. Instead of taking pictures of the people inside the shops, it's better to capture the steam rising from the kitchen vents, the eaves, and the lanterns in a single frame to capture the atmosphere of the alley.

Incheon Sinpo International Market, Dakgangjeong Alley: Cauldrons, Queues, and Paper Bags

Sinpo International Market is the first modern permanent market in Incheon and has a history of over 100 years. Before the opening of the port, it was called 'Teojin-gae' because the tide used to come in and out, and after the opening of the port, it was given the name 'Sinpo,' which means 'new port.' In the late 19th century, the vegetable stalls in this market sold onions, carrots, tomatoes, and peppers, which were unfamiliar vegetables at the time, to Japanese customers, and this area grew into a comprehensive market. 'Sinpo Our Mandu,' which has branches nationwide, also started in this market.

The name that comes to mind first for visitors is undoubtedly 'Dakgangjeong.' There are so many shops in a certain section of the market that it is called the Dakgangjeong Alley, and each shop has a large cauldron in front of it, where they fry and mix the chicken themselves. The dakgangjeong here is different from ordinary fried chicken. Small pieces of chicken are fried twice to remove moisture, and then mixed in a boiling cauldron with a sweet and spicy sauce made with corn syrup and green chili peppers, using a large spatula instead of a ladle. Finally, finely ground peanuts are sprinkled on top to add a nutty flavor, and this entire process takes place in front of the customers at the counter. If you're having trouble choosing which shop to go to, take a moment to observe the rhythm of the spatula in front of the sauce cauldron and the time it takes for the next batch of chicken to be fried. The faster the turnover, the less likely the fried chicken is to be soggy.

When the line is long, the flow of customers is divided between paper bag packaging and on-the-spot tasting. Customers who want to take it to go usually order by weight, and customers who want to eat it right away receive a cup-sized portion and eat it on a bench on the side of the alley or in the restaurants inside the market. If you buy a container to go and a cup to eat right away and compare 'freshly mixed' and 'cooling down,' you can see the difference in how the sauce of the cooled dakgangjeong becomes more pronounced, making it more like an appetizer.

Eating only Dakgangjeong and leaving the market would be a waste, as there are many other things to enjoy. In the same alley, you'll find old shops selling Gunggal-ppang (bread), Wangmandu (large dumplings) and Mulmandu (dumplings in soup), Jjinppang (steamed buns), Jjolmyeon (chewy noodles), and Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes). If you step out of the market by just one block, you'll find the Sinpo-dong old shops that are famous for their Kal-guksu (knife-cut noodles) and Jjolmyeon. Holding a bag of Dakgangjeong in one hand and grabbing a dumpling with the other is the basic way to enjoy a walk through this market.

Small Criteria for Choosing a Shop in the Market

When there are many shops selling similar items, the following criteria can be helpful:

• Turnover Rate — Look at the amount of empty paper bags piled up next to the cauldron and the thickness of the receipts at the counter. The faster the turnover, the faster both will decrease.
• Color of the Dakgangjeong — If the pile of Dakgangjeong on display is too dark brown, it's likely that it has been made for a while. If it has a vibrant red color and a glossy sheen, it's likely that it has just been mixed.
• Spice Level Options — Some shops have "spicy/less spicy" options on their menu, while others only offer one type of seasoning.

If you're with children, choose a shop that has a "less spicy" option. If you like spicy seasoning, choose a shop that has an option with green chili peppers. Trying different shops to suit your taste is the best way to enjoy this market.

Incheon Old Port Culture Street Vintage Cafe Alley — Red Brick and Wooden Cafes

The area around Songhak-dong and Jungang-dong is the area with the most remaining modern architecture from the late Joseon Dynasty to the Japanese colonial period. Unlike Chinatown's red pillars, this area is characterized by "red bricks." The old Japanese First Bank Incheon Branch, built in 1899, is a stone building that was built using almost all materials imported from Japan, except for sand, gravel, and lime. It is now used as the Incheon Open Port Museum. The adjacent old Japanese 18th Bank Incheon Branch is operated as a modern architecture exhibition hall, and if you look at the two bank buildings side by side, you can see the structure of the financial district during the opening period.

The first thing to look at in the alley is the "corners of the buildings" and the "proportions of the windows." The first floor has been renovated into a modern shop entrance, but the arches of the second-floor windows, the way the bricks are stacked on the corners, and the small gable decorations under the eaves still retain their original form from almost 100 years ago. Photos look best when taken from a block away from the cafe signs, capturing the entire building.

The charm of the cafe alley lies in the contrast of materials. The exterior is made of red bricks and white walls, but the interior has many shops that preserve the atmosphere of the "cafe" era with thick wooden beams and iron pillars from the old warehouse, iron stoves, and handwritten menus. One shop serves hand-drip coffee and red bean toast, while another serves black sesame latte and walnut cookies, continuing the variations of the old neighborhood cafes. If you choose one menu item with Korean desserts, it will match the history and character of the alley.

The best route is to start at Incheon Art Platform and head towards Sinpo-dong. Incheon Art Platform is a complex cultural space that has been completely renovated, including the former Japanese Shipping Company Incheon Branch (a registered cultural heritage) and 13 warehouses from the pre- and post-opening periods. They preserved the red brick floor in the courtyard and even the traces of paint peeling off the warehouse walls. It has become a popular filming location for dramas, and as you walk through the courtyard and into the alley, you'll find cafes, souvenir shops, and small galleries. If you pay attention to the small details, such as the backyards and the old well sites visible through the narrow spaces between the shops, your alleyway walk will be even more enjoyable.

A Short Walking Route Connecting Three Places

After finishing your meal in Chinatown, I recommend heading towards Sinpo Market by taking the alleyways instead of the main road. You'll see the narrow path next to the Chinese school wall, the information stone marking the site of the former Qing Dynasty consulate, and the lattice windows of a Japanese-style house. These landmarks will give you a sense of how the Chinese, Japanese, and Western concessions were located side by side.

After getting some Dakgangjeong (Korean fried chicken) in a paper bag at Sinpo Market, head to the Kaepohang Port Street. The smell of the oil from the bag and the smell of the bricks in the alleyway create a unique combination. You can find a cafe, sit down, and enjoy your Dakgangjeong with a cup of coffee. However, make sure to check if the cafe allows outside food or if they have a tasting policy. If not, you can use the outdoor benches or the chairs in the courtyard of Incheon Art Platform.

If you're visiting all three places in one day, it's better to focus on enjoying a light meal rather than trying to have a full course of "meal-snack-drink." Instead, enjoy a bowl of Jjajangmyeon (Korean black bean noodles), a bag of Dakgangjeong, and a cup of coffee. The culinary experience in the Kaepohang Port area is not about eating large portions, but about enjoying the different flavors you encounter as you move from one alley to the next.