Sokcho Central Market snack shop: ₩1,000 grain gangjeong, Ibuja Mayak

There are so many good spots to eat at Sokcho Jungang Market, but there's one I could never skip. Every time I travel to Sokcho, "Ibuja Mayak Gotgan" is always on my list of things to eat and snack on at the market.

Where is Ibuja Mayak Gotgan, and what are its hours and parking?

🏡 Address: 16 Jungang-ro 147beon-gil, Sokcho-si, booth 137. If you can't find it, just ask another vendor in the market — they'll point you the right way~ For parking, use the Sokcho Tourist Fish Market parking lot! At ₩400 for 30 minutes, if you can snag a spot, there's no parking lot this close, safe, and convenient.

• Hours: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 08:30–19:30 / Sat, Sun 08:30–20:00
• Closed: Every Wednesday

If you want a hassle-free visit (say you're traveling to Sokcho this Chuseok holiday, or heading over on a weekend...), I personally recommend using the parking lot and browsing the market in the morning. Even then, the market is full of people, so it's never dull — just a fun, relaxed stroll through the stalls.

Why buy gangjeong at Ibuja Mayak Gotgan in Sokcho?

Yugwa (traditional Korean rice puff) and gangjeong (rice cracker) are technically different, but the gangjeong at Ibuja Mayak Gotgan has that old-fashioned yugwa flavor, and it's not too hard or too soft — a perfectly respectable snack not just for elders and kids but for adults too! Plus, they only sell what's made that day, so as a customer I felt completely at ease eating it — that really won me over.

Steaming the grains and drying them with hot air isn't exactly a low-effort process to begin with~ In the city, everything gets mass-produced and rushed out fast, but here they keep at it through 6 months of aging and drying, which makes the snack feel that much more meaningful after such a long wait. As someone who loves snacking on crackers, I can say this is on a totally different level from anything churned out of a factory♡♡

And the value is amazing — a face-sized sheet of gangjeong costs just over ₩1,000, which is hard to even compare against all that time and effort. Total bang for your buck!!

20 seconds in the microwave: how to crisp gangjeong at home

It rained about 70% of my Sokcho trip and stayed humid, so once I got home I put the Ibuja Mayak Gotgan gangjeong on a plate and microwaved it for 20 seconds. Ahh~ that's exactly why it's a must-eat at Sokcho Jungang Market! Microwaving softens the gangjeong, but once it cools down a bit it gets crispy again♡ 😍 There are grain gangjeong made with black rice, white rice, yellow rice, brown rice, and buckwheat!

How do the black rice and buckwheat gangjeong taste?

My favorite is the black rice gangjeong~ One family member insisted on only eating the white ones, so I thought, "Lucky me! The rest are all mine!!" haha The crunchy texture is exactly what you need when work stress hits its peak and you just need something to crunch away at.

That said, now that I'm older, anything too hard is rough on my teeth, so the firmness of the gangjeong at this Sokcho Jungang Market favorite is just right for me. Not too hard, but crispy with a satisfying bite♡ The buckwheat gangjeong is especially my favorite in texture — the nutty flavor blends with the gangjeong taste and it's just top-notch. You really have to taste it to understand what I mean...

The sweetness isn't artificial or in-your-face — it's not too sweet, so it never feels overwhelming. Even after eating this gangjeong, I still had no trouble enjoying my regular meal. Traditional Korean snacks made the old way really are good for you and win over your taste buds at the same time.

Final verdict on Ibuja Mayak Gotgan's grain gangjeong

If you're traveling to Sokcho or just passing through, I highly recommend this Sokcho Jungang Market favorite, Ibuja Mayak Gotgan, as a gift for parents or a snack for kids — and if stress ever gets to you, chewing on some of this healthy gangjeong might just be the answer. Strongly recommended.

** I wish I'd bought more.. only got 2 bags and now I'm regretting it. Makes me want to find an excuse to go back to Sokcho. I'm a total bread-and-snack addict, haha.