Tasting traditional snacks with kids at Sokcho Yetgokgan, Jungang

We stopped by Jungang Market while traveling in Sokcho with the kids, on the hunt for something delicious! The place that comes to mind first when you think of Sokcho Jungang Market snacks is definitely Sokcho Yetgokgan (속초옛곳간)!!! It's a warm, welcoming shop selling all kinds of traditional snacks that everyone from kids to adults can enjoy.

It's genuinely fun just to browse, and it's the perfect stop when you're peckish mid-trip — you'll leave completely satisfied!! The place is packed with nutty, sweet old-fashioned snacks, and picking one out with the kids was a joy in itself.

Sokcho Yetgokgan hours and location

Daily 09:00–20:00 / Fried Chicken Alley, Shop 31, Sokcho Jungang Market

It's not just old-fashioned cookies — doraji-deodeok syrup and ginger jocheong

True to its name, Sokcho Yetgokgan really does have a huge variety of traditional snacks. It's not just gangjeong (rice puff candy) and oranda (old-fashioned cookies) — they also make their own doraji-deodeok syrup (bellflower and deodeok root syrup) and ginger jocheong (rice syrup), which make great gifts too. You can sample these as well, and I tried a spoonful myself — really rich and delicious!

Cheonggyul yuja yakgwa, perfect for gifts

Among all the Sokcho Jungang Market snacks, I'd especially recommend the cheonggyul yuja yakgwa (honey cookie with green citrus and yuzu) — sweet and tangy, packed with fragrant green citrus and yuzu aroma. The packaging is clean and pretty too, so it's really perfect to buy as a gift for family or friends on your way home from the trip! They also sell cold drinks, so I'd recommend grabbing one of those together~!

Sokcho Yetgokgan really is packed with all kinds of traditional snacks — check out the video too!

Taste first, then choose — handmade oranda and sweet pumpkin chips

What I liked most was that the snacks I was curious about all had a taste-test option, so I could try them first and buy what suited my taste!! The handmade oranda didn't stick to your teeth or feel hard — it was soft and crisp, so both kids and grandparents could eat it comfortably! Just sweet enough, nutty and crunchy, my hand kept reaching for more... haha.

Beyond that, there were plenty of healthier premium traditional snacks like sweet pumpkin chips and nutty sprout barley buckwheat chips — really something for everyone, young or old.

The oatmeal gangjeong that won me over

Of all the snacks at Sokcho Jungang Market, the one that completely won me over was the oatmeal gangjeong! Everything was so good it was hard to choose, but I loved the bite-sized pieces and the nutty flavor was on another level — once I started eating, I couldn't stop?!

Honest advice: buy the glutinous rice yugwa in dry weather

The glutinous rice yugwa also melted in my mouth — really delicious. The owner told me honestly that on hot, humid days like this one, the crispy texture of yugwa can fade quickly, so it's best to buy it in drier seasons. That honesty really touched me~! It felt less like a hard sell and more like genuine care that customers get to enjoy the snacks at their best, which made me trust the place even more..T.T

Apparently all the snacks here can be ordered for nationwide delivery too. With Chuseok coming up, putting together a set of these hearty, delicious traditional snacks as a holiday gift for someone special sounds like a really good idea.

My top pick, eaten back at the accommodation

We packed up a bunch of snacks from Sokcho Jungang Market — fried chicken and more — to eat back at our accommodation, and my top pick was the oatmeal gangjeong! Nutty, sweet, and clean-tasting in an addictive way — I kept thinking about it. We were watching TV, picking up piece after piece, and suddenly all that gangjeong was just... gone!? Haha.

Why traditional markets keep pulling me back

I think it's this kind of warmth and genuine care that keeps drawing us to traditional markets whenever we travel or go grocery shopping! The lively market atmosphere, and the owner's generous spirit — always eager to offer one more taste — plus the friendly conversation, made me feel warm all over.

Sokcho Yetgokgan, selling snacks at Sokcho Jungang Market, is a place I definitely want to revisit if I ever travel to Sokcho again. If you're planning a trip to Sokcho, I really recommend stopping by to enjoy some delicious snacks~!