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Namdaemun Market's Braised Hairtail Alley was formed around 1988. It became famous through word of mouth as hairtail, which was inexpensive at the time, was braised into a deliciously spicy and savory dish tailored to the tastes of the local merchants.

Braised hairtail was not the signature menu of the Namdaemun Market Braised Hairtail Alley from the very beginning. The restaurants originally sold dishes like kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and dumplings before switching to fish dishes, selling braised hairtail alongside braised mackerel and braised pollack. Braised hairtail became exceptionally popular, attracting not only market workers but also nearby office employees, which began to draw in large crowds of customers. Today, it is a destination frequently visited by many Japanese tourists as well.

Although the origin of the hairtail varies slightly by restaurant, they use domestic hairtail sourced directly from Yeosu, Mokpo, Busan, and Jeju. Because each shop has a different cooking method, you can enjoy uniquely different flavors at each place. If you find spicy food a bit challenging, we highly recommend visiting a restaurant that also serves grilled fish!