Seoul Jungang Market opened in 1946 as Seongdong Market, selling rice, grains and vegetables, the staples of the Seoul table. Along with Namdaemun and Dongdaemun, it was one of the city’s three great markets, and at its height about 70% of the rice eaten in Seoul passed through it. The market declined for years, first when the nearby Hwanghak-dong secondhand market moved away, and then as big-box supermarkets took over grocery shopping. Recently, new restaurants and well-known YouTubers have brought young crowds back. By March 2024, nearly half of all visitors were people in their 20s and 30s.