There are lots of things to do in Daegu, Korea’s third largest metropolis. Those traveling in Korea can enjoy cultural activities and shopping here, as well as sampling one of the many numerous drinking establishments.
Shopping in Daegu
The three major markets in Daegu are Seomun market, Yashigolmokdong market, and the traditional Chinese medicine market (Hanyak Shijang). Seomun is an open-air market made up of many themed rows sprawling with, aside from the usual clothes, shoes, and knockoffs, things like textiles, kitchen doodads, and beads. Fresh seafood, duck eggs, and live hens can be purchased too. There are a few casually inviting rows of “restaurants” where you can sit down and have a bowl of noodles or ddokbokki (fermented rice cake with spicy sauce). It may even be possible to sample some ok-su-su ju (corn moonshine).
The traditional Chinese herb market is much quieter by comparison. Here vendors have more official looking storefronts with interesting window displays (giant antlers, mushrooms as big as your thigh, and a seemingly mythical combination of an armadillo and a hedgehog). Shopkeepers tend to be friendly and approachable, but there is no guarantee that they will speak English.
Yashigolmokdong is the main modern shopping area, more than well stocked with brand-name Western and Korean outlets from Converse, Puma, and Adidas, to Zara, Calvin Klein, and Merrel. Even if you DON”T have a shoe fetish, Daegu is clearly a shopper’s paradise. When you need a rest you can stop into Dr. Fish Spa Books. The name is enticing enough- but it’s an open, airy and popular coffee shop serving pasta, beer, snacks and milkshakes. All three markets can easily be reached on foot from the train station.
Drinking in Daegu
Daegu, like the rest of Korea, has bars, bars, and more bars. The Old School Korea bar is one where the décor is a mix of military, schoolhouse, and vintage kitsch, with guns and helmets complemented by old Chinese movie posters, and patrons sit at schoolhouse style desks and chairs. Its sign is written in Hanguel and ends in “hakyo” (Korean for school). Hearty stews are served in bowls misshapen as if they’d been in use since the Korean War.
Alternately, there are many other spots in the more lively, foreigner-heavy area, (between Jungangno and Dalguro; Club G2 is a good landmark). One such place is a lantern-lit basement pub with blue brick walls, soccer on the tube, and a mix of foreigners and Koreans. Another option is The Bus Bar, originally created from an old school bus, which has now been expanded due to its popularity.
The Rest
There are many other attractions in Daegu. Outside the center of town-but still easily accessible by bus or subway, and some on foot, lie the Daegu National Museum, a park with burial mounds (Tumuli park), and a cable car ride overlooking temples Daedoksa and Daesongsa. With street names like Towel, Rice Cake, and Motorcycle Street, visitors may find that Daegu has a character contrary to that of many places in Korea.
Rebecca Rosenberg - Austin based writer, traveler, music enthusiast, and budding information scientist. M.S.I.S. Candidate, University of Texas at Austin, ...
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