Jong-ro 40ga-gil, located between Jongnodaero and Cheonggyecheon Stream, stretches all the way from the four-way intersection at Jongno 5-ga to Dongdaemun Gate. The street is commonly known as “Dongdaemun Roasted Fish Alley” because of its variety of roasted fish eateries and Korean restaurants.

The street gained in popularity through word-of-mouth among merchants of the Pyeonghwa Market and other nearby retail and wholesale markets. Word of the restaurant street also spread to foreign tourists, transforming the alley into the popular tourist destination it is today.

All the fish sold and served at Roasted Fish Alley are caught and brought in fresh each morning with the exception of cutlass and mackerel, which are types of fish that are salted with Korean sun-dried salt and matured for a day or so in the refrigerator before being served. When an order comes in, restaurants warm roasted the fish over a briquette fire. The briquettes contain a large amount of soil, which leaves the roasted fish juicy and full of flavor. Roasted Fish Alley has been a local legacy for forty years and will continue to treat hungry diners to fresh offerings from the sea for many years to come.