The Reason the Lights Are On Even at Dawn If you've been to the Dongdaemun wholesale market at three or four in the afternoon, you'll be confused. The shutters on the buildings are down. It's a completely different scene from bustling Myeongdong or Hongdae. But if you go back around 11 p.m., a totally different scene unfolds. Every building is lit up brightly, and the alleys are bustling with people dragging carriers and carts. It feels strange that the busiest time for clothing shop owners is the middle of the night. ## Because the customers are shop owners, not tourists Dongdaemun's wholesale market wasn't originally meant for tourists. It's a place where owners of small clothing shops from all over the country come to stock up on merchandise. Owners from the provinces have to mind their own shops during the day. So after closing up shop, they hop on a bus or train up to Seoul, pick out next season's clothes all night at Dongdaemun, and head back down on the first bus at dawn. Wholesale markets keep their lights on until dawn because that's the only time customers can come. ## Travelers can go too, as long as the timing is right There are buildings that regular travelers can enter as well. Places like apm or Maxtyle sell to individual customers too. However, wholesale-only buildings may not welcome retail customers, so it's a good idea to check each building's operating hours and whether retail sales are allowed before visiting. Just remembering that 10 p.m. to dawn is the liveliest time can help you avoid a wasted trip. If Myeongdong is a shopping street for foreigners, Dongdaemun is a wholesale market for clothing store owners from all over the country. You could say that a single light burning until dawn shows exactly where the center of Korea's clothing distribution lies.