'Salam Alaykum': How Seoul's most popular street market is welcoming Muslim tourists

As soon as I set foot in Myeongdong Street, Seoul’s most popular shopping and street food district, my senses were immediately overwhelmed – in the best way possible. The aroma of sizzling meats and the chatter of customers and vendors under the bright lights of the street stalls created a magnetic energy that kept me going back day after day during my brief visit to the South Korean capital for a journalists' conference. But it was one specific sign on a takoyaki cart that truly reeled me in. It bore the greeting “Alsalam ealaykum,” written both in English and Arabic. Underneath was a placard with prices and a note at the bottom that read: “Muslims can eat.” Takoyaki, which is Japanese for grilled octopus, is a savoury, ball-shaped snack made of a wheat flour batter and typically stuffed with octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger and green onion. The fact that it tasted divine and was also halal, permissible under Islamic law, was a win-win situation. “Do you know what that means?” I asked the vendor, as I placed my order and watched him prepare it. “Of course, it’s a greeting for Muslims and means 'peace be with you',” he answered, confidently. “It’s my way of welcoming people here and letting them know my food is for everyone.” Myeongdong Street began introducing halal food options in 2016, around the same time South Korea set a plan in motion to attract and better serve Muslim travellers. While pork and alcohol are a huge part of the country’s culture and people’s lifestyle, officials have seen the potential in the halal tourism market and have taken measures to cater to it. Over the past decade, South Korea has increased the number of halal-certified restaurants, introduced a comprehensive guidebook to help tourists easily locate these establishments and set up more prayer rooms in key locations around cities. The country has also introduced initiatives like the Salam Seoul Festival, an annual event celebrating Islamic culture and showcasing the capital’s commitment to inclusivity, and Halal Restaurant Week Korea, another annual festival where hundreds of halal restaurants host events as a gesture to make South Korea a Muslim-friendly destination. By 2019, the number of annual Muslim visitors to South Korea had surpassed one million, only to plummet the following year with arrival of the pandemic. But it has been rising since then, reaching 985,000 in 2023 − a 33 per cent increase from 2022 − and was projected to have crossed one million last year. Queuing at one of the halal-certified food stalls in Myeongdong was Hamad Al Harbi, a Saudi tourist who was on his sixth trip to Seoul. “This is one of my all-time favourite cities, I never get bored of it,” the 44-year-old engineer told The National . His first visit to Seoul was in 2014, during which he said he lived off Italian food for lack of halal options. “The past few trips have been different though,” said Mr Al Harbi. “I don’t worry about what to eat any more, and I keep coming back for the food experience.” Wanting his family to experience the magic of Seoul, Mr Al Harbi travelled to the South Korean capital with his wife and two children for Eid Al Fitr, and made sure to stay in a hotel near Myeongdong Street. “We visit the street market every night, and we enjoy all the food they offer, from the tteokbokki [simmered rice cake] and Korean fried chicken to the hotteok [sweet Korean pancakes],” he said . “With everything clearly marked as halal, and the country’s efforts to accommodate Muslims with food, skincare and other products, we feel welcome, so we’ll definitely be back again soon.”

'Salam Alaykum': How Seoul's most popular street market is welcoming Muslim tourists

Since 2016, South Korean officials have taken measures to tap into the halal tourism market