Most Koreans that I knew thought that it was a strange choice to make. I think that many people saw my decision to live in Daein Market as a step backwards rather than following the norm of making the exodus to the large soulless apartment complexes in inconvenient locations. I never regretted a minute that I spent living in a 100% truly Korean atmosphere surrounded by some of the most interesting people I have ever met.

Daein Market, like all other markets in Korea, is loud, bright, often very hot or very cold, home to many interesting smells and a provider of some of the freshest fruits, vegetables, meats and fish around. I was never want for anything be it food, drink or entertainment. Daein endlessly and effortlessly provided it all to me.

One of the greatest things about the market was that I was able to find unknown treasures I thought were unobtainable in Korea. By getting to know all the alleys and stalls of Daein Market I was allowed the opportunity to reproduce a wide array of Western foods that I previously had only been able to dream about. On one occasion, I was able to purchase all the ingredients I needed to make a basic batch of homebrewed beer using only things found in the market all simply a few minutes walk from my front door. Shopkeepers were at first surprised by me when I would ask about ingredients that I wanted but eventually warmed to me and then began to actively seek me out when they thought I might be interested in a new product. I still have several kilos of raw licorice root from one of the vendors who refused to believe that Westerners eat it for pleasure.

Markets are still here and will be for some time but their face is changing. The housewife crowds are smaller as they make their way to the local megamarts. Most customers are either elderly or restaurant owners trying to make their won stretch further. I spend several hours a week in Daein looking for produce and meats that I can turn into something. I cherish the time spent in Daein. I'm happy to sit and have a chat about pork prices with my butcher over a sweet cup of coffee for an hour because I know that he wants my business and appreciates it. The fruit lady will always make sure that I have some of the ripest tomatoes because she my business is important to her. If I don't come back she we have one less bulk buyer.

Try to break your dependence on the shiny shops with convenient parking and young women selling gum. Give the markets a try and experience a totally different world.