Incheon Chinatown

Chinese merchants began settling here in 1884, the year after Incheon’s port opened to foreign trade, making this the only officially designated Chinatown in Korea. Climb past the red paifang gate near Incheon Station and you’ll find a street lined with large Chinese restaurants — this is widely considered the birthplace of Korean-style jajangmyeon, so several places claim to be the “original.”

Along the way you’ll pass a mural alley illustrating scenes from Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the Korea-China Cultural Center, which covers the neighborhood’s history. Head uphill and the street connects on foot to Jayu Park and Songwol-dong Fairy Tale Village, making it easy to combine all three into a half-day route.

Lunchtime queues can get long on weekends and holidays, so weekdays or an early lunch are your best bet. The street itself is free to enter and open at all times.