Is Yongsan Game Alley still around?

yeah it's still around, just smaller than it used to be. a lot of the retro game vendors consolidated into one section near the back of the arcade, so you might walk past it if you're not looking. the whole place feels a bit more organized now, less chaotic than 2019

if you want more retro stuff, take a short walk to 전자랜드 (Yongsan Electronics Market) in the same complex. there's a basement floor with a handful of classic game shops that have bins of old cartridges and consoles. prices have gone up tho, especially for japanese imports

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since nobody mentioned it, theres a guy on the 3rd floor of the main electronics market building who runs a tiny stall mostly for repair work but he keeps a few bins of rare pc engine and super famicom stuff under his counter. he doesnt advertise it, you gotta ask in korean or just point and gesture. his name is written on a yellow sign but i forget it.

also if you go on a weekday afternoon its way less crowded and some vendors will actually haggle a bit. weekend mornings are when the collectors show up and prices get stiff. the alley itself is def still there but like others said its tighter now.

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if you're willing to venture a bit further, head over to the seongsu area. there's a spot called seongsu game market that popped up in the last couple years, more of a curated retro vibe than the chaotic alley. not as big but the stuff is cleaner and the owners actually know their stock. prices are a bit steeper though, maybe 10-20% more than yongsan

also check out the underground shops at gangnam station near exit 4. there's a tiny row of retro game booths that barely anyone talks about. mostly korean versions but they get random japanese imports too. cash only at most of them, just a heads up

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the whispering thing is real but its not about the sauce lol. that guy runs a 2am handoff with the chicken supplier, they drop off fresh birds from a farm near Chuncheon three times a week instead of using the frozen stuff most hongdae spots rely on. thats why the texture hits different, not the sauce itself. if u go back ask for the neck & wing combo off menu, its cheaper & honestly the best cut they do

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the thing nobody mentions is that Dogdogdog's sauce gets its body from cheong, the Korean rice syrup, not sugar. thats why it coats the wing so thick and stays glossy instead of going sticky. i asked a guy who worked there and he said they also add a splash of maesil (plum) extract at the end off the heat. that fruity tang under the garlic is what you're tasting. go on a weekday before 6, weekends the wait hits 40 min easy.

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honestly the "secret sauce" thing is prob just marketing. every fried chicken place in Seoul has a version of that story. the real difference at Dogdogdog is they double fry in rice bran oil and toss the wings in the sauce twice, once right out of the fryer and again after a 30 sec rest. thats where the crunch comes from, not some mystery ingredient. if u wanna taste the actual base, order the banban half plain half spicy and dip the plain one in the spicy sauce yourself.

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