Suwon-style whole chicken from a 100m alley in front of Hwaseong Haenggung

The Reason Fried Chicken Alley Emerged Between Paldalmun and Hwaseong Haenggung

Suwon Fried Chicken Street is an alley about 100 m long in the Nammun Market area between Paldalmun and Hwaseong Haenggung, along Paldal-ro in Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do. The Korea Tourism Organization explains that about 11 fried chicken restaurants are clustered here, including the original shop that opened in 1970.

This location adjoins the southern living area of Suwon Hwaseong, whose construction was begun by Joseon King Jeongjo in 1794 and completed in 1796. Because it sits on the route connecting Hwaseong Haenggung Plaza, the center of fortress tourism, and the Paldalmun market area, it is more accurate to understand Fried Chicken Street as a downtown food alley where markets, fortress walls, and restaurants overlap rather than as a standalone theme park.

Suwon-Style Fried Chicken Left Behind by 1970s Street Stalls and Large Cauldrons

The core of Suwon Fried Chicken Street is the method of pouring oil into a large cauldron and frying chicken. The Korea Tourism Organization introduces it as an alley that has continued since the days in the 1970s when chicken coops were set up at street stalls and chickens were hand-plucked and fried, noting that fried and sauced chicken were the two main styles.

Today, visitors should not assume that every shop has the same taste or operating conditions. For example, Jinmi Tongdak is introduced as a business that opened in 1982, and its address is 21, Jeongjo-ro 800beon-gil, Paldal-gu. There is no integrated ticket office, integrated reservation system, or flat admission fee for the Fried Chicken Street area itself, and whether ordering, waiting, or takeout is available must be checked directly with each business.

• Alley length: about 100 m
• Formation background: the fried chicken commercial district that has continued since the 1970s
• Representative cooking image: frying in a large cauldron
• Businesses commonly mentioned: Maehyang Tongdak, Yongseong Tongdak, Jinmi Tongdak

How to Use 21 Jeongjo-ro 800beon-gil, Jinmi Tongdak, as Your Reference Point

For a first visit, set the provided reference address, '21, Jeongjo-ro 800beon-gil, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Jinmi Tongdak,' as your map destination. Jinmi Tongdak's main phone number is 031-255-3401, and the same address and phone number are also listed in the Suwon City discount-business list published in 2026.

Online user information lists Jinmi Tongdak's business hours as 11:00~23:00, but restaurant hours, ingredient sell-outs, and closed days may change. In particular, because the operating hours and regular closing days for the entire street are not set uniformly, if you are planning to visit a specific business, it is safer to call 031-255-3401 right before you depart.

• Reference business: Jinmi Tongdak
• Road-name address: 21, Jeongjo-ro 800beon-gil, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do
• Phone: 031-255-3401
• Listed online business hours: 11:00~23:00
• Street admission fee: free
• Official individual website for the street: not confirmed

From Exit 9 of Suwon Station by Bus to Paldal-gu Office and Hwaseong Haenggung

When coming from Suwon Station on Subway Line 1 and the Suin-Bundang Line, it is practical to exit through Exit 9 and then go to Maesan Market stop, about 156 m away, before taking a bus. The official transportation guide for Buksu-dong Catholic Church says to take bus numbers 13, 11, 35, 46, 16, 16-1, 16-2, 26, 32-1, 32-2, 32-5, 50-2, or 50-5, get off at 'Paldal-gu Office - Hwaseong Haenggung,' and walk about 3 minutes.

Another option is to take buses 999, 400, 400-4, 400-2, 2-2, or 400-5, get off at 'Paldal-gu Office - Suwon Hwaseong Museum,' and walk about 6 minutes. Since Fried Chicken Street is close to Hwaseong Haenggung Plaza, it is best to tour Hwaseong Haenggung first and then move toward the Nammun Market area for a meal, which reduces wasted travel time.

• Departure station: Suwon Station on Line 1 and the Suin-Bundang Line
• Suwon Station exit: Exit 9
• To Maesan Market stop: about 156 m
• After getting off at Paldal-gu Office - Hwaseong Haenggung: about 3 minutes on foot
• After getting off at Paldal-gu Office - Suwon Hwaseong Museum: about 6 minutes on foot

A 2- to 3-Hour Route for Dining After Touring Hwaseong Haenggung from 09:00 to 18:00

If your only destination is Fried Chicken Street, it is realistic to allocate about 1 to 2 hours for eating and walking through the alley, and longer if the wait is extended. If you include a historical route, a 2- to 3-hour course visiting Hwaseong Haenggung first and then moving to Fried Chicken Street is recommended. In the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday guide from the Suwon Cultural Foundation, Hwaseong Haenggung's normal operating hours were listed as 09:00~18:00.

Hwaseong Haenggung is the palace compound that King Jeongjo prepared while building Suwon Hwaseong, and in 1795 a large-scale royal procession to Hwaseong was held to mark the 60th birthday of his mother, Lady Hyegyeong Hong. Therefore, when visiting Fried Chicken Street, it is better not to view it simply as a 'street of chicken restaurants,' but to place it within the pedestrian route of the old downtown that connects Jeongjo-ro, Haenggung Plaza, and the Paldalmun market area.

• Recommended dining time on Fried Chicken Street: 1 to 2 hours
• Recommended time when combined with Hwaseong Haenggung: 2 to 3 hours
• Guided operating hours for Hwaseong Haenggung: 09:00~18:00
• Construction period of Suwon Hwaseong: 1794~1796
• King Jeongjo's royal procession to Hwaseong: 1795

A Practical Choice to Avoid Weekend Evening Waiting and Parking Problems

Reviews repeatedly mention the waiting time at famous businesses such as Jinmi Tongdak and the congestion in the market area. Since many restaurants do not take reservations, it is better to avoid the usual meal times of 12:00~13:30 and 18:00~20:00 and instead consider right after opening or the gap between afternoon meals. However, this is not a fixed rule and may vary depending on the day of visit, weather, and whether events are being held.

It is best not to plan on parking inside the alley with a private car. Use parking lots near Hwaseong Haenggung as alternatives, and the Suwon Cultural Foundation announced that the Hwaseong Haenggung parking lot would operate normally during the 2026 Lunar New Year holiday. During events such as the Suwon Hwaseong Culture Festival, traffic control and parking congestion may occur around Haenggung Plaza and Fried Chicken Street, so public transportation is more reliable.

• Meal congestion times worth avoiding: 12:00~13:30, 18:00~20:00
• Recommended arrival method: bus from Suwon Station or a walking connection from Hwaseong Haenggung
• Parking alternative: check public parking lots near Hwaseong Haenggung
• Event variables: congestion may occur during events in the Hwaseong Haenggung Plaza and Fried Chicken Street area
• Wheelchair and stroller access: because walking width, seating, and restroom conditions differ by alley and by store, advance inquiries are recommended

When It Coincides with the Suwon Hwaseong Culture Festival from October 4 to 11, 2026

The 63rd Suwon Hwaseong Culture Festival in 2026 will be held for 7 days from October 4 to October 11 around Suwon Hwaseong. The center of the festival is the area around Hwaseong Haenggung Plaza, and the Suwon City budget materials include plans to operate a Fried Chicken Street promotional booth and performances by local artists in the Hwaseong Haenggung Plaza and Fried Chicken Street area.

During this period, pedestrian traffic between Haenggung Plaza and Paldalmun is likely to be heavier than usual. If you are using Fried Chicken Street after festival viewing, it is better to schedule your meal earlier than the evening peak and check again on the same day at the Suwon City Event and Festival Portal for any road control notices. The official 2026 schedule for the Suwon Hwaseong Culture Festival runs from Sunday, October 4, to Sunday, October 11, 2026.

• 63rd Suwon Hwaseong Culture Festival: October 4 to October 11, 2026
• Duration: 7 days
• Main venues: around Suwon Hwaseong and Hwaseong Haenggung Plaza
• Festival inquiry: 031-5191-3647
• Food booth at the festival site: guidance for nearby restaurant use is provided