"Why Is Everyone Gathering in Front of the Office?" MZ Flock to 'Yajang' with Lines Forming Even Before Sunset

CatchTable Analyzes January-August Data

"Yajang" Searches Up 10.7 Times in One Year... Driven by Customers in Their 20s

With the cooler weather, dining outdoors at 'Yajang' has continued to be popular this year. The Yajang culture, which used to be mainly enjoyed in old-style restaurants in Euljiro, is now gaining popularity among people in their 20s and is spreading not only throughout Seoul, but also to major commercial districts nationwide. At famous Yajang restaurants, waiting lines form even before sunset as people try to secure a table.

It is easy to find posts recommending popular night market restaurants on social networking services (SNS). Instagram capture

On September 17, CatchTable, a restaurant reservation application, announced that the number of searches for 'Yajang' on its app between January and August this year increased by 10.7 times compared to the same period last year. During the same time frame, the number of waiting list entries for Yajang restaurants grew by 2.4 times, and actual reservations increased by 1.5 times.

The popularity of Yajang has now surpassed traditional outdoor dining locations such as terraces and rooftops. Just two years ago, the number of searches for Yajang was only about 1/28 of those for 'terrace', but in April of this year, Yajang searches surpassed terraces for the first time. At that time, searches for Yajang were 1.2 times greater than those for terraces and 2.8 times higher than those for rooftops.

The number of restaurants promoting Yajang dining is also rapidly increasing. The number of Yajang restaurants listed on CatchTable rose by 6.8 times compared to the beginning of 2023.

The Yajang craze is spreading especially among people in their 20s. About 60% of users searching for Yajang were in their 20s, with the percentage being highest among women in this age group. This trend reflects how outdoor tables at old-style restaurants—a favorite in the past among older and middle-aged diners—have appealed to younger crowds seeking a retro mood and a distinctive dining experience.

Competition for seats is fierce at popular Yajang spots. The average wait time at Yajang restaurants was 1.5 times longer than at regular restaurants, and there were 2.7 times more waiting teams per day on average.

Notably, the proportion of users registering to wait between 3 and 5 p.m. was 2.4 times greater than that at regular restaurants. This indicates that many customers start queuing before sunset to secure a spot for the evening. The percentage of customers waiting to visit Yajang locations as their second stop after 9 p.m. was also three times higher than at other establishments, and over half of all Yajang waiting registrations occurred on Fridays and Saturdays.

The popularity of Yajang is also expanding beyond Euljiro, the area traditionally known for this outdoor dining style. The number of waiting list entries in Euljiro over the past year increased 3.1 times compared to the previous year. Growth in Yongsan has been especially remarkable: from September 2025 to August this year, the number of Yajang restaurants in Yongsan grew by about 1.5 times, while the number of people waiting increased by roughly 7 times compared to the previous 12 months.

Elsewhere, waiting list entries for Yajang restaurants increased 18.8 times in Jeju City, 13.5 times in Seongsu-dong, and 12.7 times in Jeongja-dong, Bundang. In Haenggung-dong, Suwon, and Seomyeon, Busan, the numbers rose by 10.2 times and 7.5 times, respectively, showing that the Yajang craze is spreading from Seoul to regions throughout the country.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.