You can’t go home without seeing this! Let’s visit the markets in Busan, Korea’s second-largest city

Busan, Korea’s second-largest city, is a popular travel destination. At its core it’s an economic city, but with beautiful beaches, historical spots, and seafood cuisine born from its port-town character, it’s also rich in tourist attractions and full of lively charm. One reason Busan is so vibrant is the presence of its markets. It’s said that next to every large apartment complex there is always a market, and indeed Busan is home to a huge number of them. Here are some recommended markets you should visit in Busan.

1. Jagalchi Market

When you think of Busan’s most famous market, it has to be Jagalchi Market. This is the representative seafood market of the port city of Busan, and its biggest appeal is the fresh marine products.

The market is located just a one-minute walk from Jagalchi Station on Subway Line 1, inside a super-modern building. It was rebuilt about 10 years ago, and some people say they miss the old nostalgic atmosphere. Peek at the first floor and you’ll see it overflowing with fresh shrimp, flounder, sea urchin, and many other kinds of fish. Once you’ve bought the seafood you want, head straight to the sashimi restaurants on the second floor. They’ll prepare it for you on the spot, so you can enjoy it at its freshest. If you’d like to see an old-fashioned market scene, go next door to Jagalchi Dried Fish Market. Since it’s a market that deals only in dried goods, it’s also a great place to buy souvenirs.

2. Gukje Market

Alongside Jagalchi Market, another must-visit spot when sightseeing in Busan is Gukje (“International”) Market. It was established right after the end of World War II. Originally it was just an empty lot, but the story goes that residents, on their way out as they were leaving, began selling controlled goods there, and that’s how it began. After that, a permanent market naturally formed.

Today, around 650 shops line the area, making it one of Busan’s representative markets where you can buy all kinds of items at low prices: daily necessities such as bedding and kitchenware, traditional Korean clothing, bags, glasses, and more. Because the facilities have become old in recent years, there has been talk of modernization plans, but they haven’t yet been carried out. Gukje Market is like a maze with many small shops packed together. It’s hard to get your bearings at first, so try to remember the alphanumeric codes (combinations of letters like A, B with numbers) that serve as address substitutes.

3. Bujeon Market

Bujeon Market can be described as the everyday kitchen of the people of Busan. Located just a few minutes’ walk from the Lotte Department Store in the city center, it’s always bustling thanks to its convenient access. In terms of scale, this market is enormous, comparable to Gukje Market. However, its character is the complete opposite of Gukje Market, where food is not sold.

At Bujeon Market, shops selling meat, vegetables, fish, fruit, bread, and every other kind of food spill out into the aisles as if racing each other for space. There are a huge number of stalls, and it’s said that prices are set quite reasonably compared to other markets, which is the secret of its popularity. On the second floor of the market there’s also a ginseng specialty area, so if you want to buy good-quality Korean ginseng at a low price, Bujeon Market is the place to go.

4. Busanjin Market

This is Busan’s largest textile market, Busanjin Market. It’s recommended for those who want to buy clothing-related items in Busan. You’ll find not only traditional Korean hanbok such as chima jeogori, but also everyday clothes, children’s clothes, as well as fabrics, yarn, buttons, beads, and many other things. The variety is so extensive that even if you’re not specifically there to shop, you might still enjoy just looking around—especially if you’re a woman.

Busanjin Market is a large-scale market housed in a building with four above-ground floors and one basement level, offering about 8,000 pyeong of sales area and home to roughly 1,800 shops. In Busan, there is said to be an unspoken rule that “once your marriage is set, you go to Jin Market,” and the market is famous as a place where you can get everything you need for wedding preparations—dishes, hanbok, bedding, and more.

◎ Summary

We’ve introduced four markets in Busan. To experience “Korean-ness” in Korea, the market is indeed the best place to go. Busan, with its many markets, draws a lot of attention from tourists. Choose the market that best suits your purpose and be sure to pay it a visit. By the way, the Korean word for “market” is pronounced “sijang.” Make sure you remember it before you go to Busan.

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You can’t go home without seeing this! Let’s visit the markets in Busan, Korea’s second-largest city