Busan Markets – 12 Best Food Markets and Food Streets
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Busan is BIG on markets and street food – South Korea’s second biggest city has numerous places to eat on the cheap, whilst sitting next to locals and they’re a relatively inexpensive epicurean experience.
Busan Markets are bustling, especially the biggest Busan Markets like Jagalchi Fish Market, Haeundae Traditional Market and Gukje Market.
From old ladies running street-side stalls to brand new food halls like Millak the Market, Busan markets are the place to be day and night, with some to suit all budgets and tastes (literally).
From hidden gems like Gwangbokdong Food Street and Namhang Market to tourist favourites like BIFF Square Market, here is our guide to the best Busan markets and street-food centers with photos.
You might like – Our guide to 80+ things to do in Busan >
Table of Contents
Getting to Busan
Fly to Busan
You can fly directly to and from Busan Gimhae International Airport (PUS) from Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, China and Malaysia.
There are dozens of domestic daily flights to Busan from Seoul and Jeju Island.
Train to Busan
The KTX train Korea is the fastest train to get to Busan in the south of the country, often taking less than 3 hours and running one or two times an hour.
Alternatively, foreign travellers can benefit from discounted rates with a Korea Rail Pass – this is also better value if you are travelling long distances by train in South Korea for two or more days.
Book your Korea Rail Pass (2, 3, 4, or 5 Days) here >
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Best Busan Markets and Food Streets map
12 Best Busan Markets and Food Streets
1. Haeundae Traditional Market
Looking for superb street food or late night bites in Busan? Then head to Haeundae Traditional Market, a couple of blocks back from Haeundae Beach and within easy walk of Gunam-ro Busan.
Here at Haeundae Food Alley / Haeundae Traditional Market, you’ll find a treasure trove of traditional Korean restaurants, plus dozens of seafood restaurants with the freshest fish and seafood given the close proximity to the coast.
From tteokbokki to tempura, squid to mandu, you’ll find lots of fine South Korean street food, plus given there are so many restaurants who all want your custom, prices at Haeundae Traditional Market are very reasonable.
If you don’t want to sit down and just grab and go, most restaurants have a takeaway counter out front too.
Read more in our guide to Busan’s Haeundae Traditional Market >
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2. Jagalchi Fish Market
No trip to Busan is complete without a walk around Jagalchi Fish Market, South Korea’s biggest seafood market.
There are dozens of stalls outside all with their own seating areas, vying for your attention and custom – and we are talking seriously fresh (so fresh, you can eat dishes like octopus whilst the tentacles are still wriggling).
Jagalchi Fish Market also allows you to purchase your own fresh fish on the ground floor (or via the stalls outside) and then have it cooked by one of the restaurants on the upper levels.
It is open from 5am until 10pm (closed first and third Tuesday of every month) but individual stalls’ opening times may vary.
Tip – there is an incredible roof terrace at Jagalchi Fish Market that is free to visit and offers stunning views of Busan port and the hillside towns and villages.
Check out this Jagalchi Fish Market and Korean food market tour in Busan with a local chef or harbour cruise from Jagalchi Fish Market.
3. Gukje Market AKA Nampodong International Market
This Busan market is well known to locals not only as one of the best markets but also as the star of the eponymous K-movie ‘Gukje Market’.
Open daily from 9am to 7pm, Gukje market is a warren of fabric, hardware and homeware shops and stalls (watch out for the odd errant moped too that zoom through making deliveries).
The market is open at night for eating and drinking with plastic tables and chairs and multiple mini cart bars set up down the alleys.
Bupyeong Kkangtong Market is also known as Tin Can Alley – ‘Kkangtong’ means ‘tin can’ in Korean and originates from many years ago when the market used to sell canned food from the US Army during the Vietnam War.
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4. Bupyeong Kkangtong Market AKA Tin Can Alley
Bupyeong Kkangtong Market is located right next to Gukje Busan Market so they are easy to visit together.
Bupyeong Kkangtong Market is more about the food and here you’ll find many Korean snacks, plus seafood, fruit, vegetables and side dishes.
Try this – Busan history and market food tour with a local chef >
5. Bujeon Market
One of the two main fish markets in Busan (the other being Jagalchi Fish Market), this market near to Seomyeon sells mainly fresh seafood and fish, plus lots of fruit, fresh vegetables and meat.
Some of the more famous stalls at Bujeon Market include Goraesa Fish Cake Shop, Bujeon Ginseng Market and Somunnan Kalguksu and Mayak Gimbap.
Popular with locals, Bujeon Market is open daily from 6am to 7pm and is a nice way to get accustomed to traditional South Korean ingredients and dishes.
Note that a lot of the seafood is still alive (a wet market) and you may encounter the likes of octopuses and crabs trying to escape so if this is likely to upset you, it is best to avoid Bujeon Market.
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5. Arirang Street Food Street (Gukje Market Food Street)
We discovered Gukje Market Food Street quite by chance but it is a Busan institution, with outdoor food stalls operating here for over 50 years.
It is essentially a street of pop-up food stalls manned by old ladies who make delicious dishes like knife-cut noodles (kalguksu), dumplings (mandu), kimbap and Pajeon (Korean pancake).
As you walk down Arirang Street next to Gukje Market, the old ladies beckon you over and frantically wave menus at you (but in a nice way), trying to entice you to their alfresco seating areas – competition is fierce.
You might like – our guide to Seomyeon and Jeonpo, Busan’s buzziest neighborhood >
6. BIFF Square food market / Busan street food
As well as its film history, BIFF Square is known for its street food markets and snack vendors which take up most of the square.
The stalls sell many local specialities such as octopus skewers, yubu bottan (stew with fried tofu), walnut cake (Hodu-gwaja) and candied fruit (Ddalgi Satang).
BIFF Square Market is also home to Busan’s best hotteok – Ssiat Hotteok. It has queues around the block and is filled full of seedy goodness.
The sticky sweet pancake contains crushed sunflower, pumpkin and sesame seeds, almonds and peanuts and is absolutely delicious and worthy of its best hotteok title.
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7. Seomyeon Market
Busan’s bustling Seomyeon Market is the place to head to for traditional Korean restaurants, South Korean street food stalls and all manner of delicious dishes. It is located very close to the Lotte Busan mall and Lucky Seven Casino.
Look out for dishes such as kalguksu / knife cut noodle soup, mandu (dumplings), tteokbokki sundae (pig’s blood sausage) plus pig’s trotter (jokbal).
One stand out dish to look for is milmyeon, a famous Busan noodle made from wheat noodles in a cold meaty broth, often topped with vegetables and garnish ( a variant of a North Korean noodle dish).
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8. Gwangbokdong Food Street
This evening market is located along a long narrow street called Gwangbok-ro 49beon and is chock full of food vendors selling Korean street food, plus new and second-hand clothing stalls.
Korean foods you must try from here include Gun Mandoo (fried dumplings) and Jjukkumi (grilled, stuffed octopus).
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9. Namhang Market
We discovered Namhang Market quite by chance, whilst on our way to Huinnyeoul Culture Village / Huinnyeoul Munhwa Maul – very much a local market, we were the only tourists there when we visited.
Whilst not a Busan market on the scale of say Jagalchi Fish Market or Seomyeon Market, Namhang Market is close to the port and famed for its seafood. Its prices are often cheaper so many people visit due to the inexpensive seafood restaurants here.
And it isn’t just seafood at Namhang Market – here you’ll find fruit and veg stalls, sock shops and homemade kimchi stalls plus several wallet friendly restaurants.
We found a knife-cut noodle soup restaurant where a huge bowl of noodle soup or bibimbap was served with a whole host of sides for just 5,000 Won.
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10. Seomyeon Food Alley
Seomyeon Food Alley can be found hidden away in the back streets behind Seomyeon Metro Station.
Lots of Korean restaurants offer a variety of South Korean foods, including knife-cut noodles and Jokbal, a speciality Busan dish of braised pig trotters – there is even a dedicated area in Seomyeon called Jokbal Alley.
Other dishes to try whilst in Seomyeon Food Alley include tteokbokki and deep fried pajeon (Korean pancakes). It is also a popular place to enjoy soju and rice wine.
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11. Millac The Market
Overlooking the harbor at Gwangalli Beach with huge bay windows facing towards the ocean and Millak Port, Millac the Market is a popular Gwangan food market and contemporary cultural space.
It is one of the newest attractions in Busan, having opened in 2022 on the site of an old fish market.
A sleek and shiny food court with red brick walls, steel interiors and street art on the walls, this is one of the coolest (and tastiest) things to do in Busan (and only a short walk from Gwangalli Beach itself).
We visited Millac The Market one Saturday afternoon in Busan and were amazed to see hundreds of people sitting on the steps eating their street food and watching two live performers.
Busy and buzzing, you can see why this is now one of Busan’s most popular and modern street food markets and food halls.
The set-up here is really nice at Millac The Market, with all types of street food kitchens and restaurants with cuisine from all around the world plus a few craft shops and a craft beer brewery bar courtesy of Naked Ape.
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12. Haeundae Pojangmacha-chon (Haeundae Food Cart Village & Seafood Market)
In addition to Haeundae Traditional Market, the other best place to eat seafood in an unusual setting is the Haeundae Pojangmacha-chon.
Essentially, this is a small area of seafood stalls in bright orange tents that opens at night right on Haeundae Beach.
Drink soju, beer and makgeolli until the wee small hours as the kindly Korean ladies (‘Ajummas) create incredible stews and fish dishes.
The fish and street food stalls at Haeundae Pojangmacha-chon are generally open from around 5 pm until late (some remain open until 2am but many shut around 11pm to midnight).
You might like – Our guides to Busan’s Gamcheon Cultural Village or Taejongdae and the Danubi Train in Busan
Visit Busan Pass
Save money on Busan attractions with the Visit Busan Pass!
Newly launched in 2023 and very similar to the highly successful Discover Seoul Pass, the Visit Busan pass provides ‘free’ access to a selection of 30 tourism attractions in Busan for 24/48 hours.
Visit Busan tourist attractions included on the pass include Lotte World Busan, Busan Tower, Skyline Luge Busan, Busan X the Sky, Songdo Cable Car and free hanbok rental.
Incredibly good value for money, read our guide to using the Visit Busan Pass >
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