Chances are if you have traveled around Busan you have heard of Jalgachi Market, the largest seafood market in South Korea! I spent most of the day wandering up and down the market and I can confirm, it is truly very large and ~ fishy. In this post I will cover walking around Jalgachi Market, BIFF Square, and Nampo Underground Mall. Stay tuned!
Jalgachi Market
In order to get to Jalgachi market I took the subway until Jalgachi station and followed the signs until I found the main market street. The market is along the street of Jalgachi-ro which runs alongside the water in the area of Nampodong.
I would recommend wandering the streets for a while and taking in all the sites and scents. By the way, if you do not like fish or seafood, dead or alive, than this is probably not for you. While I was walking I saw octopus, eels, clams, squids, and many more, some of which were still squirming.
Personally, I had no desire to go shopping for seafood but decided to stop at one of the informal little food stalls to try some food. After walking back and forth for a while I chose one at random and this sweet woman helped feed me. I pointed at a random bowl and asked her how to say it and gestured that I wanted to eat it. She tried to explain what it was and I nodded but even after researching online later I still have no idea what I ate! Anyways, it was some kind of stew served with kimchi and onions, and truly enjoyed it, though I can not say the same for my stomach later.
BIFF Square
Is seafood not your thing? Well this area is also famous for its shopping, ranging from high end brands to random underground boutiques. In order to get there I essentially just walked north of Jalgachi and then east in the direction of Nampo station.
While the areas kind of blend into each other, I first discovered BIFF square or the Busan International Film Festival street. This street may have been my favorite because it had cheaper shopping stores and MANY more food stalls. These stalls sold everything from the famous Korean hotdogs to the red beans donuts that I love so much. In this way, it is easy to try a lot of different things in small portions and fairly cheap.
Though I did not partake, BIFF street is also popular for movies and arcades! Definitely more to explore! Also, I wanted to add that it connects to the famous Gwangbok-ro fashion street if you are looking to shop more!
Nampodong Underground Market
After eating about 10 donuts and buying a pair of shoes I found that I had wandered down into Nampodong Underground Market. Unlike Gwangbok-ro, which has more major brands and department stores, the underground market is much more ~ random. There is truly a wide range of clothes, shoes, and bags, often packed into very small places.
I eventually ran out of steam and decided to hop on the metro out of Nampo Station, but I’m sure there were many parts of the market that I didn’t even get to! For those looking to explore this area, I would recommend saving shopping or buying things until the end of the day. I found myself hauling around clothes and it really killed the vibe.
Things I Still Need to See!
Of course, one can never see it all! Here are some more places that I walked by but didn’t get the chance to fully check out!
- Yongdunsan Park
- Busan Modern History Museum
- Yeongdodaegyo Bridge
- Eat grilled fish at one of the stands
Hello! I am a expat from the US living in South Korea to teach for a year. While I have traveled quite a bit in the past this will be the first time I live abroad for a an extended amount of time so I decided to document it! Through my blog I hope to share my personal experiences as well as helpful tips/information. I hope to cover topics such as Hiking, Food, and what it is like to live in Korea during Covid-19!