Just as Japan has the Tsukiji Fish Market, South Korea’s best known fresh seafood market has got to be the Jagalchi Market. Located on the edge of Nampo Port in Busan, Jagalchi Market is considered the largest seafood market in South Korea and is a spot you must visit when in Busan. As Busan is frequented by quite a number of tourists, Jagalchi Market is relatively tourist-friendly for Singaporeans as most of the stall owners speak decent mandarin.

That said, if you’re looking to tuck into seafood at affordable prices, do take care to enter Jagalchi Market from the correct side of the building. Elsewise, you may find yourself making the same mistake as us – paying slightly higher prices for the exact same dishes at the other side of the building.

As a matter of orientation, this is what you should be looking for when you first enter Jagalchi Market. There will be a couple of rows of shops with fresh seafood laid out for your picking. After you select your choice of seafood, the stall owners will arrange for someone to bring you (and your seafood) up to the dining area to be cooked. Do note that payment for the seafood does not include preparation and cooking of the seafood. The restaurant owners at the dining area on the 2nd level will charge you separately for their service.

In contrast, if you enter from the other side of Jagalchi Market, you will be greeted by stalls with fresh seafood but each stall has a dining area attached to it. The spread of seafood available at this side of the Jagalchi Market is not as extensive as you would find at the other entrance, and the level of touting here is also significantly higher. Also, if you’re not careful, you may find yourselves paying a little more than what you expected to be charged.

Notwithstanding the sentiments above, Jagalchi Market is a paradise for seafood lovers. From eel, to Alaskan King Crabs, octopus and scallops, it will be a feast for the eyes. But one tip that we’d give is to only choose seafood that is displayed outside the shop to ensure that you are paying for what you select. Elsewise, unless you are opting for your seafood to be cooked, you should be prepared for an upset stomach.

Well, we were prepared to suffer the consequences so we opted to enjoy most of our seafood raw. Whilst this plate of sea urchins set us back by just 10,000 won, we felt that there was slightly lesser meat than what we had expected. But for its extremely affordable price tag, it was still a reasonable portion and a delicious meal option.

We could not leave Jagalchi Market without having Sannakji aka sliced raw octopus. The stall owner we purchased the seafood from threw this in for free, and even allowed our toddler to touch the live octopus for entertainment. If you’ve never tried Sannakji, it’s really not as scary as it looks. Doused with sesame oil and sesame seeds, the octopus meat was firm yet chewy, and just slightly slimy. However, if you’re not accustomed to this type of seafood, it would be wise to share this dish with another dining partner.

As for cooked seafood, 2 other dishes that we’d recommend are the Grilled Eel (10,000 won) and the Abalone Porridge (30,000 won). The eel was lightly salted and incredibly fresh, and though we’d have liked a larger portion of abalone, the Abalone Porridge was very satisfying.

Jagalchi Market
52 Jagalchihaean-ro, Jung-gu,
Busan, South Korea

Please note that Jagalchi Market is closed on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month and that the prices stated above will differ across the different shops  

When visitors are in Seoul, their itineraries are often packed with touring the grand palaces, retail therapy and relaxing at the aesthetically-pleasing cafes. While we can understand why travellers love these activities, Seoul actually has so much more to offer!

Traditional markets are often overlooked and deserve more attention to the amount of culture, food and interesting experiences that can be offered all in one place.

Feast on affordable street food, gawk at gigantic freshly caught fish and observe as the stall vendors make big batches of kimchi. Here are 7 traditional markets in Seoul you need to visit to get the very best out of your trip.

#1 GWANGJANG MARKET

Opened in 1905, Gwangjang Market boasts over 5000 shops and 42,000 square metres. This is the traditional market you must visit if you are tight on time while in Seoul.

Gwangjang Market is food heaven for those who love affordable Korean street food and snacks; from cheap and generous portions of mung bean pancakes to steaming plates of spicy rice cakes and crispy deep-fried snacks.

Most of the food stalls here have been operating for many years, thus they are well-loved by the locals for the wallet-friendly prices and years of expertise they spent to hone and perfect the dishes.

In addition to food, visitors will be able to watch as stall owners make huge batches of fresh kimchi and explore the many uniquely Korean stalls available here, including antiques and cheap clothing!

88 Changgyeonggung-ro,
Jongno 4(sa)-ga, Jongno-gu,
Seoul, South Korea
Nearest Station: Jongno 5-ga/Euljiro 4-ga

#2 NORYANGJIN FISHERIES WHOLESALE MARKET

Featuring an impressive array of tanks filled with live seafood, Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market is Seoul’s biggest seafood market. Seafood lovers visiting the capital city, this is the ultimate market for you!

The market is made up of two buildings, and here’s everything you need to know before visiting.. Indulge in fresh assortment of seafood, including raw, live octopus.

Buy your fresh seafood from any of the seafood vendors, then head to the restaurants nearby for a freshly cooked meal with the seafood you just purchased for a delightful hot meal.

674 Nodeul-ro,
Noryangjin-dong, Dongjak-gu,
Seoul, South Korea
Nearest Station: Noryangjin

Photo Credit: Seoul Insiders Guide

#3 TONGIN MARKET

A doshirak is a Korean lunch box that local mothers would pack for their children to bring to school and for their spouses to take to work. Tongin Market is popular for its one-of-a-kind concept of filling up your own lunchbox at any of the participating food stalls in the marketplace.

To have the complete dosirak experience at Tongin Market, visitors simply have to head over to the entrance of the market to exchange their money for a roll of traditional coin replicas. Then, they can visit the numerous participating stalls to pick out their side dishes and exchange them for a coin or two before heading off to the next stall to fill up their lunch box.

Load up a dosirak with various exciting side dishes including savoury pancakes, kimbap, egg rolls and dumplings; head upstairs to feast on your lunchbox once you are done, there are numerous tables and chairs provided to enjoy your meal.

18 Jahamun-ro 15-gil,
Tongin-dong, Jongno-gu,
Seoul, South Korea
Nearest Station: Gyeongbokgung

Photo Credit: The Seoul Guide

#4 CHANGSIN MARKET

Go on a major throwback and head to Changsin Market, where there are various old-school toys to reminiscence on simpler times before technology and smartphones blew up.

Nostalgia will hit you like a tidal wave as you take in the many toy shops lining the market here with dolls, robots, kitchen sets and even toys that you have to assemble on your own.

6 Jongno 52-gil,
Jongno-gu,
Seoul, South Korea
Nearest Station: Dongdaemun

Photo Credit: The Soul of Seoul

#5 YANGNYEONGSI MARKET

Traditional herbal medicine has been believed to offer amazing positive effects for our bodies for decades (and even centuries) in Asia.

Discover the world of medicine at Yangyeongsi Market, where the smell of the medicinal herbs lingers throughout the market with the wholesale stores, street vendors and pharmacies that line the market. The traditional pharmacies will typically be spotted with wooden cabinets that cover the floor to the ceiling with an impressive collection of oriental medicine.

Korea is famous for its red ginseng, with numerous health benefits including aiding mental and physical health stimulation, as well as boosting the immunity system. Visitors will be given plenty of opportunities to purchase them at wholesale prices at Yangyeongsi market.

51-1 Namseong-ro,
Jung-gu,
Daegu, South Korea
Nearest Station: Banwoldang

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