Gukje Market

Narrow lanes hung with clothes and bags branch off endlessly under the awnings, and at every corner a food stall has set out low stools. Gukje Market kept Busan's people fed and clothed through liberation and the Korean War, and today it is the heart of any visit to the old city centre. It is a genuine maze, and getting lost is part of the experience.

History: from a scramble on empty ground to "International Market"

It began in 1945, when liberation from Japanese rule sent the Japanese home and an empty lot filled with traders selling what they had left behind, along with goods brought back by Koreans returning from abroad. Because everything was haggled over in bulk, it was first nicknamed Dottegi Market, roughly "scramble market". In 1948 buildings went up and it became Jayu (Freedom) Market, and once goods from US military bases began to circulate it took the name Gukje (International) Market around 1950.

During the Korean War Busan served as the provisional capital, and refugees from all over the peninsula set up stalls here to survive. Trade in US military supplies, imports and smuggled goods made the market boom, and from the 1950s to the 1990s it thrived on foreign products and electronics. In 2014 the film Ode to My Father (Korean title "Gukje Market"), set here, sold more than 14 million tickets and brought the market back into the spotlight.

What to see

• The market lanes: alleys grouped by trade, including second-hand clothing, patbingsu (shaved ice), cosmetics and small goods, plus produce, electronics, kitchenware and household items.
• The second-floor bridges: the market is split into two wings and easy to get lost in. Footbridges on the second floor link the buildings; climb up to get your bearings and to look down over the stalls.
• Food Street: a food alley with more than 60 years of history. Sit on a stool for Chungmu gimbap with spicy squid, tteokbokki, milmyeon wheat noodles, pork and rice soup, sundae, patbingsu and Busan's own bibim dangmyeon (spicy glass noodles).

Nearby

• Bupyeong Kkangtong Market: another traditional market a short walk away.
• BIFF Square and Bosu-dong Book Street: right next to the market.
• Yongdusan Park and Jagalchi Market: an easy walk on from here.

Good to know

Busan served twice as Korea's provisional capital during the Korean War, and by 1951 roughly a third of South Korea's population had crowded into the city. For refugees who arrived with no family or support, a stall at Gukje Market was their livelihood. The nearby Provisional Capital Memorial Hall and the 40-Step Culture and Tourism Theme Street help bring that era to life, and Yongdusan Park with Busan Tower is within walking distance.

Tripto tips

• Hours: listed as 09:00–20:00, varying by shop.
• Closing days: sources differ: every Sunday, or the first and third Sundays of each month. Check before a Sunday visit.
• Getting there: walk from Jagalchi or Nampo stations on Busan Metro Line 1. Parking is difficult, so the metro is the better option.
• Time needed: 1–2 hours for browsing and a meal at Food Street; half a day with the neighbouring markets and Yongdusan Park.
• Payment: many shops take cards, but cash is easier at the food stalls.