What's Tasty in Busan
Busan is Korea’s second most populated city and contains its busiest ports. With beaches, a famous fish market and film festival; it’s definitely a wonderful place to have adventures in! If you ever find yourself taking a train to Busan, you won’t find zombies, but will be greeted by delicious food!
Known for its proximity to the sea, Busan has plenty of seafood to try, but that isn’t all this city has to offer. Pork and rice soup, also known as dwaeji gukbap (돼지국밥), is one of Busan’s special delicacies as it’s hard to find in Seoul. Some say this dish originated during the Korean War and others say it has been around for much longer. Twin Pork Soup in Busan is one of the most famous places to grab a bowl of this savory meal that's made from boiling pork bone and other ingredients like soy sauce, rice wine, and other flavor-adding ingredients. If you don’t mind the smell of this dish, then you’re all set to make and eat one of Busan’s best!
If you want a more historical background on this dish and to see interviews with locals to get their perspectives on its importance, check out Arirang Culture’s video for all you need to know about this savory soup!
Busan also has its own special hotteok! For those of you who don’t know what hotteok is: it’s a sweet pancake filled with brown sugar syrup. Ssiat hotteok (씨앗호떡) is hotteok filled with just that and much more! Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and pine nuts are added into the sugary mix, adding great flavor and texture to this treat. You can find plenty of vendors selling it by the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) Square.
If you’re near BIFF Square, dive into the famous Jagalchi Market, Busan’s famous fresh fish market. You might find some ingredients for our next Busan delight!
Dongnae pajeon (동래파전), is another savory dish you need to try! It’s a pancake made from red chili paste and a variety of seafood. This pancake is named after Dongnaesung (동래성), a fort in Busan.
This video has all the ways to make dongnae pajeon the Busan way!
These are only a few of the dishes Busan has to offer! There’s also odeng and raw mackerel, but those are for another time. When you eat these dishes, no matter where you are in the world, Busan will come to you and welcome you with open arms.
Written by Stephanie Lemus
