Busan, similar to the rest of South Korea, is a very unique place with a very unique culture. With incredible cuisine, beautiful coastal views and beaches, and cute stores around every corner – there’s no limit to the amount of fun things you can explore in Busan. However, if you only have 48 hours here then it might start to feel a little overwhelming – which is why I’ve put together my ultimate itinerary for 48 hours in Busan – including must see stops and hidden gems!
My Essential Korea Travel Resources :
There are plenty of travel companies out there, but these are my favorite websites and resources for planning an unforgettable trip to South Korea. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more here.
🚙 Car rentals, although not common in Korea, are best through Discover Cars – just make sure to have a copy of your international driver’s permit with you!
🏨 I always use AGODA to compare hotels & prices in Asia.
📶 To keep cell phone service, I use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required).
📸 For fun things to do, Klook specializes on tours in Asia, otherwise Viator also does the trick.
🦋 Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use when visiting a new country.
Busan is located on the southern coast of South Korea, facing the Japanese city of Fukuoka. As one of only 2 cities that weren’t invaded by North Korea during the Korean War, Busan is known for its beautiful beaches, delicious seafood, and for hosting special events like the International Film Festival and (hopefully) the 2030 World Expo! If this is your first time visiting Busan, then here are a few of my best tips for making the most of your time here :
The Real “Train to Busan” : Ever seen the movie “Train to Busan?” Well, you can actually experience the “real” train to Busan by catching a 2-3 hour KTX Bullet Train from Seoul Station! The train has free wifi so you can even stream the movie from YouTube for free during the ride!
Getting Around : Busan conveniently has a local subway system that can take you pretty much anywhere in the city you’d like to go. Other than the subway, many places are walkable – and there are plenty of taxis and public buses available as well.
Black Pork : “Black Pork” might not sound appetizing, but it is one of the most famous meals from the neighboring Jeju Island. This pork comes from black pigs found on Jeju Island, and is considered some of the best meat for Korean BBQ! If you’re visiting Busan or Jeju Island, this is one thing you have to try!
For dinner, head to a “black pork” restaurant for an authentic Korean BBQ experience – you’ll see them all over town. The nearby Jeju Island is known for their “black pork,” but if you aren’t heading there this is the next best place to try it! One of the best spots in Busan for black pork is the Jeju Rooftop.
Catch the KTX Train from Seoul to Busan while streaming “Train to Busan” from Youtube for free (with ads) – luckily the train has free wifi!
Depending on your train schedule, you can get to Busan in the early afternoon. I recommend checking into your hotel then heading to BIFF Square. Also called the Busan International Film Festival Square, this is a great opportunity to try different street foods, see the lively street life, and shop for fun souvenirs. This is also a great chance to try your hand at dalgona – the candy made famous by Squid Games consisting of melted sugar. The trick is to break the shape in the middle out without any cracks or breaks, and traditionally you’ll win a prize!
When you’re done exploring, try heading to a local beach. If you head towards Songdo Beach try booking a ride on the Busan Air Cruise or walking the Songdo Skywalk at sunset – the views are truly stunning!
Day 2 :
Either fly towards Jeju Island for some more fun, or head back to Seoul on a flight or return via the KTX Train!
If you’re looking to see some action at the local Jagalchi Seafood Market, you’ll have to get up super early. Like 5 am early. If you visit later in the day you can purchase some fresh seafood and they’ll cook it right here for you – but if you’re looking to see the market at it’s most active time then the closer to 5 am the better.
Afterwards, head towards the Gamcheon Culture Village. I recommend going around 10 am or close to it to try to avoid some of the tours and groups that frequent this spot. In addition to cute murals, the most incredible Flipbook Studio, unique street foods, and fun photo opportunities – you can also rent a traditional Korean Hanbok during your visit.
Depending on what time you’re leaving Busan, you have a few options on how to spend the rest of your day. You could either visit a few of the other popular beaches, head up to the top of the Diamond Tower for some incredible views of Busan, or even visit the Busan Lotte World for some fun thrills!
Busan is one of my favorite cities in South Korea – with incredible cuisine, beautiful coastal views and beaches, and cute stores around every corner – there’s really no limit to the amount of fun things you can explore in Busan. However, if you’re short on time or just stopping by on a quick visit, there’s some things you won’t want to miss! In this list, I’ve put together my 5 favorite things to do in Busan to help make your next visit a bit easier to plan!
My Essential Korea Travel Resources :
There are plenty of travel companies out there, but these are my favorite websites and resources for planning an unforgettable trip to South Korea. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more here.
🚙 Car rentals, although not common in Korea, are best through Discover Cars – just make sure to have a copy of your international driver’s permit with you!
🏨 I always use AGODA to compare hotels & prices in Asia.
📶 To keep cell phone service, I use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required).
📸 For fun things to do, Klook specializes on tours in Asia, otherwise Viator also does the trick.
🦋 Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use when visiting a new country.
Busan is located on the southern coast of South Korea, and faces the Japanese city of Fukuoka. If you’re visiting on a short trip, then chances are you might be coming in from Seoul. This can be done in two ways, either by plane, or by train (where you can experience the “real” Train to Busan). Lucky for you, Busan is very easy to get around as well. They have a very easy local subway system, as well as many taxis and public buses.
If you’re only in Busan for a few days, then I also recommend trying “Black Pork.” It might not sound too appetizing, but it is one of the most famous meals from the neighboring Jeju Island. This pork comes from black pigs found there, and is considered some of the best meat for Korean BBQ! If you’re looking at hotels, you also have the option to get a “traditional” room or a “western” room. A traditional room will have a thin mattress on the floor – the traditional way Koreans sleep – whereas a “western” room will have an American/European style bed.
1. Busan Air Cruise Located at Songdo Bay Station this is hands down one of the best ways to get an incredible view of the city, there’s actually two options for the Busan Air Cruise. The first one has regular flooring in the cable cars, and the second one, called the “Crystal Cruise” has see-through flooring! I opted for the cheaper version, but I’ve heard the glass flooring really puts the already incredible views over the top! Once you arrive to the top of the Songdo Sky Park across the bay, there’s actually quite a bit to explore. With time capsules, random sculptures (think dinosaurs and Frankenstein) and many photo opportunities, the best views can be found on the Observatory Platform. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, from here you can hike down to the Oryukdo Skywalk for some even more incredible views of the coastline in Busan – however it’s important to note that last entry into the Skywalk is around 5:50 pm. My best recommendation is to take the Busan Air Cruise about 2-3 hours before sunset, this way you can enjoy the ride there and explore for a bit before catching the gorgeous sunset colors on the way back! (Estimated Time : 3-5 Hours)
2. BIFF Sqaure BIFF Square, also known as the the Busan International Film Festival square was hands down my favorite place during our time in Busan. I’ll be honest, I think my husband and I visited 3 times during the 2 days we spent in Busan – it might have helped that our hotel was right across the street. The entire square is filled with local Korean street foods, making it an excellent spot to taste test the local cuisine. I recommend going in the afternoon or later in the day, this way more stalls will be set up and you can try more foods. If you have no idea where to start with Korean street food, check out my video below for some ideas! Plus, if you’ve seen Squid Game then you know about Dalgona – a candy made from melted sugar. Typically, if you can get the shape in the center out without cracking or breaking it, you’ll get another free dalgona candy! Nowadays, most stalls will have small prizes instead. (Estimated Time : 2-4 Hours)
3. Gamcheon Cultural Village Another popular spot to visit in Busan is the Gamcheon Cultural Village, and for good reason. We made our stop here pretty early in the day and were glad we did, by the time we were leaving in the afternoon there were multiple large groups of visitors making their way through the village. Our favorite place in the entire village was the Flipbook Photo Studio – you can see more in our video below but for a small fee you can create your own customized flipbook! The shop has all the props, signs, and inspiration you need to create your own and the entire process only takes about 15 minutes. It instantly became one of our favorite souvenirs of our entire world trip! One thing to note – it is very popular for people who visit the Cultural Village to dress up in traditional hanboks when exploring the area, so don’t be surprised if you see locals (or tourists alike) sporting a more traditional look! (Estimated Time : 3-5 Hours)
4. Jagalchi Market The Jagalchi Market is a giant, local seafood and fish market. When you visit, it’ll be easy to get lost inside, especially during peak hours, which is why we recommend taking a walking tour. The atmosphere can be smelly, crowded, and overwhelming if you’ve never experienced anything like it. That being said, if you’re feeling hungry, try purchasing some fresh caught seafood and have it cooked right on the spot for a delicious meal! If you want to visit the market and see the most action, you’ll have to get up super early and make it there around 5 am! (Estimated Time : 2-4 Hours)
5. Enjoy the Beach As one of the largest, truly coastal cities in South Korea – Busan has some incredible beaches. If you’re looking to spend some of time in Busan kicking back and relaxing, then you have a few options. Gwangalli Beach has just under a one mile stretch of white sand beaches, with lots of trendy boutique stores, cafes, and restaurants nearby. Haeundae Beach is the most famous in Busan, and is as equally as busy. Similar to Gwangalli Beach, Haeundae is also surrounded by high rise buildings and many restaurants. Songdo Beach is a great place for families and is right next to the Busan Air Cruise. With a stunning Skywalk that goes over the water, there’s also some platforms to play on in the water as well! When we visited, there was hardly anyone at the beach! (Estimated Time : As Long As You’d Like)
The street food in Korea is some of the best in the entire world, trust me – I would know. However, for most first time visitors it can be a bit overwhelming, especially with the language barrier, which is exactly why I’ve created this guide to help you make the most of your first street food experience in South Korea! Of course including some tips as well to avoid getting any stomach issues.
My Essential Korea Travel Resources :
There are plenty of travel companies out there, but these are my favorite websites and resources for planning an unforgettable trip to South Korea. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more here.
🚙 Car rentals, although not common in Korea, are best through Discover Cars – just make sure to have a copy of your international driver’s permit with you!
🏨 I always use AGODA to compare hotels & prices in Asia.
📶 To keep cell phone service, I use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required).
📸 For fun things to do, Klook specializes on tours in Asia, otherwise Viator also does the trick.
🦋 Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use when visiting a new country.
No matter where you’re trying street food, there’s a few rules I recommend following to have the best experience possible – and to avoid having any upset tummies. The first of course, is to avoid any sitting food, especially in the warmer months. If a food stand looks like no one’s stopped in a while, or it looks like the food has been there for more than a few hours – I recommend avoiding it. In other words, if there’s no visible turn over then you run the risk of eating old food that’s been there for a while.
If you have a sensitive stomach, I also recommend making sure that the food is thoroughly cooked. Many street foods in Korea can be raw, so if you’re worried about that then I recommend sticking to foods that you know are cooked (think fried or grilled). My best tip to avoid any stomach issues is to travel with Imodium, or take 2 Tums every four hours (for adults) on your “street food” tour day!
Of course, you’ll also want to make sure you’ve got a backup option too. Anytime I travel I make sure to have my travel medical insurance booked and ready to go. This way, even if I get sick while eating random (or raw) foods I don’t have to worry and know that I’m covered. SafetyWing is my go to provider – I’ve been using them for years now – and I wouldn’t recommend anyone else. Their sign up process is super easy, I can choose which countries are covered in my plan and for how long, and their essential coverage starts at just over $14 a week. It’s better not to risk it – even in Korea – so sign up with this link!
1. Kimbap Although there are now countless types of Kimbap that you can find throughout South Korea, the most common will typically consist of a seaweed wrap, white rice, and a mixture of veggies, egg, pickled radish, and sometimes some bulgogi (beef). This is one food that can go bad if it sits out too long, so try to make sure there is some turnover from the stall you’re considering to purchase from.
2. Tteokbokki This dish typically comes in a fairly spicy paste, and consists of squishy rice cakes and sometimes bits of fish sticks. Because this dish is typically thoroughly cooked, as long as the stand looks like it has some customers you should be fine!
3. Hotteok One of my favorite Korean streetfoods is Hotteok, a sweet Korean pancake filled with a sugary syrup in the middle. Nowadays there’s a few varieties of filling, but I recommend the original with sugar inside. Because these are usually cooked on the spot when you order, you typically won’t get sick from these either – just be a little careful with the syrup – it can get messy quick and often be very hot inside!
4. Patbingsu A sweet treat in the summer, you can usually find these in small restaurants or shacks because it can be a little hard to eat on the go – however you can find smaller versions than the one pictured above while on your quest for delicious street food. Patbingsu consisted of shaved ice and sweet red beans and paste on top, and it can have a variety of different sweets on top of that. Think jellies, rice cakes, fruit, cereals – with all the varieties nowadays you can find pretty much anything.
5. Toasted Marshmallows with Ice Cream These toasted marshmallows are a popular street food right now and you’ll see them just about on any busy street – with yummy ice cream inside these are safe to eat! And watching them toast the mallow is quite fun too.
6. Squid For those looking for something a bit more tradtional in Korean cuisine, you can try squid! You can find squid in a few different versions, it can be fried as shown above, it can be dried (what you’ll typically find in the supermarket), and it can also be found grilled or raw. I’ll be honest squid is not my personal favorite – however my favorite versions are when it’s fried or dried.
7. Potato Swirls on a Stick Similar to what you would find at a state fair or even to regular potato chips, these swirled beauties are nearly an entire fried potato. There are typically 3 versions you can choose from depending on the seasoning they’ll dip the potato in after it’s fried – a BBQ flavor, a cheese flavor, and the original flavor.
8. Dalgona After becoming a world wide sensation from the Netflix show Squid Games, this melted sugar candy is a fun activity too. Since then many dalgona stands have premade versions like those shown above, but they’ll also offer dalgonas made on the spot if you’re willing to wait. Traditionally, if you are able to get the shape out of the outer edge without breaking or cracking it, you’ll either get a small prize or another dalgona.
9. Fresh Squeezed Juices These are also fairly popular and can be found just about everywhere. With a nearly endless amount of variations, my favorite is the fresh pressed orange juice in Jeju Island!
10. Japchae Noodles This common food in Korea (not just on the street) is made of a sticky sweet potato noodle and often has different veggies mixed in like carrots, greens, and mushrooms. Served warm, this is another one of my favorite street foods and is one of the few that isn’t sweet.
11. Lobster Found in the more coastal cities (I haven’t seen this in Seoul yet) you can find grilled and toasted seafood like lobster and crab! I’ll be the first to say it’s a little tricky to eat while on the go but so delicious!
12. Flavored Soft Serves Just like the fresh pressed juices, the variety of flavored soft serves are nearly endless. Some of my personal favorites are the black sesame, matcha, and lavender!
13. Frozen Beer Ok so this street food isn’t actually frozen, no matter if the name says that. The top consists of a slushie/foam that’s beer flavored, and the rest is simply cold beer. This is a fun twist, just remember the legal drinking age in Korea is 19 (20 by Korean age).
14. Raindrop Cake One of my favorite street foods is raindrop cake – a gelatin like consistency (called “water jelly”) with a syrup and dipping powder on the side. Personally I loved them, but my husband really did not enjoy them like I did.
15. Korean Hotdogs Another Korean street food that’s taken the world by storm are the Korean hot dogs. Although generally the same as a regular corn dog, these have potato chunks in the batter, and are often sprinkled with sugar, ketchup, and mustard. You can also find versions where instead of meat they have cheese on the inside!
16. Sugar Twists These yummy pastries can also be found in just about any bakery, and are a pretty plain street food if your stomach is getting a little overwhelmed. Basically, it’s a plain bread with sugar on the outside.
17. Croffles This newer street food is a croisant pressed into a waffle maker – making for a deliciously sweet bread. Although the majority of them have a sweeter twist like the cream and mandarin one above, I’ve also seen savory versions like a pizza croffle in Hongdae!
18. Ice Cream Fish & Honeycomb This sweet treat is a play on the famous bungeoppang – a packaged ice cream with sweet red bean paste inside. However, this version has the sweet fish shaped bread with ice cream on top, and an actual bit of honeycomb on top to make it even sweeter!
19. Red Bean Paste Breads If you haven’t noticed Korea loves to add red bean paste to their desserts, similar to much of Asia. These yummy breads can come in a variety of shapes – including the shape of poop! Why? That is one thing I don’t think I’ll ever be able to answer. Nowadays you can also find different versions of filling, like vanilla cream and chocolate.
20. Squid Slushies This is a street food I’ve only seen once in Korea, in the Gamcheon Cultural Village in Busan. Like you can see above, this street food is served as a drink and snack combo – with a yummy slushie on the bottom and flavored dried squid on top! It might sound very strange, but personally I loved it!
21. Grilled Cheese Before you get carried away, this is not the grilled cheese you’re imagining. In Korea, this street food consists of a kebab of tteok (Korean rice cakes) and stick of cheese – the kebab is then grilled and then covered with your choice of either a sweet or spicy sauce! I went with sweet (a mix of sweet and condensed milk and sugar) but I’ve heard spicy is just as tasty!
22. Tteok By now you might know that tteok is a squishy Korean rice cake (the squishier the fresher it is) and that it gets used in a variety of different Korean street foods. Well you can also just purchase tteok on its’ own. There’s a nearly endless variety of different tteoks, the ones pictured above are my personal favorite and have a sweet filling on the inside.
23. Mochi Mochi can be found in much of Korea, but the ones you find on the street will be specially wrapped and have a delicious fruit inside! You can find strawberry versions, mango versions, kiwi versions, etc., I only recommend eating them on the spot or try to keep them cool until you get home!
24. Specialty Coffee Koreans run on coffee, especially since they’re one of the countries that are the most sleep deprived. Because there are so many cafes throughout the country, you can also find many unique coffees – like corn coffee and orange juice coffee (pictured above). If you have the chance to try an orange juice coffee I highly recommend, it might sound strange but as someone who doesn’t typically enjoy coffee, I found that the orange juice made it much sweeter and smoother!
25. Candied Fruits Although I don’t have a photo of these, another of the most popular street foods in Korea are candied fruits. Typically sold on kebab sticks with grapes or strawberries, they’re covered in a hardening syrup – making them crunchy, sweet snack!
Located in Busan, the Gamcheon Culture Village is one of the cutest and quirkiest places to visit. Although it’s the perfect place to spend a day wandering around and exploring, the area can get especially busy with tourists in the afternoon, and even when I visited around 11 am there were multiple tour groups that were just arriving. However, my ultimate favorite stop in this area is the Busan Flipbook Studio.
My Essential Korea Travel Resources :
There are plenty of travel companies out there, but these are my favorite websites and resources for planning an unforgettable trip to South Korea. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more here.
🚙 Car rentals, although not common in Korea, are best through Discover Cars – just make sure to have a copy of your international driver’s permit with you!
🏨 I always use AGODA to compare hotels & prices in Asia.
📶 To keep cell phone service, I use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required).
📸 For fun things to do, Klook specializes on tours in Asia, otherwise Viator also does the trick.
🦋 Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use when visiting a new country.
The Busan Flipbook Studio, also called (움직이는사진상점) in Korean, is located in the heart of the Gamcheon Culture Village. In order to get to the Gamcheon Culture Village on your own you’ll need to either take the local subway, bus, or a taxi. You can also walk the entire way, but Busan can be a bit hilly so I recommend one of the other options. Once you make it to the Village you can walk a little ways on the main road and you’ll see the Flipbook Studio on your right!
By Taxi – from most other major tourist attractions in Busan, the drive is only about 10 minutes
By Subway – head towards Toseong station which is the closest station on Line 1, Exit #6 at this station will have signs bringing you to the Gamcheon Culture Village
By Bus – take the local 1-1 or 2-2 buses towards Busan University Hospital up the hill, when you see the village on the left side you can press the exit button and get off at the next stop
My honest opinion is that this is the best souvenir you can make during your time in Korea. It is so cute, unique, and honestly just so much fun to make and watch back! The entire experience only takes 15 minutes (including the time to print your flipbook), and only costs $10!
If you’re not sure what to do for your flipbook that’s not an issue, there are plenty of example flipbooks that you can copy that range from cute and romantic, to silly and quirky. You can choose to make a flipbook with your partner or with family and friends – or even by yourself! The studio has an incredible amount of props and signs to use, and the owner actually came out to help show us how to act and pose in front of the green screen.
My husband and I truly loved our experience here, and it’s definitely something we’ll do every time we visit Busan! If you’re planning to add this stop to your itinerary, then I highly recommend booking a slot ahead of time to ensure your spot – they can get super busy in the peak summer months!
When you search for which food market to visit in Korea, or Seoul, the top result is often Gwangjang Market – and chances are you’ve seen viral videos of this market that serves raw octopus, meats, and unique foods only found in South Korea. However, after rapidly gaining popularity, Gwangjang Market is more of an eyesore and embarrassment to locals due to the vendors rude behavior and tendency to overcharge and scam visitors. In this post I’m sharing my honest experience at Gwangjang Market, and 5 other food markets to visit instead.
My Essential Korea Travel Resources :
There are plenty of travel companies out there, but these are my favorite websites and resources for planning an unforgettable trip to South Korea. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more here.
🚙 Car rentals, although not common in Korea, are best through Discover Cars – just make sure to have a copy of your international driver’s permit with you!
🏨 I always use AGODA to compare hotels & prices in Asia.
📶 To keep cell phone service, I use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required).
📸 For fun things to do, Klook specializes on tours in Asia, otherwise Viator also does the trick.
🦋 Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use when visiting a new country.
1. It’s a Tourist Trap – Although it’s great seeing celebrities enjoying different areas of Korea, because so many have visited Gwangjang Market and so many multiple videos have gone viral – in recent months it’s become a bit of a tourist trap. During my visit, I noticed that other than the store owners most people inside the market were actually foreigners and tourists – including multiple tours of people walking through. There were a few locals having dinner and drinks, but for the most part, you’ll be meeting other travelers! Which can also be a great thing, but not exactly what everyone is looking for when visiting a “local” market.
2. Scams are Everywhere – Although not common in Korea (and considered quite a cultural disgrace and embarrassment by other Koreans), Gwangjang Market has multiple price levels. The lowest of course is for locals and the highest price is for all the other foreigners. Because I went with my mom, she ordered a single tempura pepper and was told 1,000 Won, whereas when I went up to order after her I was told I had to spend a minimum of 10,000 Won. We also experienced quite a bit of rudeness from different store owners – and I want you to know this is not common or ok in Korea.
3. The Food is Not the Standard – Unfortunately, due to it’s popularity, a lot of the food at Gwangjang Market has become completely mass produced. If you visit other markets in South Korea you’ll notice that often each booth will be hand making their items on the spot with each order. However at Gwangjang Market most booths have food sitting out, and there’s a reason that everything looks the same at each booth. Although visitors that are trying these foods for the first time won’t be able to tell – many of the food items just simply aren’t up to the Korean standard.
1. Namdaemun Market, Seoul – If you’re only visiting Seoul during your trip to Korea, this is a great option if you’re looking for something a bit more local. As the second most popular food market for tourists, you can still find handmade items and Korean streetfood like Hotteok and Kimbap. It can get pretty busy, but has a much more equal local vs. tourist percentage – plus you can do a bit of shopping nearby as well! I recommend visiting during the early afternoon/evening for the liveliest market!
2. Moran Sejang, Suwon – Located a little South of Seoul, but accessible on the Seoul Subway System, is Moran Sejang. This is one of the most local markets you can find in the Seoul Area, and when I visited my husband and I were the only non-locals. Moran Sejang can be a little trickier to visit because it’s only open on days ending in 4 and 9, and the best time to visit would be from about Noon till 6 pm. Here you can find many local products, cheap clothes, and a giant food market in the back. Because everything has prices, you don’t need to worry about getting scammed.
3. Myeongdong Night Market, Seoul – If you want to try some of the newest and trendiest versions of street food in Korea, I recommend going to Myeongdong around 5 to 6 pm. You can find entire streets lined with food vendors, and although quite a few are mass produced, it can be fun seeing the new combinations of foods that are being created. Prices are typically displayed on the front of carts as well, so everyone pays the same price.
4. Seogwipo Olle Market, Jeju Island – If you end up visiting Jeju Island during your visit to Korea, the best food market on the island is Seogwipo Olle Market. Here you can find local restaurants, places to shop, and plenty of small vendors incorporating the Jeju Mandarins & Oranges into their products! Some of my personal favorites are the orange juice infused coffee and mandarin croffles! They also have a delicious “tteock” shop – serving traditional Korean rice cakes!
5. BIFF Square, Busan – I’ve saved the best market for last, as least in my personal opinion. Located in Busan, on the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula, the BIFF (Busan International Film Festival) Square is the liveliest and most fun food market I’ve been to in Korea. You can find entire streets lined with food vendors, and in addition to more traditional foods like Dalgona and Japchae, you can also find new street foods like Black Sesame Seed Ice Cream and Rain Drop Cake!
If you’re into zombie movies, or movies about Korea, then you’ve mostly likely heard of the 2016 film, Train to Busan. A story about a father and his young daughter that become stuck on the train ride to Busan while a zombie outbreak occurs. The best part is that you can now experience the real train to Busan for yourself during your visit to Korea!
My Essential Korea Travel Resources :
There are plenty of travel companies out there, but these are my favorite websites and resources for planning an unforgettable trip to South Korea. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Learn more here.
🚙 Car rentals, although not common in Korea, are best through Discover Cars – just make sure to have a copy of your international driver’s permit with you!
🏨 I always use AGODA to compare hotels & prices in Asia.
📶 To keep cell phone service, I use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required).
📸 For fun things to do, Klook specializes on tours in Asia, otherwise Viator also does the trick.
🦋 Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use when visiting a new country.
Luckily, booking your Train to Busan ticket is very easy on RailNinja – the only platform I use to book my train travel in Korea. There are three main options for train routes from Seoul to Busan :
Bullet/High Speed Train – about $85 a person, and about 2.5 hours
Express Train – about $65 a person, and about 4.5 hours
Intercity Train – about $45 a person, and about 5.5 hours
The train you choose really depends on your budget and how much time you want to spend on the train. It’s also important to note which station you’re leaving from, there are two options in Seoul. The Seoul Central Station is very easily accessible, and is where I left from, but you can also leave from Suseo Station in the heart of Gangnam. Lastly, there are two types of tickets on the KTX Train – basic economy seats and first class seats. The economy seats are blue and have 2 in each row, first class seats are red and have single seats in each row.
If you’re a fan of the Train to Busan, then you’ll be pleased to know that the trains have free Wifi, and the entire Train to Busan movie is free on Youtube! And since the movie is just under 2 hours, you’ll be able to stream the entire movie on your trip! Although to be honest, it was a bit eerie sitting in the same seats and train cars shown in the movie.
I also recommend bringing snacks and drinks for your ride. You’ll find some people bringing complete meals (fairly common for locals), but I would stick to something easy like fruits or pre-packaged snacks and drinks! Up above your seat you can also find a place to store your luggage, and because the seats are fairly wide, you’ll have enough room around you as well to stay comfortable. The bathrooms were also clean and well stocked.
