Jagalchi Fish Market- the most popular fish and seafood market in Busan
Jagalchi Fish Market is renowned for selling nearly every edible creature under the sea and is a prominent fish market in Busan. It is housed in a multi-level building near Nampo Port and boasts a vast variety of seafood, with eel and crab being the local palate pleaser. You shouldn’t have trouble finding the market as long as you follow the scent. That being said, the odor is not for the faint of heart, but the delicious food makes the trek worthwhile. The fish is brought in daily at 4 am, where the over-night and early morning fishermen unload their goods onto the dock, preparing for the 6 am opening time.
On the first floor, you will find squirming sea dwellers, still alive in their tank and ripe for the picking. Here you can choose your meal and take it to the second floor for cooking. At the restaurant upstairs, you will need to pay a fee for cooking services and a table fee (for side dishes, etc.) The cooking fee for one kilogram of crab was around 10,000won and the table fee is 5,000won a person. This may vary and is something to keep in mind when shopping for your seafood. If you’re in Busan this is worth a visit, even if it’s just for the pictures!
The market is located on the edge of Nampo Port (남포항), Busan. The name is said to have originated from jagal (자갈 gravel in Korean) because the market used to be surrounded by gravel. This is one of the ten landmarks of Busan, so many tourists visit there to shop.
You can read about other great places to eat seafood at our 10 Magazine article The Best Seafood Markets and Towns in Busan.
Location & How To Get There
Take subway line 1 to Jagalchi Station and take Exit 10. Turn right onto Jagalchi 3(sam)-gil Street and then turn left. You will arrive at Jagalchi Fish Market which is situated alongside the pier.
