Cultural post 250323
Busan is always one of the first cities that come to people’s mind when people from outside Korea think about Korea. I have heard a lot that the atmosphere in Busan is pretty much different from that in Seoul when I grew up, but I finally got to see and feel it myself last year. I will share Korean cultures you can only experience in Busan for those who may want to visit Busan in the future.
The first one is Hadong Yonggungsa Temple (해동 용궁사), which is a Buddhist temple built right next to the ocean. Its literal name translates to “Underwater Palace (or Dragon Palace) in the East Sea”, which makes sense for its fabulous scenery. When you get there, you can see temple buildings right on cliffs, which makes all the roads curvy and hilly. Also, the temple is famous as a place to do 해돋이 (seeing a sunrise on January 1st), which I would definitely want to do if I ever get a chance.
Although there are many more places to visit in Busan, I will focus more on foods since they are very accessible anywhere in Busan, not to mention they may be the strongest impressions I got in Busan. The traditional market named Jagalchi Market (자갈치 시장) is a fish market right next to the shore, so you can buy fresh sea foods anytime. There are also places to sit down and enjoy sea foods cooked by owners in the market. I realized that raw fish as a dish (sashimi; 회) is not so common in the US, but it is very popular in (at least) Korea and Japan, which you can try in Jagalchi Market. Even for those who have tried before, I recommend trying in Busan again because they have their own styles of sauces and ways to enjoy sashimi.
Also, if there is one food that people in Busan have pride in, it would be definitely Dwaji Gukbap (돼지국밥). The name translates to pork stew and rice. Although it sounds very simple, when you have the first spoon of it, you would experience a burst of deep taste of the pork broth. It is true that Gukbap is a common food in Korea, which is sometimes called as Korean’s soul food even. However, I was convinced that the best Gukbap I had was in Busan when I first had it last summer. Just as any other Korean foods, Gukbap also had side dishes that go well with it, for example radish kimchi깍두기, Korean chive kimchi (부추김치), and spicy sauce (다데기). I would recommend Ssiat Hotteok (씨앗호떡) as a dessert or snack. Hotteuk is often described as Korean pancake with stuffed honey and sugar. In Busan, its variation that also put stuffed seeds inside is very popular. In traditional markets, you can order a piece and will be given it in a paper cup so you can grab and eat it while looking around other places. Since this is usually served fried, I strongly recommend getting it especially in a winter day!
Busan is always one of the first cities that come to people’s mind when people from outside Korea think about Korea. I have heard a lot that the atmosphere in Busan is pretty much different from that in Seoul when I grew up, but I finally got to see and feel it myself last year. I will share Korean cultures you can only experience in Busan for those who may want to visit Busan in the future.
The first one is Hadong Yonggungsa Temple (해동 용궁사), which is a Buddhist temple built right next to the ocean. Its literal name translates to “Underwater Palace (or Dragon Palace) in the East Sea”, which makes sense for its fabulous scenery. When you get there, you can see temple buildings right on cliffs, which makes all the roads curvy and hilly. Also, the temple is famous as a place to do 해돋이 (seeing a sunrise on January 1st), which I would definitely want to do if I ever get a chance.
Although there are many more places to visit in Busan, I will focus more on foods since they are very accessible anywhere in Busan, not to mention they may be the strongest impressions I got in Busan. The traditional market named Jagalchi Market (자갈치 시장) is a fish market right next to the shore, so you can buy fresh sea foods anytime. There are also places to sit down and enjoy sea foods cooked by owners in the market. I realized that raw fish as a dish (sashimi; 회) is not so common in the US, but it is very popular in (at least) Korea and Japan, which you can try in Jagalchi Market. Even for those who have tried before, I recommend trying in Busan again because they have their own styles of sauces and ways to enjoy sashimi.
Also, if there is one food that people in Busan have pride in, it would be definitely Dwaji Gukbap (돼지국밥). The name translates to pork stew and rice. Although it sounds very simple, when you have the first spoon of it, you would experience a burst of deep taste of the pork broth. It is true that Gukbap is a common food in Korea, which is sometimes called as Korean’s soul food even. However, I was convinced that the best Gukbap I had was in Busan when I first had it last summer. Just as any other Korean foods, Gukbap also had side dishes that go well with it, for example radish kimchi깍두기, Korean chive kimchi (부추김치), and spicy sauce (다데기). I would recommend Ssiat Hotteok (씨앗호떡) as a dessert or snack. Hotteuk is often described as Korean pancake with stuffed honey and sugar. In Busan, its variation that also put stuffed seeds inside is very popular. In traditional markets, you can order a piece and will be given it in a paper cup so you can grab and eat it while looking around other places. Since this is usually served fried, I strongly recommend getting it especially in a winter day!
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