Food & Drink
Fun in Busan: Jagalchi Market to host annual seafood festival Oct. 23-26
Haps Magazine Korea
October 20, 2025
(Photo courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea)
Jagalchi Market, Korea’s most famous seafood market, will come alive with festivities from October 23 to 26 for its 32nd annual Jagalchi Festival.
This year’s event will feature free seafood tastings, a K-pop dance competition to engage foreign tourists, and a photo booth where visitors can dress up as traditional Jagalchi merchants.
The festival will officially open with a fireworks show over Busan’s southern port at 7 p.m. on the 23rd, setting the stage for four days of lively performances, delicious seafood, and local culture.
The Busan Jagalchi Festival consists of an Opening Madang (outdoor performance), Oiso (come here) Madang, Boiso (take a look) Madang, and Saiso (please buy) Madang.
At the Opening Madang, you can witness the reenactment of the traditional prayer rituals for the safety of fishermen and a large catch of fish, followed by special performances celebrating the opening of the festival.
In Oiso Madang, you can participate in various events such as catching fish with your bare hands; running in a relay with an eel as the baton, and going on board a boat.
Boiso Madang features various music performances, whereas, during the Saiso Madang, you can buy fresh fish at a good price from a special auction and at food stands serving sashimi.