(haps Magazine Korea)
In Busan, the arrival of autumn isn’t just something you feel in the air, it’s something you taste.
The city’s tables, markets, and street corners turn into a seasonal showcase, filled with flavors that are warming, nostalgic, and deeply tied to local tradition.
If you’re lucky enough to be here this fall, here are the foods that capture the season best.
Jeoneo
Every October, locals wait for jeoneo, the humble gizzard shad that becomes rich and buttery this time of year.
In Busan, it’s almost a ritual to gather friends and order plates of jeoneo hoe (sliced raw) or jeoneo gui (grilled).
At Jagalchi Market, platters run around 25,000–30,000 won, often served with seaweed wraps, chili, and a side of makgeolli. It’s a simple but essential autumn tradition.
Street-Side Sweet Potatoes
Few things feel more like fall than holding a steaming, roasted sweet potato in your hands.
Vendors tucked along Gwangbok-dong’s alleys or near subway exits in Seomyeon roast them in black iron barrels, their skins caramelized and split.
For 3,000–5,000 won, you get a snack that’s both dessert and hand-warmer, best eaten while walking through Busan’s chilly evening streets.
Nuts and Pastries
Markets like Bujeon and Gukje fill up with bam (roasted chestnuts) and hodu (walnuts) in autumn.
Bags of chestnuts go for 5,000–7,000 won, while hodu-gwaja (walnut-shaped pastries filled with sweet red bean) are sold hot from the griddle, about 3,000 won for six.
They’re the kind of snack that brings out childhood memories, even if you’re tasting them for the first time.
Dwaeji Gukbap
There’s no better season for Busan’s famous pork soup rice than fall. At Seomyeon’s Gukbap Alley, diners hunch over steaming bowls, stirring in kimchi and salted shrimp to season to taste.
For 8,000–9,000 won, it’s filling, fragrant, and guaranteed to warm you from the inside out.
Persimmons
The final note of Busan’s fall menu comes in the form of ripe persimmons. Stalls pile them high in shades of orange, from crisp dan-gam to the soft, almost jam-like hongsi.
A box runs about 10,000 won at Bujeon Market, but most people just buy a few to snack on after dinner.
Whether you’re biting into smoky sweet potato skin, spooning hot broth over rice, or savoring a slice of jeoneo with a sip of makgeolli, the city’s fall flavors offer a great taste of the city’s culinary offerings.
