Bupyeong Kkangtong Night Market catches on
- Contents
-
Evening hours draw throngs for great food, shopping, entertainment
The night market at Bupyeong Kkangtong Market is the up and coming tourist destination of Busan.
At 7 p.m. on Nov. 17, throngs of people gathered to enjoy the nighttime culture of Bupyeong Kkangtong (tin can) Market, the first permanent night market in Korea. Crowds of tourists and Busan residents alike browsed the line of 30 carts that run for 110 meters (120 yards) along the market’s main street.
Ever since the night market opened last month, shops at the nearby arcade have benefited from an increase in customers. “There are more than 3,000 persons coming to enjoy the country’s only night market culture on weekdays and 5,000 to 6,000 persons daily coming on weekends,” said Kim Jong-ryeol, president of the Bupyeong Kkangtong Market Merchants Association. “The night market is a thriving and vibrant place to visit.”
The night market opened Oct. 29 and operates from 6:20 p.m. to midnight. It opened after the City received suggestions from merchants who believed the night market would provide an exciting place to shop and experience food from a variety of cultures.
The most famous street carts sell seed hotteok (small pancakes filled with honey and nuts), Jagalchi seafood bread and grilled chicken breasts. About 20 persons line up at these stalls, a sign of their popularity. Stalls operated by foreigners also are popular. There were more than 10 persons in front of the Indonesian stall that sells migoreng, as well as lines at stalls selling Filipino fried bananas, Vietnamese cha gio and Chinese dim sum.
There also are many stalls that sell eye-catching handicrafts. Joe Frey, 36, who sells Kenyan handicrafts, shouted to the crowd in Gyeongsang province dialect, “Come and choose, come and choose!”
Luxury hotels now offer night market tours for foreign guests. The Paradise Hotel Busan operates a twice weekly shuttle bus to the night market and Lotte Hotel Busan is considering including the night market as part of its tour schedule for guests.
As tourists from home and abroad flock to the night market, existing shops at the Kkangtong Market are staying open as late as 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visitors can try street food and snacks for just 1,000 won (95 cents) to 3,000 won.
The source of news: Dynamic Busan
