Hotels near Gukje Market and BIFF Square

Gukje Market began in 1945 as a place where returning Koreans and, later, Korean War refugees sold surplus goods, and it still operates as a grid of covered alleys across Jung-gu. Sections are loosely organised by trade: fabric in one lane, hardware in another, then kitchenware and clothing. Kkangtong Market on the eastern side is the food alley, where the night stalls set up from around 19:00 and run late.

BIFF Square, two minutes south, was the original home of the Busan International Film Festival and has the handprints of directors and actors set into the pavement. The street food to order is ssiat hotteok, a fried pancake split open and packed with seeds and nuts, at around 2,000 KRW. Eomuk fishcake skewers cost 1,000 KRW and bibim dangmyeon noodles about 4,000 KRW. Most stalls take cash only, and few have English menus.

Pro Tip: Carry 10,000 KRW in small notes. The busiest hotteok stall on BIFF Square, the one with the queue down the lane, moves fast only if you have exact change ready.