4 Best Places to Shop in Side Trips from Busan, South Korea

This traditional street market contains well over 400 vendors selling fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, clothing, dry goods, and traditional Korean medicine. Like many traditional markets, the street stalls are a main attraction, with delicacies such as tteokbokki (rice cakes in sweet, spicy sauce), bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes), guksu (thin noodles), and the deep-fried snacks known as twigim. A covered arcade roof over the main concourse keeps browsers out of the rain.

With over 700 stores and some 2,000 vendors, Gyeongju's sprawling central market sells everything from fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat to oils and dry goods, along with clothing, hardware, home products, and more. It also hosts a fun night market (6--11 pm, Wed. through Sun.) where 24 street food stalls cook up Korean and international fare.

Korea's traditional markets offer some of the best experiences in the country, and Seomun doesn't disappoint. With more than 4,000 stalls and shops, this gargantuan complex is a perfect place to pick up a souvenir, snap some photos, or just soak up the sights, smells, and sounds. It's also a great opportunity to eat napjak mandu, Daegu's signature flat, noodle-filled fried dumplings. 

Connected to Dongdaegu Transportation hub, Shinsegae is more than just a department store. Its nine floors pack in everything from high-end designer clothes and K-beauty cosmetics to a food market and even a cinema and theme park. Take an hour (or a day!) to peruse its many treasures and you'll find it's an attraction in itself.