Busan, a large port city in South Korea is a known fishing industry in the country. Surrounded by the East and South seas, Busan played a significant role in history during the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War.
These would eventually deliver a perfect variety of cultural food in Busan. Otherwise popular for their strong local seasonings and unique flavours in food, you can also find Japanese-style dishes in the city!
Here are 7 shortlisted cultural cuisines that offer a taste to its history:
Wheat Noodles. Photo from Busan.go.kr
1 Wheat Noodles (Milmyeon)
Made with broth from beef, pork or chicken bones, this affordable meal is said to be developed by refugees who fled from North Korea during the Korean War (1950-1953). Wheat Noodles is served in two ways, mul-milmyeon (wheat noodles in cold broth) and bibim-milmyeon (wheat noodles mixed with spicy sauce).
Grilled eel. Photo from Eatinkorea.com
2 Grilled Eel (Gomjangeogui)
Eels that are caught and grilled over a straw fire or on a griddle is made popular by the refugees after the Korean War as one of their foods from hunger. Chewy and tender, the grilled eel can be eaten with just salt or dipped in spicy sauce
Green Onion Pancake. Photo from Wikimedia
3 Dongnae-style Green Onion Pancake
Also known as Dongnaepajeon, this is actually a precious dish that the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) king used to eat. The seafood pancake is prepared with a rice flour batter mixed with fresh seafood, beef, water dropwort and chives. Best served with a vinegared red pepper paste!
Pork and Rice Soup. Photo from Habkorea.net
4 Pork and Rice Soup (Dwaejigukbap)
Reportedly a creation of Korean War refugees, this dish came about because the ingredients were easily available at that time. The thick pork bone broth is paired with sliced pork and sometimes eaten by mixing cooked rice into it. Now, you can find salted shrimp, seasoned garlic chives or diced radish kimchi added into the broth.
Busan’s fresh raw fish. Photo from Wikimedia
5 Sliced Raw Fish (Saengseonhoe)
Prepared fresh upon order, this is one of the most prominent Japanese food that has been blended into the local culture since the 17th century when Busan was Japan’s trading partner. You can easily taste Busan’s fresh raw fish at seaside restaurants and markets at an affordable price.
Busan-style Fish Cake. Photo from Wikimedia
6 Busan-style Fish Cake (Eomuk)
As a fishing city, the fish cake in Busan is unique as compared to other parts in South Korea. It contains large amounts of fish so the fish cakes are more chewy and savoury. It is also made into eomuktang (fish cake soup), as influenced by the Japanese culture.
Busan Special Bokguk. Photo from Wikimedia
7 Puffer Fish Soup (Bokguk)
Especially in Busan, many restaurants specialise in puffer fish dishes as they developed the skills for removing poison from the fish (a technique shared since Japan’s trading period). The delicious soup is a combination of sliced puffer fish, soybean sprouts, white radish, water dropwort and garlic sauce.
Text by Jessy Wong
