5 Days in Korea for Food Lovers: Seoul and Busan
Spend two days eating in Seoul, ride the KTX south (about 2 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours, around 59,800 won) and eat for two days in Busan. Seoul covers Tongin and Gwangjang markets, noodle soup and barbecue; Busan covers Gukje Market, Jagalchi and pork soup at roughly 9,000 to 13,000 won.
- Route
- Seoul (days 1 to 2), KTX (day 3), Busan (days 3 to 5)
- Signature meals
- Bindaetteok, kalguksu, barbecue, dwaejigukbap
- Closing days
- Jagalchi: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays; Gukje food street: 1st and 3rd Sundays
- Official site
- VisitKorea
What should I know before I arrive?
Hours and prices checked October 31, 2026
Plan around opening hours and closing days, because the best food stops are small markets that do not follow one schedule. Several of them run on store-by-store hours, so treat every time below as a guide and confirm on the day.
- Worth knowing: Tongin Market's lunchbox café lists lunch hours only, 11:00 to 15:00 on VisitKorea, so go before 14:00.
- A common mistake: Arriving in Busan on a closing day. VisitKorea lists Jagalchi Market as closed on the first and third Tuesdays, and VisitKorea lists Gukje Market Food Street as closed on the first and third Sundays.
- Local tip: Carry cash and a T-money card. See our cash or card guide and T-money guide.
How should I split five days between Seoul and Busan?
Use two full days in Seoul, travel by KTX on day three and keep days four and five for Busan. Eating in Seoul first lets you learn how markets and ordering work before you reach Busan's seafood stalls.
| Day | Where | Eat |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seoul | Tongin Market coin lunch, Gwangjang Market in the evening |
| 2 | Seoul | Namdaemun noodle alley, then barbecue or Myeongdong carts |
| 3 | KTX to Busan | Gukje Market Food Street in the afternoon |
| 4 | Busan | Jagalchi Market seafood, pork soup in Seomyeon |
| 5 | Busan | A second bowl of pork soup, then KTX or flight home |
Practical example: a couple landing at Incheon on day one can take the airport train into the city, drop bags and reach Tongin Market before 14:00 (see Incheon Airport to Seoul). For a sightseeing-heavy version, use 5 Days in Korea: Seoul and Busan by KTX instead.
What should I eat in Seoul?
Start with Tongin Market's coin lunch, add Gwangjang's pancakes, and finish day two with noodle soup and barbecue.
- Tongin Market (day 1, lunch): VisitKorea gives the address as 18 Jahamun-ro 15-gil, Jongno-gu, with the market open 07:00 to 21:00. Visit Seoul markets guide says coins cost 500 won each with a 10-coin minimum (5,000 won), sold from 11:00. Visit Seoul lists Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3), Exit 2, about 515 m away, but its café closing days are inconsistent, so check before you go.
- Gwangjang Market (day 1, evening): Visit Seoul markets guide lists street food hours of 09:00 to 23:00 all year. Order bindaetteok, mayak gimbap and kalguksu; our Gwangjang guide has stall-by-stall tips.
- Namdaemun Kalguksu Alley (day 2, lunch): VisitKorea describes noodle soup and steamed barley rice sets, with hours that vary by shop. It sits across from Exit 5 of Hoehyeon Station (Line 4), behind a small transparent plastic door beside an eyeglasses shop.
- Dinner (day 2): Choose grilled pork belly or Myeongdong's evening carts. Read how to order Korean BBQ, since many restaurants require two portions, and our street food guide for Myeongdong prices.
What should I eat in Busan?
Eat market snacks at Gukje on arrival day, seafood at Jagalchi on day four and pork soup in Seomyeon.
- Gukje Market Food Street (day 3): VisitKorea gives the address as 36 Junggu-ro, Jung-gu, and lists Chungmu gimbap, tteokbokki, milmyeon noodles, dwaejigukbap, sundae and patbingsu, eaten on small stools beside the stalls.
- Jagalchi Market (day 4, morning): VisitKorea lists 5:00 to 22:00 hours. Pick seafood on the ground floor and eat upstairs; read the Jagalchi guide before you negotiate.
- Dwaejigukbap (days 4 and 5): VisitKorea describes it as a pork and rice soup served with kimchi, salted shrimp and chives, and says a 2019 Busan Ilbo survey counted over 700 specialised restaurants. The same page recommends the alley beside Seomyeon Market, and lists one Seomyeon restaurant open 24 hours at 9,000 won.
Practical example: a traveller staying in Seomyeon can ride Line 1 to Jagalchi Station for breakfast seafood and be back for pork soup by lunch; see the Busan metro guide and where to base yourself.
How much should I budget?
Expect roughly 5,000 to 25,000 won per meal, plus about 59,800 won each way for the KTX. All figures are approximate and vary by stall, so confirm before you order.
| Item | Approximate price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tongin Market coins (10-coin bundle) | 5,000 won | Visit Seoul |
| Bindaetteok at Gwangjang | About 4,000 to 6,000 won | Visit Seoul, Creatrip |
| Samgyeopsal (pork belly), 200 g | About 21,321 won (Seoul average, May 2026) | Our BBQ guide |
| KTX Seoul to Busan, standard | About 59,800 won | Our KTX guide |
| Dwaejigukbap bowl | About 9,000 to 12,000 won | VisitKorea |
| Jagalchi seafood | Negotiated by species and size | VisitKorea |
Namdaemun and Gukje food street prices are not listed on their official pages, so ask at the counter.
How do I handle the KTX travel day?
Book a morning train from Seoul Station, check in your bags at Busan and go straight to Gukje Market. Korail has sold tickets up to two months ahead since October 1, 2026, per the Korea Times.
- Reserve ahead. Follow our KTX booking guide and the Korail global site.
- Check the train. Fastest trains take about 2 hours 15 minutes; others take up to about 3 hours.
- Travel light. Leave bags at your Busan hotel or station storage before you start eating.
- Ride Line 1. Busan Station and Jagalchi are both on Line 1, and Nampo is a short ride.
FAQ
How many days do you need for a food trip to Korea?
Five days is enough for a first food-focused trip: two in Seoul, one travel day by KTX and two in Busan. A longer stay adds Jeonju, Jeju or Sokcho, but the Seoul and Busan pairing already covers markets, barbecue, noodles, seafood and pork soup.
Can I follow this itinerary in reverse, starting in Busan?
Yes. Fly into Busan, do the Busan days first and take the KTX north on day three. Check closing days either way: Jagalchi Market closes on the first and third Tuesdays and Gukje Market Food Street on the first and third Sundays.
Is this food itinerary suitable for vegetarians?
Only partly. Markets and soups often use meat or fish broth, so read our vegetarian and vegan guide before you go and ask each stall what is in the dish.
Do I need cash on this itinerary?
Carry some. Tongin Market's coin system, many market stalls and small Busan counters work best with cash, while restaurants usually take cards. Confirm at each stall before you order.
Official sources and useful links
Links open in a new tab. Hours and prices above are approximate; verify on these pages.
- VisitKorea Tongin Market address and lunchbox café hours
- Visit Seoul markets guide Tongin coins and Gwangjang Market hours
- VisitKorea Namdaemun Kalguksu Alley location and directions
- VisitKorea Gukje Market Food Street address and closing days
- VisitKorea Jagalchi Market hours and closing days
- VisitKorea Dwaejigukbap guide with listed restaurant prices
- Korail KTX schedules and fares
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