[Busan] BIFF Square to Bupyeong Kkangtong Market: An Evening of Street-Stall Hopping in Nampo-dong

Coming back down from Gamcheon Culture Village, we found Nampo-dong wearing its evening face. Our target: BIFF Square, the birthplace of the Busan International Film Festival and now the street-food heart of the district.

Under the white arches, red-umbrella stalls stretch as far as you can see, selling everything from trinkets to snacks to drinks — honestly, one day is nowhere near enough to cover it all. Look down and you will find handprints of film people embedded in the pavement. Among them I spotted “Beat Takeshi 1997” — Takeshi Kitano, from the festival’s second year — and stopped in my tracks. Busan’s bond with cinema is literally carved into the ground here.

Walk a little toward the sea and you reach the I Love Jagalchi monument on the wharf in front of Jagalchi Market — fishing boats and the city skyline behind it make for a very Busan photograph.

Into Bupyeong Kkangtong Market

A few minutes on foot from BIFF Square, we drifted into Bupyeong Kkangtong Market. “Kkangtong” means tin can: after the Korean War, canned goods from the American military filled these stalls, and the name stuck. Knowing that, the bustle under the arcade reads a little differently.

The market is not only about food. I happily lost time in a kitchenware shop with pots and bowls stacked to the ceiling. Then comes the food alley — rows of snack stalls, fish-cake skewers steaming away.

The Night’s Winners: Shrimp and Gopchang

Two stops won the evening. First, flower shrimp sashimi, picked live from a tank in the alley — densely sweet, almost creamy on the tongue. Second, the gopchang alley in Bupyeong-dong, where round tables and gas burners spill out onto the street. The smell of fat crisping over the flame pulled us into a seat, and it was the right call: well-charred gopchang with cold beer is an unfair combination.

The alleys are also full of hagfish restaurants — a Busan specialty I knew about but had to skip this time, my stomach having reached capacity. One more piece of homework for the next visit.

Notes from the Day

• BIFF Square is right by Jagalchi Station (Metro Line 1). It is the birthplace of the Busan International Film Festival, and celebrity handprints line the pavement.
• The street stalls come alive in the evening. Ssiat hotteok (seed-stuffed pancake) is the classic bite.
• Bupyeong Kkangtong Market, a few minutes on foot, got its name (“kkangtong” = tin can) from the American canned goods sold here after the Korean War. Its night market is famous too.
• Flower shrimp sashimi and the gopchang (grilled intestines) alley were both winners. The area is too big for one day — pick your targets.
• Area details on the official Visit Busan website — information as of my visit.

Warmed up by the stalls, we headed for the day’s finale: dwaeji gukbap, Busan’s signature pork and rice soup.

Visited in August 2026. Prices and details are as of my visit.

BIFF Square and Bupyeong Kkangtong Market: What I Wanted to Know First

How do you get to BIFF Square?

It is right by Jagalchi Station on Metro Line 1, in the heart of Nampo-dong. The square is the birthplace of the Busan International Film Festival and now the street-food heart of the district.

Whose handprints are in the pavement?

Celebrity handprints from the festival line the ground under the white arches. The one that stopped me was “Beat Takeshi 1997” — Takeshi Kitano, from the festival’s second year. Busan’s bond with cinema is literally carved into the ground here.

When do the street stalls come alive?

In the evening. Red-umbrella stalls stretch as far as you can see, selling trinkets, snacks and drinks. The classic bite is ssiat hotteok, the seed-stuffed pancake.

How far is Bupyeong Kkangtong Market?

A few minutes on foot from BIFF Square — you can simply drift from one into the other.

What does “kkangtong” mean?

Tin can. After the Korean War, canned goods from the American military filled these stalls and the name stuck. Its night market is famous too. Knowing the origin, the bustle under the arcade reads a little differently.

What should you eat here?

Two stops won our evening. Flower shrimp sashimi, picked live from a tank in the alley — densely sweet, almost creamy on the tongue. And the gopchang alley in Bupyeong-dong, where round tables and gas burners spill onto the street; well-charred gopchang with cold beer is an unfair combination.

Is there anything besides food?

Yes. I happily lost time in a kitchenware shop with pots and bowls stacked to the ceiling. Then comes the food alley, with rows of snack stalls and fish-cake skewers steaming away.

Where is the best photo spot nearby?

Walk a little toward the sea to the I Love Jagalchi monument on the wharf in front of Jagalchi Market. Fishing boats and the city skyline behind it make for a very Busan photograph.

What did you miss?

The alleys are full of hagfish restaurants, a Busan specialty. My stomach had reached capacity, so it became homework for the next visit.

Can you cover it in one day?

No — the area is too big. Pick your targets. Area details are on the official Visit Busan website; information here is as of my visit.

More from the same Busan trip

• Gamcheon Culture Village, the Machu Picchu of Korea
• The day’s finale: dwaeji gukbap at Eom Yong Baek
• My first live octopus at Sindonga Fisheries Market
• Up the 100th floor at BUSAN X the SKY