[Busan] My First Live Octopus at Sindonga Fisheries Market — and Grilled Abalone That Calls for Sake

After the kamado-rice lunch, we headed toward Nampo-dong. Next to the famous Jagalchi Market stands the Sindonga Fisheries Wholesale Market, and it was here that I faced one of the highlights of this trip: my first live octopus.

My First Live Octopus

I will be honest — the sight of the pieces still moving on the plate made me flinch. But dipped in the sesame-oil salt sauce, everything changed. Beyond the sensation of suckers gripping the tongue, there is a delicate sweetness and umami that is unmistakably octopus. Umami and sesame oil — the pairing simply works. It was delicious, and I write that without reservation.

Grilled Abalone, and the Sake That Was Not There

The other plate was fresh abalone, grilled and eaten with soy sauce and wasabi. The aroma of the sea, the richness of the liver — it was not cheap, frankly, but it earned its price. My only regret: there was no good sake in the house. Faced with good soy sauce, wasabi, and grilled abalone, a Japanese palate instinctively reaches for a cup of sake that, on this evening, did not exist. Beer had to do.

Notes from the Day

• Sindonga Fisheries Wholesale Market sits right next to Jagalchi Market in Nampo-dong. Pick your seafood live from the tanks and they prepare it on the spot.
• Sannakji (live octopus) pairs beautifully with the sesame-oil salt dip. Chew thoroughly — that is the safe way to eat it.
• Grilled abalone comes with soy sauce and wasabi. Not cheap (market price — confirm before ordering), but worth it.
• Do not expect good sake here. Beer or soju is the realistic companion.

From here, we climb toward the hillside of colorful houses — Gamcheon Culture Village.

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

Related reading

Later the same trip, on Yeongdo: [Busan] Sea Urchin and Abalone at the Yeongdo Haenyeo Divers’ Hall.