Gijang Market
기장시장
About
A lively seafood and produce market known for snow crab, with crab restaurants along one side and everyday groceries among the stalls.
Snow crab gives Gijang Market its reputation: crab restaurants line one side, while the market itself runs through stalls selling live seafood, vegetables, fruit and ready-made food. It is a working market as much as a stop for visitors, with local shoppers moving among the stalls and tourists drawn toward the crab counters. Expect a lively, sometimes insistent welcome from vendors rather than a quiet browse. Snow crab is the obvious reason to come, but ask the price before agreeing to buy; costs can vary considerably, and haggling is common. For another crab option, buy live blue crab and have it boiled at a crab-sauce house in the neighboring building; you can add spicy stew (maeuntang, 매운탕). Elsewhere, look for grilled eel (kkomaeong-eo, 꼼장어), semi-dried yellow croaker, salted hairtail and ready-made snacks. A hotteok, a filled griddled pancake, is listed at ₩1,000. The market’s mix of seafood, produce and everyday groceries makes a wander worthwhile even if you are not buying a full crab meal. The market is open daily from 07:00 to 22:00, and parking is available. Take your time comparing stalls, but settle on a vendor and confirm the total before the seafood is prepared. Some stalls do not accept cards, so carry cash as a fallback. Reviews mention uneven service and occasional hygiene concerns, so choose a stall whose seafood looks well cared for rather than feeling obliged to buy from the first person who approaches. Come for crab and the bustle, or for a look at a large seaside market with plenty of non-seafood shopping. It suits visitors comfortable navigating a busy, sales-forward place; in summer, the fish smell can be strong, and English menus or English-speaking staff are not mentioned in reviews.
Local tips
- Ask the crab price and confirm the total before agreeing to buy.
- Carry cash in case a stall does not accept cards.
- Compare stalls and choose seafood that looks well cared for.
- Visit between 07:00 and 22:00; parking is available nearby.
Details
Opening hours
- Sunday
- 07:00–22:00
- Monday
- 07:00–22:00
- Tuesday
- 07:00–22:00
- Wednesday
- 07:00–22:00
- Thursday
- 07:00–22:00
- Friday
- 07:00–22:00
- Saturday
- 07:00–22:00