Busan's colorful backstreets embody the port city's rich history, culture and flavors

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Busan's colorful backstreets embody the port city's rich history, culture and flavors

Published: 22 May. 2026, 07:00

WOO JI-WON
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

People walk along the Bosu-dong Book Street in Jung District, Busan, on May 6. [WOO JI-WON]

[BUSAN DEEP DIVE]

BUSAN — If exploring alleyways is high on your itinerary while traveling, Busan has plenty to offer.

Instead of the busy, neon-lit alleys you would normally encounter in Seoul, this coastal city hides retro, bookstore-packed backstreets and smoke-filled lanes lined with yang gopchang (beef tripe) joints behind the scenic shoreline.

The alleys feel as if you have been time-warped to an earlier era, and lazy stray cats become your unlikely local guides.

Explore these character-filled corners of Busan slowly and thoroughly, following the storied histories these alleys embody.

Bosu-dong Book Street

Bosu-dong Book Street in Jung District is hazardous for anyone who says, "I'll just stop by for a minute." An entire afternoon will disappear before you know, and you'll leave with three dusty old books you never planned to buy.

Bosu-dong Book Street in Jung District, Busan [WOO JI-WON]

Books spill out onto the street. Old comics sit beside philosophy books. Harry Potter rests next to faded Korean school textbooks from the 1960s. People flip through worn pages, while bookstore owners casually read novels at their counters.

But the alley's most unusual stop sits near the far end at Hakmoon Bookstore. Instead of sushi, owner Kim Jae-hyeong serves a fairy tale omakase — referring to the form of Japanese dining in which the chef creates personalized dishes on the spot.

Three books are first offered as an "appetizer," along with tea or bingsu (shaved ice) of one's choice for the 5,000 won ($3.30) experience. Kim studies faces, personalities and moods before disappearing into shelves stacked with some 500 books he has collected over 15 years. Minutes later, he returns carrying titles he believes fit the person sitting before him.

Books recommended by Hakmoon Bookstore owner Kim Jae-hyeong [WOO JI-WON]

"This book's character fits your image well," he said while handing over a recommendation by author An NyeongDal. "She's known for bringing imaginary things to life. You'll enjoy its heartwarming story."

Flipping through the pages, a strange warmth slowly settles in, leaving one wondering how a stranger somehow knew exactly what would comfort their hearts.

The alley itself dates back roughly 75 years, when a couple began selling secondhand magazines from U.S. military bases and used books beneath the eaves of wooden buildings.

After the Korean War (1950-1953), refugees flooded into Busan, and temporary schools sprang up around the slopes behind Boksu-dong near Mount Gudeok. Students desperate for anything to read gathered around secondhand book stalls, gradually transforming the area into what became Busan's famous book alley. At its peak, around 70 bookstores lined the street.

The owner of Hyorim Bookstore shows a textbook from 1960s. [WOO JI-WON]

Around 30 bookstores remain today. "Recently, many people have been looking for early editions of Han Kang's books," said the owner of Hyorim Bookstore, who has been running the shop for 12 years after his wife operated it for 20 years. Floor-to-ceiling stacks filled the tiny store, from black-and-white comic books to newer titles.

"It's nice just talking with young people," he added before proudly showing off his collection.

Each bookstore carries its own personality. Donghwa Bookstore specializes in children's books, while Alpha Bookstore focuses more on academic texts and religious works. Older books are often sold at discounts of 50 percent or more, with some costing as little as 1,000 won. Rare editions, however, can fetch far higher prices.

Photo taken at Book Street Photo Studio located at the end of Bosu-dong Book Street [WOO JI-WON]

And before heading off to a cafe with your newly purchased books, there's one last stop: Book Street Photo Studio, where bookshelves double as photo backdrops for black-and-white portraits. Printed like an old memory, the photo becomes a small keepsake from Boksu-dong to take home.

Culture Alley

When the streets around Kyungsung University in Nam District start feeling too crowded, Culture Alley appears like a secret green escape.

In 2004, architect Choi Yoon-sik purchased a house near the university. Three years later, he bought four neighboring houses, turning the area into a cultural complex that preserved the alleyways and original architecture, now known as Culture Alley.

One of the entrances of Culuture Alley with a staircase [WOO JI-WON]

Among the three entrances to the spot, take the one with the steep staircase. Climbing upward feels a little like ascending a tiny castle, but once you descend into the heart of the alley, a tranquil, enclosed world unfolds, where five separate buildings are clustered together.

Flanking the alley are the cafe Daban and the jazz bar/live music cafe Nogada, whose walls are lined with 18,000 LPs and CDs. Both have been operating since the alley first opened in 2008.

Today, sunlight filters through the narrow gaps between the tightly packed buildings. Plants spill out into the space in a pleasant, romantic way. Smaller alleyways branch off from the main path, each leading to tiny hidden corners.

Inside Culture Alley [WOO JI-WON]

Part of the alley’s charm also lies in its tiny details. Over 100 house-shaped pottery ornaments perch on stones, bells hang from rooftops, and small metal decorations appear along the pathways.

At Daban, sit by the window and admire the view. Enjoy this oasis of tranquillity hidden amid Busan's busy streets and watch a cat slowly pass by.

During the remodeling process, much of the original brick architecture from the 1970s was preserved, while steel frames and wooden exteriors were added, creating a unique mix of old residential charm and artistic modern design.

Miniature house-shaped ceramic ornaments placed on top of stones [WOO JI-WON]

Today, Culture Alley has become one of Busan's cultural landmarks, fulfilling the architect's wish to create a place to be "loved for a long time, even if it cannot last forever."

Dakbatgol Mural Village's 'Wish Stairs' alley

One alley along the "Wish Stairs" in Dakbatgol Mural Village, in particular, stands out today for its tiny monorail ride that ascends along the neighborhood’s notoriously steep stairway.

A monorail glides up the "Wish Stairs" in Dakbatgol Mural Village in Seo District. [WOO JI-WON]

Busan is a city built on hills, with plenty of staircases that test your lungs. Dakbatgol Village in Seo District is no exception. But the neighborhood’s infamous 192 steps now come with a small monorail, which not only helps locals get home but has also become an attraction in its own right.

Since 2022, Korea's first suspended monorail has carried residents up and down Dakbatgol's "Wish Stairs." Many elderly residents once had to take long detours because the climb was too steep.

Today, the monorail doubles as a tourist attraction, with visitors squeezing into tiny two-person cars before slowly gliding uphill. But don't get impatient, as residents always get priority.

A monorail glides down the "Wish Stairs" in Dakbatgol Mural Village in Seo District. [WOO JI-WON]

Because space is limited, some visitors line up for the slow-moving ride, which requires transferring midway to a second car, while others choose to walk alongside the tracks, enjoying the mural-painted stairways and hillside scenery along the way.

The neighborhood offers more than its monorail. Murals and small art installations stretch across six themed sections, while tiny shelters tucked between homes offer places to rest and admire the view. Many of the murals were created in 2010 by artist Gu Bon-ho, who worked alongside residents, many of whom moved to the neighborhood after the devastating 1953 Busan Station fire.

Yang Gopchang Alley

When gopchang, or beef small intestines, are placed over glowing charcoal briquettes, they crackle loudly. Oil bubbles up from the intestines' surface before dripping onto the charcoal below. Customers sit shoulder to shoulder on wooden U-shaped benches, continuously picking up pieces of grilled intestines.

Baekhwa Yang Gopchang, located at Yang Gopchang Alley [WOO JI-WON]

Nearly 50 intestine restaurants are packed together along the 350-meter (1,150-foot) stretch of Yang Gopchang Alley near Jagalchi Market.

Yang Gopchang combines the words yang, meaning the cow's first stomach, and gopchang. Restaurants in the alley also serve a variety of other cuts, including makchang, the cow's fourth and final stomach, which is often mixed with other cuts on one plate.

Although the exact birthplace of grilled intestines remains unclear, the alley is widely believed to be the first place to feature the dish on a restaurant menu.

The reason so many intestine restaurants gathered near Jagalchi Market is believed to date back to major fires in the 1950s. Busan suffered several devastating fires, including the massive fires near Busan Station and Gukje Market in 1953. As a result, the government relocated businesses that used open flames — including restaurants serving grilled hagfish and other grilled fish — to the seaside area around Jagalchi Market.

One unusual feature of the alley is that several restaurants often operate within a single building, meaning customers still have to choose among different vendors even after entering. This has been the case here for decades.

Yang Gopchang served at Baekhwa Yang Gopchang's team No.8 [WOO JI-WON]

The oldest vendor is Baekhwa Yang Gopchang, which boasts a 70-year history.

A host first greets visitors at Baekhwa Yang Gopchang's entrance, and if they do not have a reservation, they are directed to one of the 11 teams inside. The host distributes customers evenly so each team receives a fair share of visitors.

"A few years ago, we had around 16 teams operating here," the head of team No. 8 said. Because the place was small, everyone sat close together. Now there are 11 teams left," the head of team No. 8 said.

Menus, prices and side dishes such as lettuce salad and kimchi are almost identical across the teams.

"Let's geonbae! One, two, three, geonbae!" a group of foreigners shouted while clinking beer glasses together, using the Korean word for "cheers." Not only locals but also foreign tourists filled the alley.

Yang Gopchang Alley located near Jagalchi Market [WOO JI-WON]

Even solo diners are welcome, sitting side by side tightly. Four grills burn simultaneously in a single area, filling the alley with noise, smoke and the lively feeling of people gathering together.

"You have to come before 10:30 p.m. to eat here because ingredients often sell out before then," said the head of team No. 8. Some restaurants had stopped accepting customers before 8 p.m. because they had run out of ingredients.

By the end of the walk through Busan’s unique alleys, you will have discovered Busan's many different colors, which together make up the city’s identity.

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]