[WEEKEND GETAWAY] Get glimpse of past in Old Busan

To many, Busan is a city of the ocean with a vibrant culture and nightlife scene. The second-largest city in Korea is also home to multiple historical and cultural sites.

Busan, famous for its seafood and distinct culture, is Korea's second-largest city. [JOONGANG ILBO]

To many, Busan is a city of the ocean with a vibrant culture and nightlife scene. But the second-largest city in Korea is also home to multiple historical and cultural sites. Even those who have already been to Busan may have missed those gems as they wouldn't be at the top of the list of priorities.

If you are open to trying various local dishes and visiting the old town of the city, pay a visit to these four places the Korea JoongAng Daily recommends. Each of these spots offers unique dishes to try, so get ready to eat for the full experience.

Somak Village 우암동 소막마을

Somak Village in Uam-dong, Nam District, Busan [SONG BONG-GEUN]

Busan's Somak Village in Uam-dong, Nam District, is where some of Korea's most painful memories are kept. During the Japanese occupation, the village had cow sheds and cattle inspection offices. But when the Korean War broke out in 1950, they became temporary shelters for refugees.

The village, which used to have 2,200 cows living in it, was home to more than 370 households at one point. Despite conventionally being thought of as unclean and inconvenient, the sheds provided good shelter for those who had fled for safety since they were spacious and had sturdy roofs.

Even after the war ended, the village continued to serve as an area for the city's laborers. The village was later designated as a cultural heritage in 2018.

One of the eateries that continues the village's tradition is Naeho Naengmyeon, where milmyeon, or cold wheat noodles, was born. The same family has run the restaurant for four generations.

189 Uam-dong, Nam District, Busan (부산광역시 남구 우암동 189번지)

Busan Chinatown부산 차이나타운

A street view of Chinatown in Dong District, Busan [SOHN MIN-HO]

There are Chinatowns in all parts of the world and every city, and Busan has its own.

Busan's Chinatown is unique in that there is a street with restaurants specializing in dumplings, not the typical Korean favorite of jjajangmyeon, or black bean sauce noodles. Also called "Shanghai Street," the street is filled with restaurants that serve meat dumplings, almost in uniform.

Dumplings are one of Busan's Chinatown's most popular offerings. [SOHN MIN-HO]

"Busan is a city that is progressive and conservative at the same time," chef and author Park Chan-il said. "Given that it is a port city, it is imaginable that Busan was where you can access foreign culture the fastest in Korea."

"On the other hand, Busan is far away from the capital city, Seoul, which means it was reluctant to give up on its past practices. Such a tendency is why Chinatown in Busan cannot drop dumplings from their menu.

Jungang-daero 179beon-gil, Dong District, Busan (부산광역시 동구 중앙대로179번길)Bupyeong Kkangtong Market 부평깡통시장

Visitors fill the Bupyeong Kkangtong Market in Jung District, Busan. [LIM HYUN-DONG]

Bupyeong Kkangtong Market is a well-known part of the city, thanks to its vibrant atmosphere and food scene. Tourists from all over the country crowd the alleyways of this marketplace to get a taste of local cuisine.

The market's most popular specialty is eomuk, or Korean fish cakes. In fact, Busan is known for its eomuk, in addition to its seafood. Eomuk, simple yet delicious, comes in many different forms with different ingredients in them. They are most commonly enjoyed in skewers, sometimes with rice cake inside. They also make great toppings for your warm bowl of udon noodles. However, eomuk udon at Bupyeong Kkangton Market is not your typical udon served with eomuk. Instead, long slices of eomuk replace the noodles, becoming "noodles" themselves.

Eomuk Udon, or fish cake udon, is one of the specialties to try out at Bupyeong Kkangtong Market, Jung District, Busan. [SOHN MIN-HO]

If you are keen on trying authentic local food, go to a restaurant or a stall that serves bibim dangmyeon, thin glass noodles served with spicy sauce. Try the dish at "Wonjo Bibim Dangmyeon," where the dish was first born in 1958, as the word wonjo in its name suggests, which means "original" in Korean.

The restaurant, which the current owners' mother opened, started out as a small stall but grew larger as it gained recognition over the past decades.

31-13 Junggu-ro 47beong-gil, Jung District, Busan (부산광역시 중구 중구로47번길 31-13)Phone number: 051-243-1128Website: http://bupyeong-market.comBosu Book Street보수동 책방골목

Secondhand books fill a bookstore on Bosu Book Street in Jung District, Busan. [SOHN MIN-HO]

Visitors seeking a retro destination for a throwback to the old days should head to Bosu Book Street. Bookstores with aged books in a wide range of genres and languages from decades ago recreate the past in Busan's Bosu-dong in Jung District.

The street dates back to the 1950s when a few bookstores started selling collections of secondhand books from students and American soldiers. After the Korean War ended, Bosu Book Steet boomed with students looking for textbooks for their classes. Along the 150-meter-long (492-feet) street, there used to be 50 secondhand bookstores that provided cheap books for students. Although buying used books has become a less popular practice, the street remains a popular spot for tourists looking to take in a view of the bygone days.

The neighborhood also has aesthetically pleasing, quiet cafes for its visitors that add tranquility to the street.

Bosu-dong 1(il)-ga, Jung District, Busan (부산광역시 중구 보수동1가)

BY SOHN MIN-HO, KIM DONG-EUN [kim.dongeun@joongang.co.kr]