Visit to Fish Market at Jagalchi, Busan in Korea

From Czech Carp to Korean Octopus — A Family’s Journey Through Taste and Time

We didn’t set out to buy fish that day. We just wanted to have a look around the famous Jagalchi Market in Busan, curious to see the seafood and soak up the atmosphere. But it didn’t take long before we got pulled in, quite literally, by a friendly fisherman who started showing us all the creatures he had on offer. And honestly, I think deep down, we always did want to experience this properly.

There’s something sweet and nostalgic about buying fresh fish at the market and eating it straight after, either cooking it yourself or having it cooked for you. It’s a childhood memory for my husband, one that probably draws him to fish markets more than he realizes. When he was little, his whole family used to go to the fish market early in the morning while on holiday in Spain or France, then head back and cook the fish together. It became a bit of a tradition. So when we found ourselves in Jagalchi, especially since it’s right on the coast, it just made sense.

For me, the nostalgia around fish goes back to my childhood in the Czech Republic. It’s actually quite common to go fishing there. Just recently, we fished pstruh (trout) in my brother’s cottage pond, and they grilled it for us right there, right on the grill next to the pond. My girls especially loved the experience. There’s something about the moment the fish gets caught and the pull on the rod. It gives you such a sense of achievement. It also teaches patience because it doesn’t happen quickly. They were hooked, quite literally, and wanted to keep catching more to the point that my wallet ran out of funds.

When I think back to my own childhood, my memory is with carp. Carp is the traditional Czech Christmas dinner. We would go to the Christmas market about a week before Christmas and choose a carp from a large wooden tub, watching them swim around before picking the one we wanted. Then it would live in our bath at home. Yes, in the actual bath until Christmas Eve. It always made me sad when it was time to kill it because by then, it almost felt like a pet. But that was part of our tradition, and it still is for many Czech families today. Growing up in a flat where we had just one bathroom, we had to bathe in a large bowl that whole week. These days, I’ve come to appreciate other kinds of fish more. I now prefer white fish with potato salad for our Christmas Eve dinner, and we’ve kept that tradition even living in England.

So there we were in Busan, being shown all these sea treasures by a skilled and enthusiastic fisherman. He was clearly enjoying showing the kids (and us) all the different sea creatures. Although the girls didn't want to touch the life octopus and its tentacles, the curiosity he built up in us worked. We thought, why not? Now is the best time. We are on the coast and it cannot get any fresher than this - especially with the sea view from the restaurant.

We ended up choosing sea bass, octopus (because we wanted to try it raw), and, as he suggested, an eel. In the end, we got everything — sea bass, octopus, and eel — for 60,000 won, about £30, including gutting and cutting.

Then came the fun part, taking the fish upstairs to have it cooked. There was a charge of 25,000 won, £13 for the preparation. They cooked some, left some raw, and served it all with a beautiful spread of banchan, Korean side dishes, like pickled root vegetables, greens, raw cabbage with peanut powder (which I found a bit strange), actual peanuts, raw garlic, seaweed, sweet potatoes, and raw chillies.

The octopus was still wriggling. I can’t believe I actually ate it. I didn’t think I would be able to - although it wasn't alive, the nerves were still twitching. The sea bass was served half fried and half raw as sushi, and both versions were really nice. The fried eel was also lovely, although it felt like quite a fatty fish. Altogether, we paid 85,000 won, around £45 which I thought was a great price for the fresh fish and the whole experience!

It was such a fun and unique event for the whole family. Even though the girls didn’t want to try the raw fish, they enjoyed the fried sea bass - and the peanuts, of course. The whole experience was amazing, but it was also about old memories, creating new ones, and sharing something unusual together. For my husband, it was a glimpse into his childhood traditions. For me, it brought back flashes of Czech winters and carp in the bathtub. For our daughters, it brought back the thrill of catching trout in a Czech pond.

It was strange, smelly, and exciting - exactly the kind of adventure we’ll always remember as a family.