Busan’s Bupyeong Kkangtong Market offers regional flavors, new twists on classics

BUSAN — In the narrow alleys of Bupyeong Kkangtong Market in Jung-gu, Busan, fluorescent lights hum above metal stalls, steam clouds rise from simmering pots and the scent of frying batter mingles with the salty ocean breeze. For decades, this market — known affectionately as “Kkangtong,” meaning “tin can” — has been a gathering point for locals and travelers hungry for both flavor and nostalgia. A market born from history The curious nickname dates back to the 1950-1953 Korean War, when America