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Busan Seafood Market Korean: Prices, Preparation, and Table Fees

Level
A2
Type
Culture/Guide
Theme
Travel
작성자
Y
Yanghwa
작성시각
At a Busan seafood market, ask 킬로에 얼마예요? for the price per kilogram and 이게 전부 얼마예요? for the total. Before agreeing, check whether preparation, cooking, or table fees are separate.
The exact ordering system varies by stall and restaurant. You may buy seafood and have it sliced, choose a cooked dish from a menu, or pay for seafood in one place and preparation in another. Your most useful Korean is the language that makes the price and process explicit.

Identify what kind of place it is

Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
수산시장
su-san-si-jang
seafood market
횟집
hoe-jip
raw-fish restaurant
활어
hwa-reo
live fish
해산물
hae-san-mul
seafood
포장
po-jang
takeout / packing
식당
sik-ttang
restaurant
At Jagalchi Market, for example, Busan's official Visit Busan guide says visitors can buy live seafood and have fish sliced on the spot. It also states that fees differ by store.
That is the right assumption to carry into any seafood market: the service may be available, but the pricing and flow must be confirmed at the specific business.
Ask at the beginning:
여기서 사서 바로 먹을 수 있어요?
Can I buy it here and eat it right away?
위에 식당이 있어요?
Is there a restaurant upstairs?
포장만 가능해요?
Is it takeout only?

Recognize common seafood words

Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
생선
saeng-seon
fish
광어
gwang-eo
flounder
우럭
u-reok
rockfish
도미
do-mi
sea bream
농어
nong-eo
sea bass
문어
mu-neo
octopus
낙지
nak-jji
small octopus
오징어
o-jing-eo
squid
전복
jeon-bok
abalone
새우
sae-u
shrimp
게
ge
crab
조개
jo-gae
shellfish / clam
멍게
meong-ge
sea squirt
You do not need to pronounce every species. Use recognition plus pointing:
이건 뭐예요?
What is this?
이거 맛이 어때요?
What does this taste like?
처음 먹는데 뭐가 좋아요?
It's my first time eating this. What is good?
The last question invites a recommendation. It does not commit you to buying it, so ask the price next.

Read how the seafood is described

Korean sign
Pronunciation
Meaning
활어
hwa-reo
live fish
선어
seo-neo
fresh fish kept chilled, not live
자연산
ja-yeon-san
wild-caught
양식
yang-sik
farmed
국산
guk-ssan
domestic product
냉동
naeng-dong
frozen
제철
je-cheol
in season
These labels describe origin or condition, not automatically quality. If a detail matters to you, confirm it for the exact item rather than assuming every product in the display shares one label.
이거 자연산이에요, 양식이에요?
Is this wild-caught or farmed?
냉동이에요?
Is it frozen?

Ask how the price is calculated

Seafood may be priced by item, weight, portion, or a set. Read the unit with the number.
Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
시세
si-se
current market price
킬로당
kil-lo-dang
per kilogram
1kg
il kil-lo-geu-raem
one kilogram
한 마리
han ma-ri
one fish / animal
한 접시
han jeop-ssi
one plate
일 인분
i-rin-bun
one serving
소 / 중 / 대
so / jung / dae
small / medium / large
총금액
chong-geu-maek
total amount
시세 means the price is based on the current market price. Ask for today's number:
오늘 시세가 얼마예요?
What is today's market price?
For weight:
킬로에 얼마예요?
How much is it per kilogram?
For one fish:
이거 한 마리 얼마예요?
How much is this one fish?
Before agreeing, ask for the complete amount:
이게 전부 얼마예요?
How much is all of this?
If the vendor weighs the seafood, watch the scale and listen for:
1.2킬로 나왔어요.
It came to 1.2 kilograms.
총 6만 원이에요.
The total is 60,000 won.
Repeat the total if needed:
6만 원 맞아요?
It's 60,000 won, right?

Ask how much food you need

Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
몇 분이세요?
myeot bu-ni-se-yo?
How many people are there?
두 명이에요.
du myeong-i-e-yo.
There are two of us.
두 명이 먹기에 많아요?
du myeong-i meok-gi-e ma-na-yo?
Is this too much for two people?
이 정도면 충분해요?
i jeong-do-myeon chung-bu-nae-yo?
Is this amount enough?
조금 작은 걸로 주세요.
jo-geum ja-geun geol-lo ju-se-yo.
Please give me a slightly smaller one.
The vendor may say:
두 분이 드시기에는 이 정도면 돼요.
This amount is enough for two people.
Treat that as a recommendation and still confirm the price. Portion size varies by what else you are ordering.

Choose the preparation method

Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
회
hoe
sliced raw fish
회로 떠 주세요.
hoe-ro tteo ju-se-yo.
Please slice it as raw fish.
손질
son-jil
cleaning / preparation
손질해 주세요.
son-ji-rae ju-se-yo.
Please clean and prepare it.
구이
gu-i
grilled dish
구워 주세요.
gu-wo ju-se-yo.
Please grill it.
찜
jjim
steamed dish
쪄 주세요.
jjyeo ju-se-yo.
Please steam it.
매운탕
mae-un-tang
spicy fish stew
포장해 주세요.
po-jang-hae ju-se-yo.
Please pack it to go.
The vendor may ask:
회로 드릴까요?
Shall I prepare it as raw fish?
손질해 드릴까요?
Shall I clean and prepare it?
매운탕도 드릴까요?
Would you like spicy fish stew too?
Do not answer 네 automatically. Each question may add a preparation step or another dish. Ask the price if it has not been explained.
매운탕은 얼마예요?
How much is the spicy fish stew?
If you do not eat raw seafood:
생으로는 못 먹어요. 익혀서 먹고 싶어요.
I can't eat it raw. I want it cooked.
구이나 찜으로 가능해요?
Can it be grilled or steamed?

Confirm every separate fee

Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
상차림비
sang-cha-rim-bi
table-setting fee
손질비
son-jil-bi
preparation fee
조리비
jo-ri-bi
cooking fee
자리값
ja-ri-kkap
seat / table charge
별도
byeol-do
separate / not included
포함
po-ham
included
인당
in-dang
per person
The ending -비 means a fee or cost. 상차림비 별도 means the table-setting fee is separate. 인당 5,000원 means 5,000 won per person.
Before the seafood is cut or moved to another restaurant, ask:
상차림비는 별도예요?
Is the table-setting fee separate?
손질비도 포함이에요?
Is the preparation fee included too?
식당에서 추가로 내는 돈이 있어요?
Is there anything else to pay at the restaurant?
다 합치면 얼마예요?
How much is it altogether?
The answer should make clear what you pay at the stall and what you may pay elsewhere.

Understand the handoff to a restaurant

In some seafood-market setups, a vendor may direct you to a dining area or restaurant after purchase. Listen for location words.
Korean
Pronunciation
Meaning
위층
wi-cheung
upstairs
아래층
a-rae-cheung
downstairs
이층
i-cheung
second floor
식당으로 가세요.
sik-ttang-eu-ro ga-se-yo.
Go to the restaurant.
직원이 안내해 드릴게요.
ji-go-ni an-nae-hae deu-ril-ge-yo.
A staff member will guide you.
이 번호를 보여 주세요.
i beon-ho-reul bo-yeo ju-se-yo.
Please show this number.
Ask:
어디로 가면 돼요?
Where should I go?
이 영수증을 보여 주면 돼요?
Should I show this receipt?
Keep the receipt, number card, or stall name until the seafood arrives.

Order at a restaurant-style seafood place

If you sit down and order from one menu, the exchange may be simpler:
You: 두 명이에요.
Staff: 회는 어떤 걸로 드릴까요?
You: 광어 소자로 주세요.
Staff: 매운탕도 드릴까요?
You: 네. 매운탕은 얼마예요?
Staff: 세트에 포함돼 있어요.
Useful menu labels:
Korean
Pronunciation