Seomyeon is both a commercial centre and transportation hub for Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea. The area also happens to be Busan’s most congested, with a fluctuating population of over 160,000 visitors a day.
A shopping paradise, Seomyeon is home to three underground shopping malls joining up below the Seomyeon road junction which then meet at a plethora of international and local clothing shops, banks, bars, restaurants and stalls from which to taste some of the local delicacies. Visitors can taste “mini kimbabs”, which are rice rolled in seaweed and “odeng” fishcakes, and explore bookshops and cinemas. In fact, the Seomyeon underground market is one of the largest in the whole of Busan. Above ground in Seomyeon 1 Beonga, there is a bustle in the street as many cafes and bars come to life every spring and autumn, as lively festivals, performances and events are held.
Seomyeon Station is serviced by Busan Metro, with the shopping centre directly connected to the station. There is a bus terminus in front of the Lotte Department Store which is an arrival and departure point for many buses coming into Seomyeon.
The original commercial centre was formed around the Seomyeon intersection and contained a flower clock, fountain and other buildings. They were moved to Busan Tower in order to ease the area’s heavy traffic congestion during the late 1970’s.