Bus Mart : Gwangju’s Expat-Friendly Market on Wheels

By Neha Bisht

Photos by Kim Hillel Yunkyoung

Everyone has heard about mobile food trucks, but have you ever witnessed a food mart on wheels? Yes, it is true. I was also surprised when I first learned about this grocery market through my friends. So, I decided to introduce you all to Mr. Park Jong-kyu, who runs the popular Bus Mart. Living in a foreign country is difficult for most migrants, especially those without access to their home country’s food supplies, and equally so for vegans, vegetarians, and the Muslim community.

Mr. Park understood these necessities and seized the opportunity to start a business. He has been running Bus Mart for the past 17 years. The service is foreign friendly and has been a lifeline for many immigrants from South Asian countries, such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere, who come here for higher education and jobs. Bus Mart provides fresh supplies of vegetables and fruits in addition to much-missed stocks of spices, lentils, rice, flour, and sweets that make Korea a home- away-from-home for foreigners. The Muslim community living in Gwangju mainly faces issues in getting halal food; therefore, the Bus Mart helps in alleviating this shortage, too. The availability of resources from one’s home country allows foreigners to share their food culture with locals in its authentic form.

Bus Mart provides services mainly around the universities and industrial complexes of Gwangju. Customers can expect the bus to be at a designated place on a specified day of the week. For example, the Bus Mart service is available on 2nd and 4th Friday of every month at Chonnam National University near the Seongsan Mansion apartments (성산맨션) bus stop over by the G&R Hub from 19:50 to 20:15, as well as at Chosun University on the same days from 19:00 to 19:25. On the same following Saturdays, it comes to Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology near the Mechanical Engineering Building (S1) parking area from 18:00 to 18:45 and thereafter moves to the Honnam Industrial Complex area.

In addition, the bus covers some rural areas around Gwangju on other weekdays. The bus waits for its customers at the chosen parking spot at a predetermined time before leaving for the next stop. Mr. Park is very punctual regardless of weather conditions. He always sends everyone a gentle reminder message on the day of arrival. The grocery prices in Bus Mart are very reasonable considering that the consumers are mostly students and factory workers. Apart from the bulk of the food options that are systematically arranged on shelves, Mr. Park also takes suggestions if people wish to include something more. Bus Mart is different from other suppliers, as you can request/order fresh food supplies by calling Mr. Park directly. He also has some knowledge of English, which helps non-Korean-speaking students when making purchases. Mr. Park is a very polite person and always arrives on time because he knows people are eagerly waiting for him. He accepts all kinds of payment methods, too.

In the end, on behalf of the entire foreign community, I am very thankful to Mr. Park and his Bus Mart for the innovative business initiative, which helps many foreigners and lets them continue living in Gwangju while also feeling closer to home. I personally buy many grocery items and fresh vegetables from Bus Mart, and I recommend it to all my friends who like to enjoy South Asian cuisine. Most foreign students still do not know about this convenient service, and as a result, they continue to face many difficulties in finding food resources. I hope this article will help them to connect with Bus Mart and give them the option to buy the food of their choice.

The Author

A native of India, Neha Bisht is pursuing her PhD research at Chonnam National University’s Department of Material Science and Engineering. She loves to meet new people and make new friends. She wants to explore the whole world and learn more about the traditional and cultural differences across the globe. She always likes to contribute to the wellbeing of society in whatever way she can.

Contacting Bus Mart

Phone: 010-7279-9643

If you want Bus Mart service in your area, please contact Mr. Park Jong-kyu via SMS or KakaoTalk.

To request a special order, text Mr. Park with the name and desired quantity of your food product at least one day before the sales date in your area. If you want to order some products from your home country that are not available in the Bus Mart, you can request the name and desired quantity of your food product.

Note: Sometimes the Bus Mart operating hours can be subject to change. If you register your mobile number with Mr. Park he can keep you updated.