Friday-night dumplings and Ebisu draft at Gwangalli bar Ganppa Beer

A friend came down from Cheongju to visit Busan, so we decided to properly enjoy a Friday night in Gwangalli. Since we'd made it all the way to Busan, we figured we should see the sea, eat something good, and finish with a cold draft beer — so we headed to Ganppa Beer Gwangalli 2, known for being one of the best Gwangalli bars for beer.

Ganppa Beer Gwangalli 2: a round-two bar 3 minutes from Gwangalli Beach

One of Ganppa Beer's biggest perks is the location. You just walk up the main street a bit from Gwangalli Beach — about 3 minutes on foot — so it's super convenient. It's a great route: check out the view of Gwangan Bridge from the beach, then head straight over for a beer. Easy to bring a friend visiting Busan along too.

We showed up around 8pm on a Friday, and true to a weekend-eve time slot, the whole Gwangalli bar scene was buzzing and the energy was already high.

This place suits people looking for a lively Gwangalli bar to enjoy draft beer rather than a quiet pub. Standing to drink instead of the usual seated setup felt a bit unfamiliar at first, but honestly that's exactly what gives Ganppa Beer its own vibe.

Sapporo and Ebisu draft with yakisoba and dumplings at Ganppa Beer

It's a beer specialty spot built around Sapporo and Ebisu draft beer. If you're searching for a Gwangalli bar with great draft beer, this one's worth a look.

The beer that comes to your glass has this smooth, soft foam layer on top — just looking at it felt refreshing.

Especially after walking around the hot Gwangalli beach, that first sip of draft beer was ice cold from the get-go.

The yakisoba (stir-fried noodles) here was genuinely delicious, and they piled on a ton of bonito flakes. Pairing a couple of simple snacks with one or two drinks worked really well.

We ordered yakisoba and dumplings — both go really well with draft beer, and since they're not too heavy, they didn't feel like too much even after already filling up at our first stop.

We didn't have to wait long to get in, but on busy days like Friday or Saturday when Gwangalli gets packed, wait times can vary depending on when you show up, so keep that in mind.

At first I wondered if standing to drink would be uncomfortable, but naturally mingling with other people while having a drink actually suited this setup well. It felt less like sitting and chatting quietly for hours, more like a short, exciting burst of fun.

Rock-paper-scissors and the 5-second one-shot free beer

What we found especially fun was the distinct atmosphere and events typical of Gwangalli bars. It's not just a space where everyone drinks quietly at their own table — events pop up where guests can join in, and suddenly the whole place comes alive.

There was a rock-paper-scissors event where if you kept winning and were the last one standing, you'd get a beer.

There was also an event where you got a free beer if you could down it in 5 seconds — fun to watch, and probably even more exciting for whoever was actually doing it.

Who is Ganppa Beer Gwangalli 2 a good fit for?

If you're after a Gwangalli bar with good beer, Ganppa Beer Gwangalli 2 is especially well suited to friends traveling to Busan together, or anyone wanting a light, casual round-two draft beer session in Gwangalli. It's a good place to bring someone if you want to show off something a bit different from a standard pub on a Busan trip.

On the flip side, it might be a bit awkward if you want to sit down quietly and chat for a long time. Since the vibe is naturally energetic and it's a standing bar, it's a different experience from comfortably seated drinking.

Nice touch — they've even got Ronaldo and Elon Musk autographs on the wall haha.

Ganppa Beer Gwangalli 2 location and opening hours

• Address: 10 Gwangan-ro 62beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan, South Korea (Gwangan-dong 191-1)
• Hours: Daily 18:00–02:00