Busan

Busan, South Korea

Sunrise light falls across the wide sand of Haeundae Beach with distant high-rises and calm water.

A working port and a summer beach city in one, where fresh seafood, hillside temples and a lively café culture sit side by side.

The place

Busan sits on South Korea's southeastern coast, where narrow valleys between the Nakdong and Suyeong rivers have filled with apartment blocks, roads and harbour cranes. The metropolitan area has about 3.5 million residents, and the city stands roughly 30 metres above sea level. Its port is the busiest in the country, so cargo ships are a familiar part of the view from many neighbourhoods. Mountains separate most of the districts, which means getting across the city often involves a hill, a tunnel or a long metro ride rather than a straight line. Busan is also a host for international conferences, and it has hosted major summit meetings in recent decades. The character changes with the seasons. Summer brings holidaymakers from across Korea to the beaches, and the seafront becomes busy from morning until late at night. Winter is quieter and cooler, and spring and autumn are the most comfortable months for walking between the coast, the hills and the markets. Most visitors spend their time in a few compact areas: the beaches to the east, the old harbour and fish market, and the dense shopping streets of the central districts.

Its story

Busan's history starts long before the modern port, with Neolithic people who lived along the coast and left stone tools, pottery and shell heaps behind. Fishing was a staple of their diet, and by the Bronze Age farming had reached the valleys further inland. Around the first century, a small chiefdom called Koch'ilsan-guk held the area around what is now Dongnae District. Silla later absorbed it and made it an administrative county, and in 757 the area was renamed Dongnae-gun. Beomeosa, a Buddhist temple in the hills to the north, is recorded as founded in 835, giving the district a religious history that predates most of the city's modern growth. During the Goryeo period (918–1392), the local Dongnae Jeong clan rose to prominence in national politics, and the hot springs of Dongnae became famous enough to be mentioned in the writing of the time. The same era brought raids by wokou pirates, and in 1396 a fortress called Dongnaeeupseong was built to protect the coast. In 1423 the port of Busan and a Japanese concession community, known as a waegwan, were established on the harbour. That settlement tied the city to trade and diplomacy with Japan for generations, and the harbour's role in that trade is part of why the modern port grew where it did.

What to see

Culture

Busan's beach culture is central to its character. In July and August the sand at Haeundae and Gwangalli fills with families, and the seafront turns into a summer resort with open-air events and cafés along the promenades. The city also keeps a rougher, working side, visible at the fish markets and in the older streets around the harbour. Festivals run through the year, from an annual rock festival in August to a sea art festival that fills the beach in autumn. Winter brings the Polar Bear Swim in early January, when a crowd of swimmers wades into very cold water for the spectacle. Buddhist temples on the coast and in the hills are places of worship first and sights second, and that shapes how visitors should behave. At Haedong Yonggungsa, speak quietly in the halls, step aside for people who are praying, and avoid climbing on the rocks beneath the shrines.

What to wear

Busan shares the traditional dress of the wider country, the hanbok. Women wear a short jacket called a jeogori over a full, high-waisted skirt called a chima, and men wear a jeogori with loose trousers called baji. Silk is the classic cloth for festive occasions, while ramie and cotton suit everyday wear. Hanbok is most often seen today at palaces, festivals and photo studios, not on the street. In everyday life, people in Busan dress in relaxed, city-smart clothes, with plenty of sportswear and sandals in summer, and beachwear is common only on the sand. For a visitor, the climate calls for light layers, since summers are humid and winters can be cold and windy by the sea. Comfortable shoes with good grip matter more than anything else, because the hills and temple steps are steep. Dress modestly at temples such as Haedong Yonggungsa, covering shoulders and knees, and save swimwear for the beach and the bathhouses.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. Spring (April–May) and autumn (October–November) are the most comfortable months for walking the beaches, hills and markets. July and August bring the busiest beaches and humid heat, while early January suits the Polar Bear Swim and little else.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Fly into Gimhae International Airport, then take the metro or a limousine bus into the city. From Seoul, the KTX high-speed train is often a better option than flying.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources