Busan
For my first Q&A video, someone emailed me asking about places to visit in Busan and also for any vlogs about Busan that I could recommend watching. I’m not too familiar with Busan anymore, as I’ve only visited once since 1998, so I asked around and did a bit of searching online. Below, you’ll find a list of potential spots to visit along with a list of YouTube channels where I’ve found some interesting videos from people who have visited Busan. I expect both lists to evolve over time.
There are a number of well-known sites in the city that turn up at the top of any Google search, places like Haeundae Beach and Jangsan Waterfall, so I’m not including those here.
YouTube
- One Pack Wanderers - Tia and Cheveyo are high on my list of favorite travel vloggers. I stumbled across their videos covering their trip to Korea and subsequently started binge watching everything they’d published. Their South Korea playlist includes videos in Busan.
- Lisa and Josh - Lisa and Josh are also on my list. Their South Korea playlist includes a couple of Busan videos.
- Jan and Ann - I’ve enjoyed Jan and Ann’s travel vlogs.Their Korea playlist includes a couple of Busan videos.
- Meagan del Rose: Unlike the couples above, Meagan del Rose isn’t a vlogger traveling the world. She had an extended solo trip to Korea and then began infrequently posting videos at the end of 2023. Three of her early videos were in Busan. Watch her videos for a different perspective from those above.
Places to See
Busan Tower
Also known as the Diamond Tower, Busan Tower is 120 meters tall and provides a panoramic view of the city. I went up to the top on my visit in the early 2010s and enjoyed the view. I’ve heard it’s even better at night.
Perhaps even more interesting is the surrounding area:
- Jagalchi Market is a local fish market just to the south of the tower, next to the Nampo port.
- Gukje Market (Nampo-dong International Market) sells a wide array of goods. Gukje means “international”, and the name comes from the variety of imported products that used to be available there. It was also known as Kkangtong Market, or “Tin-can” Market, because there once were a number of canned goods from the United States for sale.
- BIFF Square is the heart of the Busan International Film Festival and a popular tourist destination.
Gamcheon Culture Village
I first saw Gamcheon village in the 1990s. From my vantage point, it looked like an old, rundown village had been plucked out of the countryside and dropped on the side of a hill in Busan. In 2009, the Minitstry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism initiatied a project to renovate the village, inviting artists of all skill levels to join with residents to reapair and decorate the village. Today, it’s a rather unique attraction that anyone visiting Busan should see at least once. The One Pack Wanderers channel linked above visited the site in one of their videos.
Not far away are are Cheonmasan Scultpture Park (aka Chunma Sculpture Park) and Nuribaragi Observatory. Both are located on Cheonmasan, a small mountain on which legend says a horse was dropped from heaven. At the former, you’ll find 44 scultptures dotted around a lovely park, and the latter provides a beautiful view of the harbor and city below, looking out toward Nampo Port and Busan Tower in the distance.
Hwangnyeongsan
Hwangnyeongsan is a mountain which provides an excellent hiking trail. The payoff at the top is an observatory which is said to be the most beautiful night views of the city among all of the observation decks, and one of the old beacon stations used to send signals during the Joseon Dynasty.
Haedong Yonggungsa
Haedong Yonggungsa is a Buddhist temple in eastern Busan. It’s quite special because it’s built on the rocks next to the sea. Most temples in Korea are found up in the mountains. It’s a large complex, lovely to look at, and a great site for pictures.