甘川文化村 감천문화마을 GAMCHEON Culture Village

“Korea’s Santorini.” “Korea’s Machu Picchu.” “Lego Village.” These are the many nicknames the Busan neighborhood of Gamcheon 2-dong— Taegeukdo Village—has earned over the years.　And as you stare out upon the community from the bus stop in front of Gamjeong Elementary School, you instantly understand why. Spread out below you is a panorama of endless rows of low-rise cubicle homes climbing up the steep hillsides from the sea below, their cheerful blue, yellow and pink hues a delight to the eye. Narrow stone and concrete alleyways wind their way through the homes, yielding something new at every turn. Beloved by photographers throughout Korea, it might not be Busan’s most famous tourist destination, but it certainly is one of its most picturesque.

 

 

 

Jagalchi Market (자갈치시장 (부산))

The Jagalchi Market (자갈치시장) is Korea’s largest seafood market. After the Korean War the market solidified itself as a fish market. Most of the people who sell fish are women, so the women who sell here are called ‘Jagalchi Ajumma,’ ‘ajumma’ meaning middle-aged or married women.
This market represents Busan and is famous throughout the country. If you visit you can eat fresh raw fish right at the market. Even these days you can see women selling mackerel, sea squirts (ascidians) and whale meat on wooden boxes along the road.
Every year in October the Jagalchi Cultural Tourism Festival is held, and it is easy to visit because of the convenient transportation provided by the subway. The Jagalchi Market is where you can see the lifestyle of the indigenous Busan natives.

 

Jinhae Gunhangje Festival

Every year between late March and early April, visitors flock to Jinhae in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do to enjoy the spectacular cherry blossoms that blanket the whole town during the JinhaeGunhangje Festival, Korea’s largest cherry blossom festival.
The festival was first held on April 13, 1952 as a small ceremony commemorating Admiral Yi Sun-shin, a Korean naval hero who played an important role in defeating the Japanese army during the Imjin War (1592-1598). Today, it has become one of the largest festivals in the country, with approximately 2 million annual visitors.

 

 Yongdusan Park (용두산 공원)

Yongdusan in downtown Busan, is one of the 3 well-known mountains in Busan. Its old name is Songhyunsan, which means a mountain has a view of the sea through the dense fine tree forest. Later the name has changed into Yongdusan. It came from its shape, which is similar to dragon head and people thought it has a spirit to defeat enemies coming over the sea.
On the mountain were shrine built by Japanese people during Japanese colonial role, but now are Cheokhwabi monument (the stone monument to the exclusion of foreigners from the country), Chunghontap (memorial tower for Korean war victims), 4.19 Revolution monument (the student’s anti-government revolt), the statue of General Lee Sunsin(the great commander in Joseon Dynasty period(1392-1910)) and Busan tower.

Busan Tower (Yongdusan Park) (부산타워)

Busan Tower is a symbol of Busan that stands proudly 69m above sea level at a height of 120m. The top of the tower is modeled after the baldaquin of Dabotap Pagoda in Bulguksa Temple, Gyeongju. Beloved by Busan citizens and tourists alike, the tower offers a stunning night view and plenty to see, such as the Statue of the Great Admiral Yi Sun-shin, the Bell of the Citizens, a flower clock, the Museum of Musical Instruments of the World, and a bust of the Busan-based independent activist, Baeksan An Hee-je.

 

Gijang Market (부산 기장시장)

Gijang Market is an outdoor market selling various products including fishery and agricultural products. It features seasonal fishery products. Seaweed and anchovy are available in spring, while cutlass fish is famous in autumn. The cutlass fish sold during the two months before and after Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) are known across the country for their extraordinary taste. Reasonable prices attract customers to this market, because prices here are even lower than that of the Korea’s largest seafood market, Jagalchi Market.

 

 

Haeundae Beach (해운대해수욕장)   

Haeundae Beach (해운대해수욕장) is probably the most famous beach in the country. “Haeundae” was so named by scholar Choi Chi-Won (857~?) of the Silla Kingdom (BC 57~AD 935). When he was walking past Dongbaekdo Island, he was fascinated by it and left the carved words “Hae Un Dae” on a stone wall on the island. Haeundae is 1.5 km long, 30~50m wide, and spans an area of 58,400㎡. The white sand is rough and sticks easily to your skin. The sand of this beach is composed of sand that comes from Chuncheon Stream and shells that have been naturally eroded by the wind over time. Haeundae Beach is also famous for the various cultural events and festivals held throughout the year. At Haeundae Beach there is a Folk Square where you can enjoy traditional games such as neoldduigi (seesaw jumping), Korean wrestling, tuho(arrow throwing), tug-of-war and yutnori. There is also the Beach Culture Center and the Beach Library. Numerous people visit every year from June to August.