8 things to see and do in Busan, South Korea

Busan, South Korea’s city by the sea, is a place where arty neighbourhoods and soaring skyscapers meet the gentle swells of the southeast coast. Whether you want to ride the waves with a surf school, take your pick between its street kitchens or join the cheering crowds at a baseball game, this is a city to suit every taste — here are eight of the best ways to experience it.

1. Surf the real Korean Wave

We hear a lot about the ‘Korean Wave’, the phenomenon, also known as Hallyu, which has seen the country’s modern culture sweep across the world. But this seaside city might just be the best place in the country to experience the real thing. Here, on the outskirts of Busan, green hills ring the bay and surf schools line the seafront on the blonde sands. The sea is rarely far away with seven public beaches, including lively Gwangalli beside the lights of Gwangan Bridge and Songjeong, where the country’s first surf school was founded. Korea’s surf scene is still a growing one, with the sport only having been introduced in the 2000s by local students returning from studying abroad — but since then, clubs have multiplied. The biggest surf scene remains here, in the sport’s Korean birthplace.

(What it’s like to go surfing in Busan.)

2. Catch a movie at the Busan Cinema Center

Busan is designated by UNESCO as a Creative City of Film, thanks largely to the ongoing success of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). Since being established in 1996, the annual autumn event has welcomed international stars such as Oliver Stone, Ennio Morricone and Jeanne Moreau, as evidenced by the bronze Walk of Fame handprints on BIFF Square in the Nampo-dong district. For another way to experience the cinematic, head to the east of the city and the Busan Cinema Center, an architectural marvel with a colossal swooping roof. It’s home to a library of every film to have been screened at the festival — many of which are English-language.

Records of people wallowing in Busan’s thermal hot springs date back to the late Silla period, which ended in 935 CE, though we can only guess what those early bathers would have made of Spa Land. The wellness complex sits within one of the world’s largest department stores, Haeundae’s Shinsegae Centum City, and has treatment rooms, outdoor foot spas and 13 themed sauna and steam rooms, including a Turkish-style hammam. The main draw, however, are the bathing areas, with thermal pools of different temperatures — you’ll be naked, but then so is everyone else. Tickets cover four-hour time slots.

Two tourist trains — the battery-powered Haeundae Beach Train and the quirky Sky Capsule, which operates on an elevated railway — run alongside the three-mile Bustan Green Railway path.

Photograph by Ben Weller

With a trail running parallel to what was once a stretch of the Donghae-Nambu rail line to Pohang, the Busan Green Railway now offers some of the finest coastal hiking in the city. This gentle three-mile walking path stretches from the Haeundae area in the west to Songjeong in the east above a series of bays, with optional detours down to quiet beaches. Two tourist trains — the battery-powered Haeundae Beach Train and the quirky Sky Capsule, which operates on an elevated railway — run alongside the path for much of the way. But it’s more fun to do it under your own steam, stopping to take in everything from local allotment gardeners to wave-bashed headlands. Cyclists are not allowed on the trail.

5. Enjoy coffee and K-pop tunes at Magnate

In a former manufacturing unit, far away from the more crowded districts, you’ll find a surprisingly busy cafe. Yes, the decor’s industrial-chic and trendy, the baristas serve vanilla lattes and the sweet menu includes an impressive six-layered rainbow cake. But there’s another reason why Magnate’s amassed more than 310,000 Instagram followers and is busy day in, day out. The cafe is run by the father of Jimin, who is one of two Busan locals who form part of BTS, the world-conquering K-pop band (the other being Jungkook). The cafe draws a cult following as a result, with signed albums proudly on show, a display of hats once worn by the singer — and a roaring soundtrack of the group’s biggest hits.

The balmy Busan climate means there’s often nothing more welcome than a cold beer — and it’s possible to enjoy one brewed in the city itself. Step forward, Gorilla Brewing Co, one of Busan’s first craft breweries. Founded in 2015, the award-winning company has found a willing and seemingly thirsty local clientele, and has since expanded its operation to include numerous bars. The most recent opened in late 2023 at the base of the LCT The Sharp complex at Haeundae Beach. Craft beer fans can expect everything from IPA popsicles to raspberry wheat beers, alongside more standard lagers and pale ales.

Busan’s Sajik Stadium seats 24,500 and is the long-standing home of the Lotte Giants, one of the founding clubs in the now hugely popular Korea Baseball Organization League.

Photograph by Ben Weller

7. Watch the Lotte Giants hit a home run

On game days, Busan’s Sajik Stadium becomes a sea of cheering fans. The sports ground, ringed by tall apartment blocks in the north of the city, seats 24,500 and is the long-standing home of the Lotte Giants, one of the founding clubs in the now hugely popular Korea Baseball Organization League. Matches have a clamorous, carnival-like feel, with home batters serenaded by mass singalongs and opposition ‘outs’ greeted with shouts and high-fives. Factor in the roaming beer vendors, fried chicken, kiss cams and cheerleaders, and it’s quite the experience. Games can be held up to six times weekly during the March-to-September season. Buy your tickets well in advance, particularly for weekend matches.

8. Join the lunch rush

Busan recently attracted a constellation of Michelin stars, but visitors shouldn’t overlook its street kitchens where — given the city’s coastal location — seafood is king. Serving everything from local fish to sweet, nutty pancakes, the street-food stalls in and around Jagalchi Fish Market are a highlight, often operating right above the central hall and its piles of clams, squids and sea breams. Fish dishes typically come with a medley of accompaniments, among them kimchi, garlic, boiled seaweed, citrusy shiso leaves and fiery red pepper paste. Top a shiso leaf with every ingredient on the table and fold it to make a fresh, fishy parcel full of spice and crunch, and dripping with the juices from within. It’s best eaten with your hands in one go.

(Read more about Busan’s street food and why should try it.)