Week 7: Special Edition - Busan

During my Easter break, I took a trip to Busan, South Korea—for the first time!

If you’ve never been to Busan before, let me paint a quick picture:

While Seoul buzzes with fast-paced city life, cutting-edge trends, and high-rise ambition, Busan flows at different pace —way more laid back.

You won’t find the same hustle and bustle as Seoul, but you’ll find warmth—in the people, in the food (spicier, seafood-heavy!), and in the sunsets over Gwangalli or Haeundae Beach. It’s a place of contrast: quiet hillside temples above neon-lit streets, street food stalls next to luxury beachfront cafés.

I spent five nights in Busan, and honestly… I kind of like it better than Seoul. It’s also the first “touristy” thing I’ve done since arriving in Korea, and it was so fun to explore a new place.

✈️ Getting There

Most of my Korean friends would probably say the KTX (high-speed train) is the best way to get from Seoul to Busan. I was curious and looked into flights—and surprisingly, it wasn’t much more expensive to fly.

I flew out of Gimpo Airport in Seoul, which is closer to the city center than Incheon. Since I wasn’t bringing a ton of luggage, I took the Airport Railroad instead of a taxi and wow—it was quick and inexpensive. Home to airport arrival in about 36 minutes.

This was my second time flying Korean Air—another great experience. Friendly staff and smooth flight. It only took about 45 minutes to get from Seoul to Busan.

🌧 Day One: Low-Key Exploring

Glad I didn’t schedule anything major for day one—the weather was gloomy and super windy. Perfect for doing some exploring on my own.

I stayed near the Haeundae area, which a few friends recommended. It’s known for its famous beach, bustling nightlife, and relaxed coastal vibe—a great home base while visiting Busan.

First stop? A local restaurant famous for pork stew with rice, a Busan specialty. Highly recommended by both Jacob and Jae—and they were right. So good.

Then I caved when I saw a café advertising an espresso drink topped with a s’more… how could I not try it?

With the weather still not cooperating, I took the subway to Shinsegae Department Store—the world’s largest department store—to look around. Didn’t buy anything, but it was fun to wander.

Rounded out the day with a workout in my hotel gym and caught up on a few Netflix shows.

🏞 Day Two: Full-Day Tour

I joined an all-day tour to hit some of the major sights around Busan:

🌊 Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

One of Korea’s rare seaside temples, perched dramatically on the cliffs. The path down is lined with lanterns and ocean air—it’s the kind of place that feels sacred even if you’re not spiritual.

🚡 Blueline Park Sky Capsule

A pastel, retro-style capsule train that cruises slowly above the coast. It’s like a scenic ride in a floating time machine—with views of surfers, waves, and endless sea.

🛥️ Yacht Cruise

Seeing Busan from the water was such a cool perspective. We sailed past the city’s skyline, bridges, and beaches. The sunset views as the lights started to glow? Unreal.

🎨 Gamcheon Culture Village

Winding alleyways, rainbow-colored homes, quirky murals, tiny cafés… Gamcheon is an artsy maze you can get lost in. It’s been transformed from hillside slum to creative paradise. I could’ve spent hours wandering here.

⛰️ Day Three: Mountain, Makgeolli & a Drone Show

Another tour—this time with a mix of hiking, makgeolli tasting, and lunch in a hidden mountain village.

We hiked Geumjeongsan, Busan’s largest mountain. It’s not just the views that make it special—it’s the way it blends nature and history. We passed pine forests, temples, and fortress walls, with Busan sprawling below us at the top.

Our guide, 호규 (sounds like "hug you" in English), told us he used to hike this mountain every weekend with his dad. He actually left a career in chemical engineering to pursue full-time guiding. Super engaging guy and made the day so fun.

If you get a chance, go check out his website www.koreanhugyou.com/en and give him a follow on Instagram @korean_hugyou

Over lunch, we played Korean drinking games like 3-6-9 and Baskin Robbins 31—so many laughs.

That night, I made my way to Gwangalli Beach to catch the famous drone light show—something I’d been really excited to see in person. Watching hundreds of drones light up the sky with synchronized animations and messages over the ocean was seriously next-level. The backdrop of the Gwangan Bridge lit up behind it made it all feel like a scene out of a movie.

🍽 Day Four: Cooking Class + Catch-Up

I’ve always wanted to take a Korean cooking class, so I signed up for a small group session where we made:

• Bibimbap 

• Miyeokguk (seaweed soup)

• Buchujeon (Korean chive pancake)

Our host was amazing—clearly passionate about Korean culture and teaching. She also gave us tips on how to make the dishes at home. Oh, and I earned my Bibimbap Master Certificate 😂

Please check out her Instagram page @kbapsang

I met up with 호규 (my hiking tour guide) for dinner. We had dakgalbi—spicy stir-fried chicken with cabbage, noodles, and cheese. Definitely one of my favorite foods in Korea!

🗓 What’s Next

My mom and one of our close family friends are coming to visit next week!

We’ve got a couple more Korean holidays coming up, so no studying :) for a little bit. We’ll spend some time in Seoul, then take a trip to Japan!

Keep following along for more of the adventure!