Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second most populous city after

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, with its port being South Korea's busiest and the sixth-busiest in the world. The surrounding "Southeastern Maritime Industrial Region" (including

Ulsan Ulsan (; ), officially the Ulsan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's seventh-largest metropolitan city and the eighth-largest city overall, with a population of over 1.1 million inhabitants. It is located in the south-east of the country, neighbo ...

South Gyeongsang South Gyeongsang Province (, ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World Heri ...

Daegu Daegu (; ), formerly spelled Taegu and officially Daegu Metropolitan City (), is a city in southeastern South Korea. It is the third-largest urban agglomeration in South Korea after Seoul and Busan; the fourth-largest List of provincial-level ci ...

, and part of

North Gyeongsang North Gyeongsang Province (, ) is a province in eastern South Korea, and with an area of , it is the largest province in the Korean peninsula. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, and remaine ...

and

South Jeolla South Jeolla Province (), formerly South Chŏlla Province, also known as Jeonnam (), is a province in the Honam region, South Korea, and the southernmost province in mainland Korea. South Jeolla borders the provinces of North Jeolla to the nor ...

) is South Korea's largest industrial area. The large volumes of port traffic and urban population in excess of 1 million make Busan a Large-Port metropolis using the Southampton System of Port-City classification. As of 2019, Busan Port is the primary port in Korea and the world's sixth-largest

container port A container port, container terminal, or intermodal terminal is a facility where cargo containers are transshipped between different transport vehicles, for onward transportation. The transshipment may be between container ships and land v ...

. Busan is divided into 15 major administrative

district A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or county, counties, several municipality, municip ...

s and a single

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

, together housing a population of approximately 3.6 million. The full metropolitan area, the Southeastern Maritime Industrial Region, has a population of approximately 8 million. The most densely built-up areas of the city are situated in a number of narrow valleys between the Nakdong and the Suyeong Rivers, with mountains separating most of the districts. The Nakdong River is Korea's longest river and Busan's

Haeundae Beach Haeundae Beach () is an urban beach in Busan, South Korea, located in the eponymous Haeundae District. It is one of Busan's most popular tourist attractions and one of South Korea's most popular beaches. It is open around the year, and hosts a va ...

is also the country's largest. Busan is a center for international conventions, hosting an APEC summit in 2005. It is also a center for sports tournaments in Korea, having hosted the

2002 Asian Games The 2002 Asian Games, officially known as the XIV Asian Games and also known as Busan 2002 (), were an international multi-sport event held in Busan, South Korea from September 29 to October 14, 2002. Due to schedule impediments the football tour ...

and

FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams of the members of the FIFA, Fédération Internatio ...

. It is home to the world's largest

department store A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store under one roof, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store mad ...

, the

Shinsegae Shinsegae Inc. (, ) is a South Korean department store Franchising, franchise, along with several other businesses, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. The firm is an affiliate of Shinsegae Group, South Korea's leading retail ''chaebol'', and ...

Centum City. Busan was added to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a "City of Film" in December 2014.

Names

The name "Busan" is the

Revised Romanization Revised Romanization of Korean () is the official Korean language romanization system in South Korea. It was developed by the National Academy of the Korean Language from 1995 and was released to the public on 7 July 2000 by South Korea's Mi ...

of the city's Korean name since the late 15th century. It officially replaced the earlier

McCune–Reischauer McCune–Reischauer romanization ( ) is a romanization system for the Korean language. It was first published in 1939 by George M. McCune and Edwin O. Reischauer. According to Reischauer, McCune "persuaded the American Army Map Service to ad ...

romanization ''Pusan'' in 2000. During the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese reading of the city's name was "Fuzan". The name (now written using the

Korean alphabet The Korean alphabet is the modern writing system for the Korean language. In North Korea, the alphabet is known as (), and in South Korea, it is known as (). The letters for the five basic consonants reflect the shape of the speech organs ...

) is Sino-Korean for "Cauldron Mountain", believed to be a former name of MtHwangnyeong () west of the city center. The area's ancient state MtGeochil (, "Rough-Mountain Land") is similarly thought to refer to the same mountain, which towers over the town's harbor on the Suyeong (the later Silla district of Geochilsan-gun was renamed Dongnae in 757).

History

The area that Busan now occupies was inhabited during the

Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...

period. Artifacts dating to this period discovered near the coast include stone tools, pottery, sea shells, and animal bones. Fishing was a primary food source for people of this period.

Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...

artifacts have been uncovered further inland. By this period, agriculture was practiced. Around the first century, a chiefdom called Koch'ilsan-guk () existed around what is now

Dongnae District Dongnae District () is a '' gu'' (district) in central Busan, South Korea. Administrative divisions It has a population of about 300,000, and an area of 16.7 square kilometers. It was once a separate city, the principal port of southeastern Ko ...

. At some point, it was absorbed by

Silla Silla (; Old Korean: wikt:徐羅伐#Old Korean, 徐羅伐, Yale romanization of Korean, Yale: Syerapel, Revised Romanization of Korean, RR: ''Seorabeol''; International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ) was a Korean kingdom that existed between ...

and made an administrative division called Koch'ilsan-gun (). In 757, it was renamed Dongnae-gun (). In 835, the Buddhist temple

Beomeosa Beomeosa () is one of the head temples of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in Cheongnyeongnopo-dong, Geumjeong District, Busan, South Korea. Built on the slopes of the mountain Geumjeongsan, it is one of the country's best known temples. N ...

was founded in the area. In the

Goryeo Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...

period (918–1392), the local became a prominent presence in Korean politics. By this point, Dongnae's hot springs became famous, and have been attested to in writings of this period. By the end of the period, raids from ''

wokou ''Wokou'' ( zh, c=, p=Wōkòu; ; Hepburn romanization, Hepburn: ; ; literal Chinese translation: "dwarf bandits"), which translates to "Japanese pirates", were pirates who raided the coastlines of China and Korea from the 13th century to the 17 ...

'' (Japanese pirates) intensified. One such invasion occurred in 1396. To defend against this, the fortress

Dongnaeeupseong Dongnaeeupseong () is a Goryeo-era Korean fortress in Dongnae District, Busan, South Korea. it is located on the mountain Maansan. The fortress was lived in and used for many centuries, with the exception of around the 17th to mid-18th centurie ...

was established in the area. In 1423, the

port of Busan The port of Busan is the largest port in South Korea, located in the city of Busan, South Korea. Its location is known as Busan Harbour. The port is ranked sixth in the world's container throughput and is the largest seaport in South Korea. The ...

() and a ''

waegwan Waegwan () is the seat of government for Chilgok County, North Gyeongsang province, South Korea. It consists primarily of the administrative district of Waegwan- eup. It is situated on both sides of the Nakdong River, which is traversed by railr ...

'' (Japanese concession community) were established. During the reign of King

Sejong the Great Sejong (; 15 May 1397 – 8 April 1450), commonly known as Sejong the Great (), was the fourth monarch of the Joseon, Joseon dynasty of Korea. He is regarded as the greatest ruler in Korean history, and is remembered as the inventor of Hangu ...

(r. 1418–1450), the population in Dongnae-hyeon was reportedly 2,416 people in 290 households. In Dongpyeong-hyeon, it was 627 people in 108 households. The ''waegwan'' was closed in 1510, but reopened in 1512. During the 1592–1598

Japanese invasions of Korea Japanese invasions of Korea may refer to: *Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) *Donghak Peasant Revolution ** Japanese occupation of Gyeongbokgung *Russo-Japanese War The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905) was fou ...

, various fortresses in the area defended Busan against the invasion. Fortresses included

Busanjinseong The Branch Wall-fortress in Busanjin (), also known as Maruyama Castle (, ) and Konishi Castle (), is located at Beomil-dong, Dong-gu, Busan, South Korea. The existing wall-fortress remains were constructed by the Japanese military during ...

, , and Dongnaeeupseong. Civilians formed

righteous armies Righteous armies (), sometimes translated as irregular armies or militias, were informal civilian militias that appeared several times in Korean history, when the national armies were in need of assistance. The first righteous armies emerged du ...

(volunteer militias) and joined in the fight. After the siege and capture of Busanjin in 1592, most of Busanjin's Korean prisoners and civilians were massacred. After the war, diplomatic relations with the new

shogunate , officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...

in Japan were established in 1607, and Busan was permitted to be reconstructed. In 1605, the shrine Songgongsa was built to honor those who died defending Korea during the invasions. The shrine was dubbed Chungnyeolsa in 1624. In 1607, a ''waegwan'' was reestablished in Dumopo (); in 1678 it was moved to Choryang (; now around Yongdusan). In 1763, Busan became the first place in Korea to have

sweet potato The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its sizeable, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable, which is a staple food in parts of ...

es, which arrived from Tsushima Island in Japan. In 1759, the population was reportedly 25,753 people in 6,657 households. In 1876, Busan became the first international port in Korea under the terms of the

Treaty of Ganghwa A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign states and/or international organizations that is governed by international law. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, covenant, convention ...

. In 1877, a concession was established in Busan, and consulates of Japan,

Qing The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

, and the United Kingdom were established. In 1883, the port was opened, and a Busan Customs Office () was established. In 1895, Dongnae-bu was made part of

South Gyeongsang Province South Gyeongsang Province (, ) is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple tha ...

. It was demoted to a ''gun'' in 1903, and made a ''bu'' again in 1906. After the beginning of the 1910–1945 Japanese colonial period, in 1914 it was made a ''gun'' again. In 1908, Busan was connected to the

Gyeongbu Line The Gyeongbu line (''Gyeongbuseon'') is a railway line in South Korea and is considered to be the most important and one of the oldest in the country. It was constructed in 1905, connecting Seoul with Busan via Suwon, Daejeon, and Daegu. It is ...

via

Busan station Busan station () is a train station in Busan, South Korea. It is the southern terminus of the Gyeongbu Line & the Gyeongbu high-speed railway, the most important railway lines in the country, which links Busan with Seoul Seoul, official ...

. In 1909, a ferry service was opened between Busan and

Shimonoseki file:141122 Shimonoseki City Hall Yamaguchi pref Japan01s3.jpg, 260px, Shimonoseki city hall is a Cities of Japan, city located in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 248,193 in 128,762 households and a pop ...

in Japan. In 1914, Dongnae-bu was reorganized into Busan-bu. In 1915, a tram was opened between Busanjin and the . The following year, the city tram opened.'''' During the Japanese rule, Busan developed into a hub trading port with Japan. Busan was the only city in Korea to adopt the steam

tram A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which Rolling stock, vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some ...

way before

electrification Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source. In the context of history of technology and economic development, electrification refe ...

was introduced in 1924. During the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, Busan was one of only two cities in South Korea not captured by the

North Korean army The Korean People's Army (KPA; ) encompasses the combined military forces of North Korea and the armed wing of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). The KPA consists of five branches: the Ground Force, the Naval Force, the Air Force, the St ...

within the first three months of the war, the other being

. As a result, the cities became

refugee camp A refugee camp is a temporary Human settlement, settlement built to receive refugees and people in refugee-like situations. Refugee camps usually accommodate displaced people who have fled their home country, but camps are also made for in ...

sites for Koreans during the war. According to ''

The Korea Times ''The Korea Times'' () is a daily English-language newspaper in South Korea. It is a sister paper of the ''Hankook Ilbo'', a major Korean language, Korean-language daily. It is the oldest active daily English-language newspaper in South Korea. ...

'', around 500,000 refugees were located in Busan in early 1951. As Busan was one of the few areas in Korea that remained under the control of South Korea throughout the

, for some time it served as a ''de facto'' capital of South Korea. UN troops established a defensive perimeter around the city known as the

Pusan Perimeter The Battle of the Pusan Perimeter, known in Korean as the Battle of the Naktong River Defense Line (), was a large-scale battle between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 to September 18, 1950. It was one ...

in the summer and fall of 1950. Since then, the city has been a self-governing metropolis and has built a strong urban character. In 1963, Busan separated from

to become the first of South Korea. In 1983, the provincial capital of Gyeongsangnam-do was moved from Busan to

Changwon Changwon (; ) is the capital and largest city of South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea (with a population of 1,025,702 ), and the 11th largest city of the South Korea, country. A port city, Changwon is bordered by Masan Bay to the south, and the ...

Geography

Busan is located on the southeastern tip of the

Korean Peninsula Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically divided at or near the 38th parallel between North Korea (Dem ...

. It is located on the coast, which determined the development of the whole city itself. The distance from Busan to

is about . Busan borders low mountains to the north and west, and the

Korea Strait The Korea Strait is a strait, sea passage in East Asia between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. It connects the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan in the northwest Pacific Ocean. The strait is split by Tsushima Island into two par ...

to the south and east. The Nakdong River Delta is located on the west side of the city, and

Geumjeongsan Geumjeongsan () is a mountain in Busan, South Korea. Its highest peak, Godangbong, stands at 801.5 meters. The mountain is popular for hiking, although there is a cable car and bus that goes up much of the way. The mountain also has a village, te ...

, the highest mountain in the city, is on the north. The

Nakdong River The Nakdong River or Nakdonggang (, ) is the longest river in South Korea, which passes through the major cities of Daegu and Busan. It takes its name from its role as the eastern border of the Gaya confederacy during Three Kingdoms of Korea, Kor ...

, South Korea's longest river, flows through the west and empties into the

. The southeastern region, called

Yeongnam Yeongnam (, ; literally "south of the ridge") is a region that coincides with the former Gyeongsang Province, one of the ancient Eight Provinces, in what is now South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a countr ...

in Korea, encompasses both

Gyeongsang Province Gyeongsang Province (; ) was one of the Eight Provinces of Joseon Korea. Gyeongsang was located in southeastern Korea. The provincial capital of Gyeongsang was Daegu. The region was the birthplace of the kingdom of Silla, which unified Korea i ...

s and 3 metropolitan cities of Busan,

and

. Ulsan lies northeast of Busan. The combined population exceeds 13 million. The closest overseas area to Busan is Tsushima,

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, with a distance of about . The closest Japanese mainland area to Busan is

Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...

, and there is about 180 km (112 miles). Busan and Fukuoka are also sister cities.

Climate

Located on the southeasternmost tip of the

, Busan has a cooler version of a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

, bordering on a subtropical monsoon climate influenced by East Asian monsoon (

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

: ''Cfa'', bordering on ''Cwa''). Extremely high or low temperatures are rare. The highest temperature ever recorded is on 14 August 2016 while the lowest temperature ever recorded is on 13 January 1915. May to July, late Springs and early Summers, are usually cooler than inland regions because of the ocean effect. Late Summer, and early Fall, August, and September, are generally hot and humid and the city may experience

typhoon A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...

s at that time and be generally rainy. On September 15, 1959, Super Typhoon Sarah passed by the coast of the city and caused catastrophic damage. An unusually severe storm on September 12, 2003,

Typhoon Maemi Typhoon Maemi () or (), known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Pogi, was the most powerful typhoon to strike South Korea since record-keeping began in the country in 1904. Maemi formed on 4 September 2003, from a disturbance in a monsoo ...

, also caused damage to ships and buildings and resulted in over 48 fatalities.

Typhoon Hinnamnor Typhoon Hinnamnor, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Henry, was a very large and powerful tropical cyclone that impacted Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Russia in early September 2022. The eleventh named storm, fourth ty ...

on September 6, 2022, caused destruction in Busan as a category 2, producing high waves, destructive winds, and flooding. Busan is the most prone city in South Korea to typhoons and other natural disasters. October and November are generally the most comfortable, with clear skies and pleasant temperatures. Winters are cool and comparatively dry with high winds, but much milder than other parts of Korea, except

Jeju Province Jeju Province (; ), officially Jeju Special Self-Governing Province (Jeju language, Jeju: ; ), is the southernmost Provinces of South Korea, province of South Korea, consisting of eight inhabited and 55 uninhabited islands, including Marado, Udo ...

and several islands off the southern coast. Busan and the nearby area have the least snow compared to other regions of Korea due to its location. Snow falls on an average of only about 4 days per year.

Administrative divisions

In 1957, Busan adopted a division system with the creation of six '' gu'' (districts): Busanjin District, Dong District, Dongnae District, Jung District, Seo District, and Yeongdo District. Today, Busan has divided into fifteen ''gu'' and one ''

gun A gun is a device that Propulsion, propels a projectile using pressure or explosive force. The projectiles are typically solid, but can also be pressurized liquid (e.g. in water guns or water cannon, cannons), or gas (e.g. light-gas gun). So ...

'' (county).

Economy

Busan is the second largest city in Korea, a maritime logistics hub in Northeast Asia with its world-class mega ports, and a gateway to the Eurasian continent. In 2022, the maritime city recorded a

GRDP Gross regional domestic product (GRDP), gross domestic product of region (GDPR), or gross state product (GSP) is a statistic that measures the size of a region's economy. It is the aggregate of gross value added (GVA) of all resident producer unit ...

of KRW 104 trillion with a per capita GRDP of KRW 39.6 million. The city's economy is made up of the service industry (70.3%), manufacturing (19.8%), construction (5.9%), agriculture & fisheries (0.8%), and other sectors (3.2%). As the sixth largest port in the world, the

processed 21.81 million TEU of container cargo volume in 2020. The port's container terminal has 43 berths - 20 berths at the North Port, and 23 berths at the Busan New Port (including 2 multi-purpose berths). The port is part of the

21st Century Maritime Silk Road The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (), commonly just Maritime Silk Road (MSR), is the sea route part of the Belt and Road Initiative which is a Chinese strategic initiative to increase investment and foster collaboration across the historic Silk ...

that runs from the Chinese coast to

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

, towards the southern tip of

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital status in 1907. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...

, from there through the

Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...

via the

Suez Canal The Suez Canal (; , ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, Indo-Mediterranean, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia (and by extension, the Sinai Peninsula from the rest ...

to the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

, there to the Upper Adriatic region to the northern Italian hub of

Trieste Trieste ( , ; ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital and largest city of the Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, as well as of the Province of Trieste, ...

with its connections to

Central Europe Central Europe is a geographical region of Europe between Eastern Europe, Eastern, Southern Europe, Southern, Western Europe, Western and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Central Europe is known for its cultural diversity; however, countries in ...

and the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...

. Moreover, the city is a center of marine science and R&D, and home to a number of relevant institutions, such as the Korea Maritime Institute (KMI), the

Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology The Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) is a private oceanography research organization based in Busan. Formerly known as the Korean Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI), it started functioning under the name of the ...

(KIOST), the National Fishery Products Quality Management Service, the Korea Hydrographic and Oceanographic Agency (KHOA), and the Korea National Maritime Museum, located in Dongsam Innovation Complex in Yeongdo District. Moreover, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) World Congress was hosted in Busan in 2020. The city is also known for its global

MICE A mouse (: mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...

(Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry. The city's convention and exhibition zone have excellent conditions and infrastructure to host large-scale international events, which includes

BEXCO Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (), commonly known as BEXCO (), is a convention and exhibition center located in Centum City, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea. It features over 46,500 m2 of exhibition space and 53 meeting rooms. In June 2 ...

in Centum City, Nurimaru APEC House, and hotels nearby natural environments. Major international conferences in Busan include the 2005 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting,

ASEAN–Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit The ASEAN Summit is a biannual meeting held by the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in relation to economic, political, security, and socio-cultural development of Southeast Asian countries. The league of ASEAN is curre ...

2014, and 2018

African Development Bank Group The African Development Bank Group (AfDB, also known as BAD in French) is a multilateral development finance institution, headquartered in Abidjan, Ivory Coast since September 2014. The AfDB is a financial provider to African governments and ...

Annual Meetings. Busan is also a center of finance.

Korea Exchange Korea Exchange (KRX, ) is the sole securities exchange operator in South Korea. It is headquartered in Busan, and has an office for cash markets and market oversight in Seoul. History The Korea Exchange was created through the integration of K ...

(KRX), Korea's sole securities exchange operator, is headquartered in Busan. The city is home to a number of financial institutions, such as the Korea Technology Finance Corporation, Korea Asset Management Corporation, Korea Housing-Finance Corporation, Korea Housing & Urban Guarantee Corporation, Korea Securities Depository, Korea Maritime Guarantee Insurance, Maritime Finance Center, The Korea Shipping and Maritime Transportation Co., Ltd, Korea Asset Management Corporation, and BNK Financial Group. Seomyeon Street

Commercial areas are dispersed throughout the city near busy intersections and adjacent to university campuses, but the two largest central business districts in Busan are

Seomyeon Seo-myeon in South Korea may refers to *Seomyeon, Busan Seo-myeon () is a major commercial center and transportation hub in Bujeon-dong, Busanjin District, Busan, South Korea. The area grew from a small village in the Joseon period to a major in ...

and Gwangbok-dong/Nampo-dong. There are four major shopping areas: Seomyeon, Gwangbok-dong, Busan Daehak-ga in Jangjeon-dong, and Centum City in Haeundae District. Seomyeon Station is one of the busiest subway stations in Korea; it is the transfer station between

Busan Subway Line 1 Busan Metro Line 1 is the north-south route of the Busan Metro. It is long with 40 stations, and is considered the second longest line of the Busan Metro system, just behind Line 2. But with Line 1 going to regions such as Jagalchi Station, B ...

and Line 2. Seomyeon subway station is also home to a large number of underground stores, selling a variety of products, predominantly clothing, and footwear. These are small stores selling locally produced products. The local head offices of Korean and international banks are located in Seomyeon. It is recognized as the ascendant shopping and entertainment district. It is also home to "Seomyeon Medical Street", the district encompassing the 1 km-radius range around

Lotte Department Store Lotte Department Store () is a Korean retail company established in 1979, and headquartered in Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Lotte Department Store offers retail consumer goods and services and is one out of 8 business units of Lot ...

in Seomyeon and the Buam subway station. The Street is home to a total of 160 cosmetic and other medical clinics, including those specializing in cosmetic surgery, dermatology, ophthalmology and dentistry. Directly adjacent to Seomyeon is Bujeon Market, the largest traditional market in the city. The Gwangbok-dong,

Nampo-dong Nampo-dong is a central commercial and shopping area in Busan, South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Ko ...

, and Jungang-dong areas form the old central business district. Some of the restaurants in this district use family recipes passed down through the generations.

Jagalchi Market Jagalchi Fish Market () is a fish market in Busan, South Korea. The market is located on the edge of Nampo Port (), Busan. It is considered to be the largest fish market in South Korea. The name is said to have originated from ''jagal'' () beca ...

, a large seafood market, is located in this area. The

Gukje Market Gukje Market () or Nampodong International Market is a market in Sinchang-dong, Jung District, Busan, South Korea. It was originally known by the name Dottaegi Market, and later as Jayu Market. The market was founded in 1945 under the name Dot ...

is also nearby. Jungang-dong is the home of many international law offices, the old immigration office, and the international

ferry terminal A passenger terminal is a structure in a port which services passengers boarding and leaving water vessels such as ferry, ferries, cruise ships and ocean liners. Depending on the types of vessels serviced by the terminal, it may be named (for e ...

serving Japanese routes. Busan has many major department stores, including

(located in Seomyeon, Centum City, Gwangbok-dong and Dongnae), Lotte Premium Outlet (in Gimhae and Gijang),

Premium Outlet (in Gijang), as well as large supermarket chains across the city, such as

Homeplus Homeplus () is a Korean discount store retail chain running about 140 branches with 25,000 employees throughout South Korea. Homeplus is the second largest retailer in South Korea, behind Shinsegae Group's e-mart chain. Homeplus operates its ...

e-mart Emart Inc. () is the largest retailer in South Korea. The retailer was founded on 12 November 1993, by Shinsegae, as the first discount retailer in South Korea. There were 160 stores across the Country as of December 2016. Emart is South Korea' ...

, and

Costco Costco Wholesale Corporation is an American multinational corporation which operates a chain of membership-only big-box warehouse club retail stores. As of 2021, Costco is the third-largest retailer in the world, and as of August 2024, Cos ...

. Busan's major hotels include

The Westin Westin Hotels & Resorts is an American upscale hotel chain owned by Marriott International. , the Westin Brand has 226 properties with 82,608 rooms in multiple countries in addition to 58 hotels with 15,741 rooms in the pipeline. History Wes ...

Chosun Busan, Paradise Busan, and

Park Hyatt Hyatt Hotels Corporation, commonly known as Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, is an American multinational hospitality company headquartered in the Riverside Plaza area of Chicago that manages and franchises luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vac ...

Busan. In 2017, Ananti Hilton Busan opened in the Gijang-eup district.

Education

Universities with graduate schools

A panoramic view of Pusan National University. Busan Korea Maritime University

Busan University of Foreign Studies Busan University of Foreign Studies (), often shortened to 부산외대 and BUFS, romanized as Pusan University of Foreign Studies before 2011, is a private university in Busan, South Korea, which specializes in foreign languages. In 2014, follo ...

(BUFS) *

Busan Presbyterian University Busan Presbyterian University, also known as Busan Jangsin University, is a private Christian university in Gimhae City, South Gyeongsang province, in southeastern South Korea. It provides undergraduate training in theology, social welfare, and ...

Busan National University of Education The Busan National University of Education is a government-supported institution which provides training for future public-school teachers in South Korea. The campus is located in the Yeonje-gu district of Busan Metropolitan City. The universi ...

(BNUE) *

Catholic University of Pusan The Catholic University of Pusan is situated in the southeastern South Korean port city of Busan. The current president is Son Sam-seok. The university is traditionally focused on nursing and health sciences, but in addition to these fields it ...

Dongseo University Dongseo University (DSU; ) is a private university in Busan, South Korea. In 2013, DSU was ranked by Quacquarelli Symonds with The Chosun Ilbo among the Top 50 Asian universities for internationalization. History The Dongseo Educational F ...

* Dong-A University * Dong-eui University * Friedrich-Alexander University Busan Campus (German University in Korea) * Inje University – Busan Campus *

Kosin University Kosin University () is a private Christian university in Busan, South Korea. The name "Kosin" is derived from the name of a denomination of Presbyterian churches in Korea that had organized actions against the Empire of Japan. This university ...

Korea Maritime and Ocean University Korea Maritime & Ocean University is South Korea's most prestigious national university, national university for maritime study, transportation science and engineering. It is located in Yeongdo-gu in Busan. The university is also known for having ...

Kyungsung University Kyungsung University () is a private university in Busan, South Korea. It is located in the district of Nam-gu, southwest of the famous Haeundae beach. The campus is located near Kyungsung University- Pukyong National University Station on ...

Pukyong National University Pukyong National University (PKNU; ) is a national university in Busan, South Korea, formed in 1996. The university has two campuses, Daeyeon-dong and Yongdang-dong, situated near the coastal district of Nam-gu. PKNU has a traditional focus ...

(PKNU) *

Pusan National University Pusan National University (PNU; , also called Busan National University) is one of ten Flagship Korean National Universities in South Korea. It is the first national university established after the National Liberation Day of Korea. There ar ...

(PNU) *

Silla University Silla University () is a private university located in the second largest city of Busan, South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peni ...

*Tongmyong University * Youngsan University

Other institutes of higher education

Busan Arts College Busan Arts College () provides training in a range of fine and applied arts. The campus is located in the Nam-gu district of Busan metropolitan city, in southeastern South Korea. Under government regulations, the school has a maximum enrollmen ...

Busan Institute of Science and Technology Busan Institute of Science and Technology is a private college located in Buk District, Busan, South Korea. It was called Busan College of Information Technology until February 2012. History Founded in 1976 at Uam-dong, Nam-gu the school ...

(BIST) *

Busan Kyungsang College Busan Kyungsang College is a college in the Yeonje-gu district of Busan Metropolitan City, in southeastern South Korea. It has a legal maximum enrollment of 3,700 students. Academic departments The college offers training in technical and busin ...

Busan Polytechnic College Busan Polytechnic College, formerly Busan IT Polytechnic College, is a private two-year technical college in southeastern South Korea. The campus is situated in the Buk-gu district of Busan Metropolitan City. The school's current president is ...

* Daedong College * Dong-Pusan College *

Dongju College Dongju College () is a private technical college in Busan, South Korea. About 110 instructors are employed. Academics Dongju College offers instruction in the fields of health and social welfare, hotel and tourism management, early childhood ...

Korea Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Technology The Korea Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Technology, or KIMFT, is a maritime education and research institute operated by the government of South Korea. It is based in Yeongdang-dong, Nam-gu, Busan, with an auxiliary campus on Yeongdo i ...

Foreign schools

Primary and secondary schools: * Busan Foreign Language High School () *

Busan Foreign School Busan Foreign School (BFS; ) is an international school located Busan, South Korea, with an American style educational philosophy and curriculum In education, a curriculum (; : curriculums or curricula ) is the totality of student experiences ...

(Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade) * *International School of Busa
(
Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade) *Overseas Chinese Elementary School Busan (; ) *

Overseas Chinese High School, Busan Overseas Chinese High School, Busan (; ) is a Republic of China (Taiwan)-oriented Chinese international school in Dong-gu, Busan Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second list of cities in South Korea by populat ...

High schools

* Keumjeong High School (1986) *Kyeongwon High School (1986) * Gaya High School

Culture and attractions

Busan not only features a variety of antique and souvenir shops, but also unique restaurants, attractions and accommodations.

Parks, beaches, and highlights

Busan is called the summer capital of Korea since it attracts tourists from all over the country to its six beaches. Luxury hotels and a carnival boardwalk line the beach at Haeundae.

Gwangalli Beach The Gwangalli Beach () or Gwangan Beach is a beach in Gwangan 2(i)-dong, Suyeong District, Busan, South Korea. It is west of Haeundae Beach. It sits inside a cove spanned by the Gwangan Bridge and covers 82,000 square meters over a length of 1. ...

has cafés, bars, and restaurants along the beach, and the Grand Gwangan Bridge. Other beaches include Dadaepo Beach on the west edge of the city and Songdo Beach, south of central Busan.

is Busan's most famous beach. It is a staple setting for South Korean films and TV shows, such as the 2009 film '' Tidal Wave''.

Dongbaekseom Dongbaekseom () is a former island in , Busan, South Korea. It is located on the west end of the Haeundae Beach. It was designated as a monument of Busan on March 9, 1999. History As the name suggests, the area used to be an island, but now is ...

is located at the southern end of

. This island is picturesque with a thick forest of camellias and pine trees. Tourist attractions on Dongbaek Island include a walking path and the Nurimaru APEC House, built for the 2005 APEC summit. Songjeong beach is the next beach north of Haeundae Beach.

to the west is a weekend hiking spot for Busan residents. To the north, the neighborhoods around

(also known as PNU, which is one of the most highly recognized national institutes of higher education in Korea) have student theaters, cafés, bars, and restaurants, as well as open-air cultural street performances on weekend nights. Nearby is

, the city's main

Korean Buddhist Korean Buddhism is distinguished from other forms of Buddhism by its attempt to resolve what its early practitioners saw as inconsistencies within the Mahayana Buddhist traditions that they received from foreign countries. To address this, they ...

temple.

Yongdusan Park Yongdusan Park () is a park located in Jung District, Busan, South Korea. The 120-meter-high Busan Tower is located here. The park is located on a mountain, Yongdusan. The mountain previously went by the name Songhyeonsan, and the park was brie ...

occupies 69,000m²/ and is home to the

Busan Tower Busan Tower () is a 120-metre-high tower at Yongdusan Park, located in Jung District, Busan Jung District () is a ''Subdivisions of South Korea, gu'' in southern central Busan, South Korea. It has an area of 2.8 km², and a population of ...

, Yongdusan Art Gallery, and the

Busan Aquarium Sea Life Busan Aquarium () is an aquarium located in Haeundae Beach, Busan, South Korea. It first opened on November 7, 2001. Description There are about 250 species and up to 35,000 marine animals on display. The main tank contains of water, ...

, the largest aquarium in South Korea. The park supports approximately seventy different species of trees and is a tourist destination, with various cultural events throughout the year.

is a wealthy and traditional residential area. Dongnae Oncheon is a natural spa area with many baths, tourist hotels, restaurants, clubs, and shopping areas. Many restaurants in the area use family recipes. Chungnyeolsa is a Confucian shrine for soldiers who died during the 16th-century battle against the Japanese at Dongnae Fortress.

Taejongdae Taejongdae () is a natural park on the southernmost point of Yeongdo District, Busan, South Korea. It is a popular tourist attraction in Busan, with dense evergreen trees and facilities for tourists such as an observatory, an amusement park, a l ...

is a natural park with cliffs facing the open sea on the island of

Yeongdo Yeongdo District () is a '' gu'' (district) in Busan, South Korea. The ''gu'' itself is limited to Yeong-do (''Yeong Island'') located on the south edge of central Busan. It attained the status of ''gu'' in 1957. The Korea Maritime and Ocean U ...

. The area known as the "Foreigners' Shopping Street", but commonly referred to as "Texas Street" near part of the Port of Busan, and adjacent to the front entrance to the Busan Train Station () has many businesses that cater to the local Russian population, as well as the crews of foreign ships. The area was originally the location of the local Chinatown and still contains a Chinese school.

Haedong Yonggung temple Haedong Yonggung Temple () is a Buddhist temple in Gijang-gun, Busan, South Korea. The temple claims it was first built in 1376, although this claim has been disputed. The temple complex is a large one and one of few in Korea to be set on the ...

is one of three sacred places related to the Goddess Buddha. Gamcheon Cultural Village was created in the 1950s as a residential community along a mountain slope. The houses in the village are built in a staircase fashion. The village often dubbed the "Machu Picchu of Korea" attracts many tourists. In addition, the village received a special mention during the 3rd edition of the international award ceremony, "UCLG-MEXICO CITY-Culture 21".

Busan Citizens Park Busan Citizens Park () is a public park in Busanjin District, Busan, South Korea. It was formerly an Imperial Japanese Army base and United States Army camp (Camp Hialeah). The camp occupying of was closed on 10 August 2006 and returned to the ...

(formerly Camp Hialeah) is a former Imperial Japanese Army base and United States Army camp located in the Busanjin District.

Huinnyeoul Culture Village Huinnyeoul Culture Village () is a seaside town of Yeongseon-dong, Yeongdo District, Busan, South Korea, located on a high cliff. History Huinnyeoul was originally a small fishing village, but when many Korean War refugees fled here, it became t ...

was created when Korean War refugees flocked to this area. It provides an unhindered view of both the Busanhang and Namhang Ports. A major backdrop of the 2013 film ''

The Attorney ''The Attorney'' () is a 2013 South Korean legal drama film directed and co-written by Yang Woo-suk in his directorial debut. With 11,375,954 tickets sold and a revenue of , ''The Attorney'' became the 15th-best-selling Korean film of all time a ...

'', the neighborhood was also featured in the 2012 film '' Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time''. The small houses that stand shoulder to shoulder form the signature look of Busan, which is often remembered as a city of the sea and hilly neighborhoods. The village continues to attract an increasing number of visitors with its new cafes, workshops, and guesthouses. Daejeo Ecological Park

Millac Waterfront Park is the first waterfront park in Korea, combines the oceanfront with public leisure facilities. The park is located between

and

. The waterfront park, with an area of 33,507m², can accommodate as many as 40,000 visitors. The floor of the park is decorated with colorful blocks, and the park provides visitors a perfect chance to relax and features flower gardens, gazebos and benches. If you sit on the 3,040–wide stand, you can dip your feet in the water during high tide.

is a central shopping and café district. The area around

and

also has many cafés, bars, and restaurants attracting college students and youth. With a length of and a size of , designated as Natural Monument No. 179, Daejeo Ecological Park is a habitat for migratory birds at the

Estuary. The estuary was chosen as a trial project for the Four Major Rivers Restoration Project. The sports facilities were partially built on the upper and lower parts of the park only, while the rest of the park underwent a restoration of its wetlands and natural grassland. In the garden inside the park, you can find a large-scale habitat for prickly water lilies, which are part of the Endangered Species Level II classification. Many interesting festivals, such as the Nakdong Riverside Cherry Blossom Festival, the Busan Nakdong River Canola Flower Festival, and the Daejeo Tomato Festival are held around this park every year. Ilgwang Beach is a long white-sand beach, extending for about 1.8 kilometers, and is particularly popular among families with young children as a vacation spot because the waters are quite shallow. Every summer, the Gaetmaeul Outdoor Drama Festival is held on this beach. The festival features diverse performances of traditional Korean music, outdoor dramas, mime shows, and other performance art forms. Kiswire Museum offers its visitors a chance to better understand wire, a key material for industrial development, and central to Kiswire's corporate philosophy. The museum won the 2014 Busan Architecture Award for its aesthetic design. In addition, the roof of the museum is supported by only 38 cables without any pillars or beams, which makes the museum quite unique. In addition, the museum features special art pieces, including artwork made with wires. Jeonpo Café Street in

Seomyeon, Busan Seo-myeon () is a major commercial center and transportation hub in Bujeon-dong, Busanjin District, Busan, South Korea. The area grew from a small village in the Joseon period to a major industrial hub in the mid-20th century. It hosted numerous ...

is one of the busiest areas, with a variety of entertainment, restaurants, and stores. Across Seomyeon 1 Beonga (Seomyeon 1st Street), the busiest street in the area, there is a quiet and tranquil street with about 30 unique cafés. The Bujeon-dong and Jeonpo-dong areas were full of hardware stores and machine part suppliers, but since 2010 the area has been transformed into a street full of cafés. Busan is planning to build the first floating city in the world. So-called Oceanix City will be finished and ready for settlement by 2025.

Temples, religious and historical sites

Temple *

Busanjinjiseong The Branch Wall-fortress in Busanjin (), also known as Maruyama Castle (, ) and Konishi Castle (), is located at Beomil-dong, Dong-gu, Busan, South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asi ...

Fortress (or Jaseongdae) *

Cheonseongjinseong The Cheonseongjinseong () is a historic fortress located on the island Gadeokdo, Gangseo District, Busan, South Korea. Gadeokdo Island area was strategically important, being located at the end of the sea route from Tsushima Islands of Japan ...

Fortress * Chungnyeolsa Shrine *

Fortress *Dongnae Hyanggyo Confucian shrine-school *Dongnaebu Dongheon *

Dongsam-dong Shell Mound Shell Mound in Dongsam-dong, Busan is located on the west coast of Yeong-do Island in Dongsam-dong, Yeongdo District, Busan, South Korea. This archaeological site consists of a midden of shells of various mollusc taxa that were discarded in a re ...

* Fortress site of Jwasuyeong * Geumjeongsanseong Fortress *

Haedong Yonggungsa Haedong Yonggung Temple () is a Buddhist temple in Gijang-gun, Busan, South Korea. The temple claims it was first built in 1376, although this claim has been disputed. The temple complex is a large one and one of few in Korea to be set on the ...

*Janggwancheong *Gungwancheong *Songgongdan Altar *Jeongongdan Altar *Samgwangsa Temple *

Tumuli in Bokcheon-dong, Dongnae Tumuli in Bokcheon-dong, Dongnae is located in Dongnae-gu, Busan Metropolitan City, the Republic of Korea. A number of tombs are scattered about this hillside in Bokcheon-dong, which had been excavated partly by the Museum of Dong-A Universit ...

United Nations Memorial Cemetery The United Nations Memorial Cemetery in Korea (UNMCK; ), located at Tanggok in the Nam District, Busan, Nam District,; also seeKorea 1:50,000 Pusan Sheet 7019 III (1947) an of Busan,As a transliteration from Korean, the city name 부산 () was ...

Waeseong in Jukseong-ri, Gijang Waeseong in Jukseong-ri, Gijang (; ) is located in Gijang-gun, Busan, South Korea. It is a stone fortress built by the Japanese general, Kuroda Nagamasa who was defending the area against the Korean Joseon army in about June 1593, during t ...

* Yeongdo Bridge *Yeonggadae Pavilion *Yungongdan Altar

Arts

Busan hosts the

Busan International Film Festival The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF; ), formerly the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), held annually in Haeundae District, Busan, South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festival, held fro ...

(BIFF)—one of the most popular international film festivals in Asia—at the Busan Cinema Center every fall. Busan is also the home of the Busan Biennale, as an international contemporary art biennale that takes place every two years. The city also hosts the One Asia Festival, the largest K-pop festival in Korea beginning in 2016, positioning itself as the center of K-pop culture. In 2012, German artist Hendrik Beikirch painted Asia's tallest mural entitled "Fisherman Portrait" on a building near Millak Raw Fish Town. Busan is home to 80 performance facilities consisting of 30 public ones, including the Busan Cultural Center, Busan Citizens'Hall, Busan Cinema Center, and Busan National Gugak Center. There are 40 private facilities, such as KBS Art Hall Busan, Sohyang Art Center, MBC Samjoo Art Hall, Kyungsung University Concert Hall, and Shinsegae Department Store Culture Hall.

Festivals

A variety of festivals are held in the Busan throughout the year. Following the Joseon Tongsinsa Festival (Registration of Documents on Joseon Tongsinsa on the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

Memory of the World Programme UNESCO's Memory of the World (MoW) Programme is an international initiative to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia, neglect, decay over time and climatic conditions, as well as deliberate destruction. It ca ...

in 2017) and Busan Port Festival in May, the Busan Sea Festival at

, the largest beach in Korea, and the Busan International Rock Festival takes place in August. In particular, October is the perfect month to enjoy a variety of festivals, such as the

, the largest film festival in Asia, the Busan Fireworks Festival, and the One Asia Festival, a global K-pop music festival. In addition, G-Star, the largest gaming exhibition in Korea, and the e-Sports World Championship are hosted in November, followed by the Busan Christmas Tree Festival in December. Major Public performance facilities

Museums

Museums in Busan include: * Busan Museum * Busan Museum of Art *Museum of Contemporary Art Busan *Busan Museum of Movies * Busan Modern History Museum *

Busan Marine Natural History Museum The Busan Marine Natural History Museum () is a museum displaying exhibits on marine natural history of Busan and located in Dongnae-gu, Busan. It was opened in June 10, 1994. The purpose of the foundation is to preserve, to study and to exhibi ...

Korea National Maritime Museum The National Maritime Museum of Korea () is a Korean maritime museum and the third largest museum in the South Korea.Bokcheon Museum The Bokcheon Museum () is an archaeology museum in Busan, South Korea. Opened on October 5, 1996, the museum is dedicated to the history of the city of Busan from the Samhan Samhan, or Three Han (), is the collective name of the Byeonhan, Jinh ...

*Kiswire Museum * Provisional Capital Memorial Hall *

Trickeye Museum Trickeye Museum () is a gallery franchise with big wall paintings or installations, which contain Augmented reality, AR (augmented reality) effect and/or 3D illusions. The company owner of the Trickeye Museum has developed special camera applicatio ...

* United Nations Peace Memorial Hall *

40-step Stairway The 40-step stairway () is a famous stairway in , Jung District, Busan, South Korea. The stairway is accessible via a 5 minute walk from Exit 11 of Jungang Station on the Busan Metro Line 1. Description The staircase was built between 1909 ...

Culture Center *Dongnae Eupseong History Museum

Traditional cuisine

Busan was once a center of military affairs in the southern region of the peninsula and therefore was an important site for diplomatic relationships with Japan; high-ranking officers and officials from the court frequently visited the city. Special foods were prepared for the officers such as ''Dongnae pajeon'' (), a variant of ''

pajeon ''Pajeon'' () is a variety of '' jeon'' with scallion as its prominent ingredient, as ''pa'' () means scallion. It is a Korean dish made from a batter of eggs, wheat flour, rice flour, scallions, and often other ingredients depending on the var ...

'' (Korean savory pancakes), made with whole scallions, sliced chili peppers, and various kinds of seafood in a thick batter of wheat flour, glutinous rice flour, eggs, salt and water. During the Korean War, Busan was the biggest refugee destination on the peninsula; people from all regions of Korea went there. Some of these refugees stayed and adapted the recipes of their local specialties. One of these foods is ''

milmyeon ''Milmyeon'' () is a noodle dish that originated in Busan, South Korea. Milmyeon is a variant of the northern Korean noodle dish ''naengmyeon''. It consists of wheat noodles in a cold meat broth (''mul milmyeon'') or a spicy sauce (''bibim milmye ...

'' () () a version of ''

naengmyeon ''Naengmyeon'' * (, in South Korea) or ''raengmyŏn'' (, in North Korea) is a noodle dish of North Korean origin which consists of long and thin handmade noodles made from the flour and starch of various ingredients, including most commonly bu ...

'', cold buckwheat noodle soup, but using wheat flour instead. (Naengmyeon is originally a specialty food of

Hamhung Hamhŭng (''Hamhŭng-si''; ) is North Korea's List of cities in North Korea, second-most populous city, the capital of South Hamgyong, South Hamgyŏng Province and the 16th largest city in the Korea, Korean Peninsula. Located in the southern part ...

and

Pyongyang Pyongyang () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution" (). Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. Accordi ...

, now part of North Korea.) '' Dwaeji gukbap'' () () is also a result of Korean War. It is a hearty pork soup and is becoming more popular nationwide. Pork trotters served with vegetables such as cucumbers, onions, and mustard sauce is popular and is called Nangchae-

Jokbal ''Jokbal'' () is a Korean dish consisting of pig's trotters cooked with soy sauce and spices.Jokbal
at

. File:Korean pan cake-Dongnae pajeon-01.jpg, Dongnae

File:Milmyeon.jpg,

Milmyeon ''Milmyeon'' () is a noodle dish that originated in Busan, South Korea. Milmyeon is a variant of the northern Korean noodle dish ''naengmyeon''. It consists of wheat noodles in a cold meat broth (''mul milmyeon'') or a spicy sauce (''bibim milmye ...

File:돼지국밥.jpg, Dwaeji gukbap

Hot spring resorts and spas

Busan has the largest

hot spring A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring produced by the emergence of Geothermal activity, geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow ...

resorts and facilities in Korea. Busan's Oncheon is the oldest hot spring spa in Korea. *Spa Land (Haeundae District) *HurShimChung Hot Spring Resorts and Spa Town (Dongnae District) *Haeundae Hot Spring Resorts and Spa Towns (Haeundae District) *Dongnae Hot Spring Resorts and Spa Towns (Dongnae District) *Gwangalli Spa Towns (Suyeong District)

Media

In popular culture

Although Seoul remains the de facto film and television capital of South Korea, Busan shares more in common with

Cannes Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions Internatio ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

than just its reputation as

seaside resort A seaside resort is a city, resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requi ...

town. The

is often referred to as the "

of Asia", attracting thousands of entertainment personalities from both Eastern and Western cinema every year, honoring and recognizing international luminaries such as

Mike Leigh Mike Leigh (born 20 February 1943) is an English screenwriter, producer, director and former actor with a film, theatre, and television career spanning more than 60 years. His accolades include prizes at the Cannes Film Festival, the Berlin In ...

Shōhei Imamura was a Japanese film director. His main interest as a filmmaker lay in the depiction of the lower strata of Japanese society. A key figure in the Japanese New Wave, who continued working into the 21st century, Imamura is the only director from J ...

Wong Kar-wai Wong Kar-wai (born 17 July 1958) is a Hong Kong film director, screenwriter, and producer. His films are characterised by nonlinear narratives, atmospheric music, and vivid cinematography involving bold, saturated colours. A pivotal figure o ...

, and

Kim Ki-duk Kim Ki-duk ( ; 20 December 196011 December 2020) was a South Korean film director and screenwriter, noted for his Idiosyncrasy, idiosyncratic Art film, art-house cinematic works. His films have received many distinctions in the festival circuit ...

. It is frequently used as a film location, best known in the west for Marvel's ''

Black Panther A black panther is the Melanism, melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical Rosette (zoology), rosettes are al ...

'' and Apple's ''

Pachinko is a mechanical game originating in Japan that is used as an arcade game, and much more frequently for gambling. Pachinko fills a niche in Gambling in Japan, Japanese gambling comparable to that of the slot machine in the West as a form of l ...

'', but also for the Korean market productions of ''

Train to Busan ''Train to Busan'' () is a 2016 South Korean action horror film directed by Yeon Sang-ho, written by Park Joo-suk, and starring Gong Yoo, Jung Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok, Kim Su-an, Choi Woo-shik, Ahn So-hee, and Kim Eui-sung. The film mostly t ...

'', ''

Old Boy Old boy or Oldboy or Old Boys may refer to: * Old Boys, male former pupils of schools in Britain, some schools in Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago ** Old boy network, social and business connections among former pupils o ...

'', and ''

Decision to Leave ''Decision to Leave'' () is a 2022 South Korean neo-noir romantic mystery film directed, co-written and produced by Park Chan-wook. The film follows married detective Jang Hae-jun (Park Hae-il), whose investigation of a man's death leads him t ...

'', as well as the popular K-Drama ''

Reply 1997 ''Reply 1997'' () is a 2012 South Korean television series and the first installment of the ''Reply'' anthology series. It centers on the lives of six friends in Busan as the timeline moves back and forth between their past selves as 18-year-old ...

'', highlighting the distinct

Gyeongsang dialect The Gyeongsang dialects (), also known as Southeastern Korean (), are dialects of the Korean language from the historical region of Gyeongsang Province. Today, that region is divided into Daegu, Busan, Ulsan, North Gyeongsang Province, and Sou ...

, which is comparable to a

Scottish English Scottish English is the set of varieties of the English language spoken in Scotland. The transregional, standardised variety is called Scottish Standard English or Standard Scottish English (SSE). Scottish Standard English may be defined ...

in relation to standard

British English British English is the set of Variety (linguistics), varieties of the English language native to the United Kingdom, especially Great Britain. More narrowly, it can refer specifically to the English language in England, or, more broadly, to ...

. Works set in Busan tend to be crime noirs. Additionally, Busan often appears as an escape location or disaster area. Stories where characters escape to Busan to flee accidents or disasters in Seoul and then escape overseas are quite common clichés in Korean disaster films. Train to Busan carries out an escape to Busan, as the title suggests. Until the late 1990s, most dramas, movies, commercials, and music videos were filmed in the Seoul area, making filming outside Seoul quite rare. In the early 2000s, it was relatively easy to obtain permits for road closures and explosion scenes in Busan that would have been impossible in Seoul. Thanks to active support from the city, word of mouth started in the film industry, leading to a preference for filming in the Busan area. In particular, the film ''Haeundae'' was a box office success, achieving 10 million viewers.

Demographics

Between 1945 and 1951, the city's population grew from 280,000 to 840,000. It decreased from 3,513,777 in 2015 to 3,266,598 in 2024. This decline, which accelerated in the 1990s, is attributed to South Korea's economic shift towards high-tech industries, concentrated around Seoul, and away from Busan's traditional manufacturing base.

Religion

In 2024, 29% followed

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

and 21% followed

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

(14%

Protestantism Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

and 7%

Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

), and 2% other religions. 48% of the population is irreligious.

Sports

The city planned to bid for the

2020 Summer Olympics The officially the and officially branded as were an international multi-sport event that was held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some of the preliminary sporting events beginning on 21 July 2021. Tokyo ...

, but withdrew after the

2018 Winter Olympics The 2018 Winter Olympics (), officially the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (; ) and also known as PyeongChang 2018 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held between 9 and 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County, South Ko ...

were awarded to

Pyeongchang Pyeongchang ( , ; in full, ''Pyeongchang-gun'' ) is a county in the province of Gangwon-do, South Korea, located in the Taebaek Mountains region. It is home to several Buddhist temples, including Woljeongsa. It is about east southeast of Seo ...

, also located in South Korea. The 2020 Summer Olympics were eventually awarded to

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

. It considered bidding to host the

2032 Summer Olympics The 2032 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXV Olympiad and also known as Brisbane 2032 or Bris2032, is an upcoming international multi-sport event scheduled to take place from 23 July to 8 August 2032, with Brisbane, Queensland, ...

. Sports teams and facilities

Baseball

Since 1982, the city has been home to the

Lotte Giants The Lotte Giants () are a South Korean professional baseball, professional baseball team based in Busan. They are a member of the KBO League. The Lotte Giants are owned by Lotte Corporation. From 1982 through 1985, they played at Gudeok Baseball ...

, who play in the

Korea Professional Baseball The KBO League () is a professional baseball league in South Korea. The league comprises ten teams. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers are the most succes ...

league. In Korea, Busan is known as the capital of baseball and has a reputation for very enthusiastic baseball fans.사직구장 대대적 보수로 지정석만 2만1천석
. Sports Khan. Retrieved 2011-11-27 For the first few years, the Lotte Giants utilized Gudeok Baseball Stadium as their home. In the mid-1980s, they moved to

Sajik Baseball Stadium The Sajik Baseball Stadium () is a baseball stadium in Sajik-dong, Dongnae-gu, Busan, South Korea. It was built in 1985 and is the home stadium of KBO League, KBO club Lotte Giants. It has a seating capacity of 24,500. It is known as a mecca for K ...

, which was built as part of a sports complex for the

1986 Asian Games The 1986 Asian Games (), officially known as the 10th Asian Games and the X Asiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1986 (), were held from 20 September to 5 October 1986, in Seoul, South Korea. The venues and facilities of the 10th Asiad were the sa ...

Football

The city is home to a

K League K League () is South Korea's professional football league. It includes the first division K League 1 and the second division K League 2. Clubs competing in the K League have won a record total of twelve AFC Champions League Elite, AFC Champions ...

football club, the

Busan IPark Busan IPark FC () is a South Korean professional football club based in Busan that competes in K League 2, the second tier of the South Korean football pyramid. They play their home games at the Busan Gudeok Stadium. Busan IPark was founded as ...

. The club was formerly known as the Busan Daewoo Royals and was a successful team during the 1990s. Busan is also home to a

K3 League The K3 League is the third-highest division in the South Korean football league system. It was run as an amateur league until 2019, but was relaunched as a semi-professional league after absorbing the Korea National League in 2020. It is cur ...

football club, the

Busan Transportation Corporation The Busan Transportation Corporation () is a South Korean transport company based in Busan, that was established on January 1, 2006, following the abolition of the Busan Urban Transit Authority founded in 1987. The Busan Transportation Corporat ...

Basketball

Until 2021, Busan was home of the

Korean Basketball League The Korean Basketball League () or simply KBL is a professional men's basketball league in South Korea which was established in 1997. The league consists of ten teams and each team plays a total of 54 games (27 home and 27 away) in the regular s ...

team

Busan KT Sonicboom Suwon KT Sonicboom () is a professional basketball club based in Suwon, South Korea which plays in the Korean Basketball League. Their home games are played at the Suwon KT Sonicboom Arena. Founded in 1997, the team was initially based in Gwangju ...

, which played at the

Sajik Arena The Sajik Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Busan, South Korea. Built in 1985, the seating capacity of the arena is 14,099.Women's Korean Basketball League The Women's Korean Basketball League (WKBL) (Hangul: 한국여자프로농구) is the premier professional women's basketball league in South Korea. The league was established in 1998. Current clubs See also * Korean Basketball League Ex ...

team

Busan BNK Sum Busan BNK Sum () is a South Korean professional basketball club playing in the Women's Korean Basketball League. Honours * WKBL Championship :: Winners (2): 2004 (winter), 2024–25 :: Runners-up (2): 2010–11, 2022–23 *WKBL Regular Season ...

. They played at the Geumjeong Gymnasium from 2019 to 2021, and they currently play at the Sajik Arena.

2002 FIFA World Cup

The

2002 FIFA World Cup The 2002 FIFA World Cup, also branded as Korea/Japan 2002, was the 17th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial Association football, football world championship for List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams organized by ...

was the world's 17th FIFA World Cup, held from 31 May to 30 June 2002 at locations in South Korea and Japan. Busan hosted matches between France and Uruguay, and ROK against Poland at the Busan Asiad Stadium.

2002 Asian Games

The

were held in Busan from September 29 to October 14, 2002. 9,900 athletes from 44 countries competed in 38 sports. Many public sports complexes and university gymnasiums, including Busan Asiad Stadium were used for the games' venues. The mascot was a seagull, the city bird of Busan named, "Duria".

East Timor Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the coastal exclave of Oecusse in the island's northwest, and ...

took part in the games for the first time. As well, North Korea also participated for the first time in an international event held in South Korea.

Festivals and events

Busan celebrates festivals all year round.

Medical facilities

Busan has many hospitals and clinics. Many cosmetic surgery, dermatological, ophthalmic, and dental clinics are concentrated in '' Seomyeon medical street''. Hospitals in Busan include Pusan National University Hospital with 1,300 beds in Ami-dong, Kosin University Gospel Hospital with 957 beds in Amnam-dong, Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences specializing in cancer treatment with 298 beds, Dong-A University Hospital with 999 beds in Dongdaesin-dong, Dong-eui Medical Center with 468 beds offering cooperative western and oriental medicine treatment in Yangjeong-dong, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital with 837 beds in Gaegeum-dong, Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital with 896 beds in Jwa-dong, Busan Medical Center with 555 beds in Sajik-dong and Busan Veterans Hospital in Jurye-dong, Sasang District. In particular, Seomyeon Medical Street, which first started construction in the Bujeon-dong area beginning in 1990, has formed a cluster of more than 230 medical institutions, full of expertise, that is difficult to find in other parts of the world. The "Seomyeon Medical Street Festival" has taken place annually since 2012.

Major medical centers

Transportation

Bus

Major express bus lines link Busan with other cities in Korea at two primary bus terminals, Nopodong Bus Terminal (at the northern terminus of Subway Line 1) and Busan Seobu Bus Terminal at Sasang Station on Subway Line 2. 134 routes of urban bus service reach every part of Busan.

City buses

City buses operate a total of 160 routes. There are express buses connecting major areas quickly through tunnels and overpasses and general city buses which make stops at each bus stop. There are also airport buses connecting the

Gimhae International Airport Gimhae International Airport is located on the western end of Busan, South Korea. Opened in 1976, the airport is named after the nearby city of Gimhae. A new international terminal opened on October 31, 2007. Gimhae International Airport i ...

and the downtown area. Some of the city buses of Busan's adjacent cities including

Yangsan Yangsan (; ) is a city in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Korea. It borders Ulsan to the northeast, Gijang-gun and Geumjeong District in Busan to the southeast, Gimhae to the southwest, and Miryang to the northwest. City Hall is located in Nam ...

Gimhae Gimhae (, ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, situated near the Nakdong River. It is the seat of the large Gimhae Kim clan, one of the largest Kim (Korean name), Kim clans in Korea, cla ...

, and

also offer service to Busan.

Gimhae Airport Limousine Bus

Gimhae Airport Limousine Bus is one of the fastest buses connecting

and the downtown area. As of 2012, three routes are operated by Taeyoung Airport Limousine Corp. - Nampo-dong: Gimhae International Airport ↔ Seomyeon, Busanjin Station,

Busan Station Busan station () is a train station in Busan, South Korea. It is the southern terminus of the Gyeongbu Line & the Gyeongbu high-speed railway, the most important railway lines in the country, which links Busan with Seoul Seoul, official ...

, Nampo-dong ↔ Chungmu-dong (Seo-gu Office) - Haeundae No.1: Gimhae International Airport ↔ Namcheon-dong,

, Dongbaekseom (Westin Chosun Busan), Haeundae ↔ New City (Jangsan Station) - Haeundae No.2: Gimhae International Airport ↔ Namcheon-dong,

Gwangan Bridge The Gwangandaegyo () or Diamond Bridge is a suspension bridge located in Busan, South Korea. It connects Haeundae District to Suyeong District. The road surface is about 6,500 metres long, with the bridge as a whole spanning 7,420 metres. It is ...

, Haeundae ↔ New Town (Jangsan Station) Express Bus

Intercity buses

Intercity buses to the east

Gyeongnam South Gyeongsang Province (, ) is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Haeinsa, a Buddhist temple that ...

Gyeongbuk North Gyeongsang Province (, ) is a province in eastern South Korea, and with an area of , it is the largest province in the Korean peninsula. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, and remained ...

, Gangwon and

Gyeonggi Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...

Provinces are available at the Busan Central Bus Terminal. Buses offering service to West Gyeongnam and

Jeolla Province Jeolla Province (, ) was one of the historical Eight Provinces of Korea during the Kingdom of Joseon in southwestern Korea. It consisted of the modern South Korean provinces of North Jeolla, South Jeolla and Gwangju Metropolitan City as well as J ...

depart from the Busan West Bus Terminal located in Sasang. Buses to the east Gyeongnam area, including Ulsan, Gimhae, and Changwon, the

Seoul Metropolitan Area The Seoul Metropolitan Area (Sudogwon; , ) or Gyeonggi (region), Gyeonggi region (), is the metropolitan area of Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province, located in north-western South Korea. Its population of 26 million (as of 2024) is ranked ...

, including

Osan Osan (; ) is a Subdivisions of South Korea, city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, approximately south of Seoul. The population of the city is around 200,000. The local economy is supported by a mix of agricultural and industrial enterprises. ...

Suwon Suwon (; ) is the largest city and capital of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea's most populous province. The city lies approximately south of the national capital, Seoul. With a population of 1.2 million, Suwon has more inhabitants than Ulsan, tho ...

Ansan Ansan (, ) is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It lies southwest of Seoul and is part of the Seoul Metropolitan Area. It is connected to Seoul by rail via Seoul Subway Line 4. It is situated on the Yellow Sea coast and some islands lie ...

Bucheon Bucheon (; ) is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Bucheon is located away from Seoul, of which it is a satellite city. It is located between Incheon and Seoul. Bucheon is the second most densely populated city in South Korea after Seo ...

and Dong Seoul, and the southern Gangwon area, including

Donghae Donghae () may refer to: * East Sea, the South Korean name of the Sea of Japan ** Donghae Expressway, the name of the expressway in South Korea ** Donghae Line, a railway line in Busan, South Korea * Donghae City, in South Korea ** ''Donghae''-c ...

and

Gangneung Gangneung (; ) is a list of cities in South Korea, municipal city in Gangwon, South Korea, Gangwon province, on the east coast of South Korea. It has a population of 213,658 (as of 2017).Gangneung City (2003)Population & Households. Retrieved Ja ...

, are available at the Haeundae Intercity Bus Terminal. The Dongnae Intercity Bus Terminal has buses to the central and southern Gyeongnam area, including Changwon, Gimhae, Gosung, Tongyoung, and Geoje, as well as to

Suncheon Suncheon (; ) is the largest city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, with a population of 280,719 as of 2022. It is located in the southeast of the province and is a scenic agricultural and industrial city, known for tourist attractions, suc ...

Yeosu Yeosu, formerly romanized as Yosu, is a coastal city located on the southern shore of South Korea. With a population of 268,823, Yeosu is the second largest city in South Jeolla Province. In 1998, the Old Yeosu City, Yeocheon City and Yeocheon C ...

and

Gwangyang Gwangyang (; ) is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. Gwangyang is the home of POSCO's Gwangyang Steel Works, the largest facility of its kind in the world. The city is also home to K League Classic football side Jeonnam Dragons. Gwa ...

Sea

Ferries leaving from the ''International Ferry Terminal'' at Busan Port Pier 3,4 connect Busan to the Japanese ports of Izuhara and Hitakatsu on Tsushima Island, as well as the cities of

, and

Osaka is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...

on Japan's mainland. *PanStar operates the ''PanStar Ferry'' between Busan and Osaka. *The ''Seaflower 2'', the ferry to Tsushima operated by Dae-a Express Shipping, carries passengers only between Busan and Hitakatsu in 1 hour 40 minutes and between Busan and Izuhara in 2 hours 40 minutes. *The ''Seonghee'', operated by Pukwan Ferry, links Busan to Shimono. *One of the ferries to Fukuoka is the ''Camellia'', operated by the Camellia Line. The Camellia makes the trip to Fukuoka overnight in 7 hours 30 minutes, and a trip back in the afternoon in 5 hours 30 minutes. *The other ferry service to Fukuoka is assumed by the ''Beetle''s and the ''Kobee''s, 2 fleets of high-speed

hydrofoil A hydrofoil is a lifting surface, or foil, that operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to aerofoils used by aeroplanes. Boats that use hydrofoil technology are also simply termed hydrofoils. As a hydrofoil craft gains sp ...

s operated by Miraejet. About five departures from each city are scheduled every day. By hydrofoil, it only takes 2 hours and 55 minutes to cross the

to Fukuoka. The ''Beetle''s are owned by

JR Kyushu The , also referred to as , is one of the seven constituent companies of Japan Railways Group (JR Group). It operates intercity rail services within Kyushu, Japan. It formerly operated the Beetle hydrofoil service across the Tsushima Strait be ...

Rail

Busan lies on a number of rail lines, of which the most important is the

which connects it to other major cities such as

Daejeon Daejeon (; ) is South Korea's list of cities in South Korea, fifth-largest metropolis, with a population of nearly 1.5 million. Located in a central lowland valley between the Sobaek Mountains and the Geum River, the city is known both as a ...

, and

. All classes of trains run along the Gyeongbu Line, including the super high speed KTX trains which provide frequent services to Seoul in approximately 150 minutes. The Gyeongbu Line terminates at

. Other lines include the

Donghae Nambu Line The Donghae Nambu Line () is a railway line connecting Busan to Pohang in South Korea. The line runs along South Korea's east coast. On December 30, 2016, it was merged into Donghae Line. History On October 31, 1918, an extension of the Daegu ...

which connects

Pohang Pohang (; ), formerly spelled Po-Hang, is the largest city in North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, with a List of cities in South Korea, population of 499,363 as of 2022, bordering the Sea of Japan, East Sea to the east, Yeongcheon to the w ...

and

Gyeongju Gyeongju (, ), historically known as Seorabeol (, ), is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is the second largest city by area in the province after Andong, covering with a population of ...

. SRT was first launched in 2016 and runs along the Gyeongbu and Honam high-speed railways. SRT offers a new gateway connecting the Gangnam area of Seoul with major cities. It is directly connected to Subway Line 3 and the Bundang Line, enhancing accessibility to Subway Lines 2, 5, and 8, as well as the Shinbundang Line, and it is also located near the Dongbu Expressway which connects to other major highways.

Metro

There are six subway lines as of January 2017. The transit stations are as follows: Seomyeon Station (Line 1, 2) / Yeonsan Station (Line 1, 3) /

Suyeong Station Suyeong Station is a station on the Busan Metro Line 2 and Line 3 located in U-dong, Suyeong District, Busan. The station is unrelated to the Centum station operated by Korail. Gallery File:4753 Photo 수영역.jpg, Station Sign (Line 2) ...

(Lines 2, 3) /

Deokcheon Station Deokcheon Station is a station on the Busan Metro Line 2 and Line 3 located in Deokcheon-dong, Buk District, Busan. The subname in parentheses is ''Busan Institute of Science and Technology''. Station facilities A commercial area is located ...

(Lines 2, 3) / Minam Station (Lines 3, 4) / Dongnae Station (Lines 1, 4) / Sasang Station (Line 2, Busan - Gimhae Light Rail Transit) /

Daejeo Station Daejeo station () is a station of the Busan Metro Busan Metro Line 3, Line 3 and Busan–Gimhae Light Rail Transit, BGLRT Line located in Daejeo-dong, Gangseo District, Busan, South Korea. It is a southern terminus of Line 3 at this station. Du ...

(Line 3, Busan - Gimhae Light Rail Transit) /

Busan National University of Education Station Busan Nat'l Univ. of Edu. Station () is a station of the Busan Metro Line 1 & Donghae Line in Geoje-dong, Yeonje District, Busan, South Korea. It was named as such due to its proximity to the Busan National University of Education located on the ...

(Line 1, Donghae Line) /

Bexco Station BEXCO station () is a station on the Busan Metro Line 2 and Donghae Line in U-dong, Haeundae District, Busan, South Korea. The subname in parentheses is "Busan Museum of Modern Art". The metro station was formerly named "Busan Museum of Modern A ...

(Line 2, Donghae Line) / Geoje Station (Line 3, Donghae Line).

Air

Busan is served by

Gangseo District Gangseo-gu (), or "''west of river'' district," is the name of a ''gu'' in 2 South Korean cities: *Gangseo District, Busan *Gangseo District, Seoul Gangseo District (; ) is one of the 25 districts (''gu'') of Seoul, South Korea. It is locate ...

. Gimhae International Airport is connected by Busan-Gimhae Light Rail Transit. A new airport is being built on the southern end of

Gadeokdo Gadeokdo () is an island of Busan, South Korea. Gadeokdo is the largest island of Busan. It is connected to the mainland by the Gadeok Bridge and Nulcha Bridge. It is connected to Geojedo by the Busan-Geoje Fixed Link. In April 2022, plans fo ...

island to replace Gimhae International Airport, this will be the first airport constructed offshore in South Korea. But, this plan is almost deleted now.

International relations

Sister cities

Busan shares the title of

sister city A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inte ...

with several coastal cities or provinces around the world. *

Kaohsiung Kaohsiung, officially Kaohsiung City, is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsiung City has a population of approximately 2.73 million p ...

, Taiwan (1966) *

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, US (1967) *

, Japan (1976) *

Barcelona Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...

, Spain (1983) *

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

, Brazil (1985) *

Vladivostok Vladivostok ( ; , ) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai and the capital of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. It is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea of Japan, covering an area o ...

, Russia (1992) *

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

, China (1993) *

Surabaya Surabaya is the capital city of East Java Provinces of Indonesia, province and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. Located on the northeastern corner of Java island, on the Madura Strai ...

, Indonesia (1994) * State of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

, Australia (1994) *

Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...

, Vietnam (1995) *

Tijuana Tijuana is the most populous city of the Mexican state of Baja California, located on the northwestern Pacific Coast of Mexico. Tijuana is the municipal seat of the Tijuana Municipality, the hub of the Tijuana metropolitan area and the most popu ...

, Mexico (1995) *

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

, New Zealand (1996) *

Valparaíso Valparaíso () is a major city, Communes of Chile, commune, Port, seaport, and naval base facility in the Valparaíso Region of Chile. Valparaíso was originally named after Valparaíso de Arriba, in Castilla–La Mancha, Castile-La Mancha, Spain ...

, Chile (1999) *

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

, Canada (2000) *

Western Cape The Western Cape ( ; , ) is a provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the List of South African provinces by area, fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , an ...

, South Africa (2000) *

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

, Turkey (2002) *

Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...

, UAE (2006) *

, Japan (2007) *

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, US (2007) *

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

, Russia (2008) *

Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...

, Cambodia (2009) *

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

, India (2009) *

Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...

, Greece (2010) *

Casablanca Casablanca (, ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Chaouia (Morocco), Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a populatio ...

, Morocco (2011) *

Cebu Province Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...

, Philippines (2011) *

Yangon Yangon, formerly romanized as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar. Yangon was the List of capitals of Myanmar, capital of Myanmar until 2005 and served as such until 2006, when the State Peace and Dev ...

, Myanmar (2013) *

Gdynia Gdynia is a city in northern Poland and a seaport on the Baltic Sea coast. With an estimated population of 257,000, it is the List of cities in Poland, 12th-largest city in Poland and the second-largest in the Pomeranian Voivodeship after Gdańsk ...

, Poland (2020)

Friendship cities

Busan has 11 friendship cities in six countries. *

Shenzhen Shenzhen is a prefecture-level city in the province of Guangdong, China. A Special economic zones of China, special economic zone, it is located on the east bank of the Pearl River (China), Pearl River estuary on the central coast of Guangdong ...

, China (2007) *

Tianjin Tianjin is a direct-administered municipality in North China, northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the National Central City, nine national central cities, with a total population of 13,866,009 inhabitants at the time of the ...

, China (2007) *

, Japan (2008) *

Chongqing ChongqingPostal Romanization, Previously romanized as Chungking ();. is a direct-administered municipality in Southwestern China. Chongqing is one of the four direct-administered municipalities under the State Council of the People's Republi ...

, China (2010) *

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...

, Thailand (2011) *

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

, China (2013) *

Nagasaki , officially , is the capital and the largest Cities of Japan, city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Founded by the Portuguese, the port of Portuguese_Nagasaki, Nagasaki became the sole Nanban trade, port used for tr ...

, Japan (2014) *

Bandar Abbas Bandar Abbas (, ) is a city in the Central District of Bandar Abbas County, Hormozgan province, Iran, serving as capital of the province, the county, and the district. Bandar Abbas is a port on the southern coast of the country, on the Persian ...

, Iran (2016) *

Ulaanbaatar Ulaanbaatar is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities in Mongolia, most populous city of Mongolia. It has a population of 1.6 million, and it is the coldest capital city in the world by average yearly temperature. The municipa ...

, Mongolia (2016) *

Panama City Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific Ocean, Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, i ...

, Panama (2016) *

Guangzhou Guangzhou, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Canton or Kwangchow, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Guangdong Provinces of China, province in South China, southern China. Located on the Pearl River about nor ...

, China (2019)

Sister ports

The

Port of Busan The port of Busan is the largest port in South Korea, located in the city of Busan, South Korea. Its location is known as Busan Harbour. The port is ranked sixth in the world's container throughput and is the largest seaport in South Korea. The ...

also has 6 sister ports (listed in order of dates). * –

Port of Southampton The Port of Southampton is a passenger and cargo port in the central part of the south coast of England. The modern era in the history of the Port of Southampton began when the first dock was inaugurated in 1843. After the Port of Felixstowe, ...

, UK (1978) * –

Port of Miami The Port of Miami, styled as PortMiami and formally known as the Dante B. Fascell Port of Miami, is a major seaport located in Biscayne Bay at the mouth of the Miami River in Miami, Florida. It is the largest passenger port in the world and one ...

, US (1981) * –

Port of Osaka The is the main port in Japan, located in Osaka within Osaka Bay. The Port of Osaka also has several sister ports including the Port of Busan.

, Japan (1985) * –

Port of Rotterdam The Port of Rotterdam is the largest seaport in Europe, and the world's largest seaport outside of Asia, located in and near the city of Rotterdam, in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. From 1962 until 2004, it was the List of bus ...

, Netherlands (1985) * – Port of New York & New Jersey, US (1988) * –

Port of Shanghai The Port of Shanghai ( zh, c=上海港, p=''Shànghǎi Gǎng'' ; Wu; ''Zånhae Kån'') is located in the vicinity of Shanghai, comprises a deep-sea port and a river port. The main port enterprise in Shanghai, the Shanghai International Por ...

, China (1994)

Notable people

* Ahn Bohyun (born 1988), actor * Ahn Jaehong (born 1986), actor * Ahn Jaemo (born 1979), singer and actor * Bae Woohee (born 1991), singer, actress, and former member of

Dal Shabet Dal Shabet (Hangul: , stylized as Dal★Shabet or Dalshabet) is a South Korean girl group created by E-Tribe under Happy Face Entertainment. The group debuted on January 3, 2011, with the EP ''Supa Dupa Diva'' and with six members: Viki (singer) ...

and

Uni.T Uni.T (; stylized as UNI.T) was a South Korean girl group formed through the KBS survival show ''The Unit''. The group consisted of nine members: Yang Ji-won, Bae Woo-hee, Yoonjo, ZN, NC.A, Euijin, Yebin, Lee Hyun-joo and Lee Su-ji. For the ...

* Baek Seunghyeon (born 1975), actor * Cho Jinwoong (born 1976), actor * Cho Won-woo (born 1994),

windsurfer Windsurfing is a wind-propelled water sport that is a combination of sailing and surfing. It is also referred to as "sailboarding" and "boardsailing", and emerged in the late 1960s from the Californian aerospace and surf culture. Windsurfing gain ...

* Choi Jin-ri / Sulli (born 1994, died 2019), singer, actress, and former member of

F(x) F, or f, is the sixth letter of the Latin alphabet and many modern alphabets influenced by it, including the modern English alphabet and the alphabets of all other modern western European languages. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounc ...

* Choi Jiwoo (born 1975), actress * Choi Kwonsoo (born 2004), actor * Choi Min-gi / Ren (born 1995), singer, songwriter, actor, and former member of

NU'EST NU'EST (; short for New Establish Style Tempo) was a South Korean boy band formed and managed by Pledis Entertainment. The group consisted of five members: Kim Jong-hyeon, JR, Aron (singer), Aron, Baekho (singer), Baekho, Hwang Min-hyun, Minhyu ...

* Choi Ye-won / Arin (born 1999), singer, actress, and member of

Oh My Girl Oh My Girl (, stylized in all caps or OMG) is a South Korean girl group formed by WM Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Hyojung, Mimi, YooA, Seunghee, Yubin and Arin (singer), Arin. Originally an eight-piece group, JinE left t ...

* Chu Sojung / Exy (born 1995), rapper, singer, songwriter, actress and member of

WJSN WJSN (; ), also known as Cosmic Girls, is a South Korean girl group formed by Starship Entertainment and Yuehua Entertainment. The group is composed of ten members: Seola (singer), Seola, Bona (singer), Bona, Exy, Soobin, Luda (singer), Luda, ...

* Chun Hojin (born 1960), actor *

Daniel Dae Kim Daniel Dae Kim (born August 4, 1968) is an American actor. He is known for his many roles in network television and theater. In 2025, ''Time'' magazine listed him as one of the world's 100 most influential people. On television, he portray ...

(born 1968), Korean-American actor * Gang Dongwon (born 1981), actor *

Gong Yoo Gong Ji-cheol (; born July 10, 1979), known professionally as Gong Yoo (), is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his starring roles in the television series ''Coffee Prince'' (2007), '' Guardian: The Lonely and Great God'' (2016–2017 ...

(born in 1979), actor * Grace Jung (born 1987), Korean American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and filmmaker * Ha Yeonsoo (born 1990), actress *

Han Seung-woo Han Seung-woo (, born December 24, 1994), known mononymously as Seungwoo, is a South Korean singer, singer-songwriter, and actor. He debuted as a member of South Korean group Victon in 2016. In 2019, he finished third on ''Produce X 101'' and ...

(born 1994), singer-songwriter, rapper, dancer, actor, member of

Victon Victon (; stylized as VICTON, an acronym for Voice to New World) is a South Korean boy group formed in 2016 by IST Entertainment (formerly A Cube Entertainment, Plan A Entertainment, and Play M Entertainment). The group is composed of six member ...

and former member of X1 *

Han Sun-hwa Han Sun-hwa (; born October 6, 1990), also known mononymously as Sunhwa, is a South Korean actress and singer. She is a former member of the South Korean girl group Secret. She made her television debut in 2004 while participating in SBS' ''Su ...

(born 1990), singer, actress, and former member of

Secret Secrecy is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the "need to know", perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret. Secrecy is often controver ...

* Heamin Choi (born 1984), racing driver * Heo Sungtae (born 1977), actor *

Hwang Min-hyun Hwang Min-hyun (; born August 9, 1995), known mononymously as Minhyun, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, and actor. He began his career, debuting as a member of the South Korean boy band NU'EST in March 2012. In 2017, he participated in secon ...

(born 1995), singer, songwriter, actor, and former member of

Wanna One Wanna One () was a South Korean boy band formed by CJ E&M through the second season of '' Produce 101''. The group was composed of eleven members: Kang Daniel, Park Ji-hoon, Lee Dae-hwi, Kim Jae-hwan, Ong Seong-wu, Park Woo-jin, Lai Kuan-li ...

and

* Jang Hyejin (born 1975), actress *

Jang Wooyoung Jang Woo-young (; born on April 30, 1989), better known mononymously as Wooyoung, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. In 2008, he debuted as a member of 2PM, a boy band currently managed by JYP Entertainment. He is mainly ...

(born 1989), singer, songwriter, dancer, actor, and member of

2PM 2PM () is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment. The group is composed of six members: Jun. K (formerly known as Junsu), Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho, and Chansung. Originally a seven-piece group, Jaebeom left the band ...

* Jeon Jungkook (born 1997), singer, producer, songwriter, dancer, and member of

BTS BTS (), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a South Korean boy band formed in 2010. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, who co-write or co-produce much of their material. Originally a hip hop group, they ...

* Jung Eunchae (born 1986), model, actress, and singer *

Jung Dae-hyun Jung Dae-hyun (; born June 28, 1993), also known mononymously as Daehyun, is a South Korean singer and actor. He debuted as an idol in the six-member group B.A.P under TS Entertainment, where he served as the main vocalist from 2012 to its dis ...

(born 1993), singer, songwriter, actor, and former member of

B.A.P Bang & Jung & Yoo & Moon () is a South Korean boy band under MA Entertainment. The group, originally consisting of Bang Yong-guk, Yongguk, Himchan, Jung Dae-hyun, Daehyun, Yoo Young-jae, Youngjae, Moon Jong-up, Jong-up, and Zelo is best known ...

Jung Eun-ji Jung Eun-ji (; born Jung Hye-rim on August 18, 1993), is a South Korean singer-songwriter and actress. She is best known as the vocalist of the South Korean girl group Apink. Renowned for her powerful vocals, she possesses perfect pitch and has ...

(born 1993), singer, songwriter, actress, and member of

Apink Apink (; ) is a South Korean girl group formed by IST Entertainment, (formerly Play M Entertainment, A Cube Entertainment, and Plan A Entertainment) and managed by Choi Creative Lab as of April 2024. The group debuted on April 19, 2011, with the ...

* Jo Yuri (born 2001), singer, actress, and former member of

Iz*One Iz*One ( ; ; ; stylized in all caps) was a South Korean–Japanese girl group formed through the Mnet (TV channel), Mnet reality competition show ''Produce 48''. The group was composed of twelve members: Jang Won-young, Sakura Miyawaki, Jo Yu-r ...

Kang Daniel Kang Daniel (; born Kang Eui-geon, December 10, 1996), stylized as KANGDANIEL, is a South Korean singer-songwriter, actor, television host, and businessman who rose to fame in early 2017 as the first-place winner of the Produce 101 Season 2, s ...

(born in 1996), singer, a former member of

* Kang Haneul (born 1990), actor *

Kang Mal-geum Kang Mal-geum (; born January 3, 1979) is a South Korean actress. She graduated in Arts from Pusan National University, Department of Korean Language and Literature. She made her acting debut in 2010 in the film ''Yong-Tae: The Ordinary Memori ...

(born 1979), actress * Kang Seungyoon (born 1994), singer-songwriter, actor, composer, and member of

WINNER Winner(s) or The Winner(s) may refer to: * Champion, the victor in a game or contest *The successful social class in winner and loser culture Film * ''The Winner'' (1926 film), an American silent film starring Billy Sullivan * ''The Winner'' ...

* Kim Dongjun (born 1992), singer, actor, and former member of ZE:A *

Kim Hee-jin Kim Hee-jin (; born 29 April 1991) is a South Korean volleyball player. She is a member of the South Korea women's national volleyball team at the 2012 Summer Olympics, 2016 Summer Olympics and 2020 Summer Olympics. The team finished at fourth ...

(born in 1991), South Korea women's national volleyball team * Kim Jisoo (born 1993), actor and model * Kim Junghyun (born 1990), actor * Kim Minjeong / Winter (born in 2001), singer and member of

Aespa Aespa ( ; , stylized in Letter case#All lowercase, all lowercase or as æspa) is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group consists of four members: Karina (South Korean singer), Karina, Giselle (singer), Giselle, Winter ...

and

Got the Beat Got the Beat (; stylized as GOT the beat) is a South Korean Supergroup (music), supergroup and first sub-unit of project group Girls On Top. Formed by SM Entertainment in 2022, composed of seven female artists who already debuted under the agency ...

. * Kim Seulgi (born 1991), actress and comedian * Kim Seyong (born 1991), singer, rapper, actor, and former member of

Myname Myname (; stylized as MYNAME) is a South Korean boy group created by Fly to the Sky's Hwanhee under H2 Media. The group is composed of five members: Gunwoo, Insoo, Seyong, Jun.Q, and Chaejin. The group debuted on October 27, 2011 with their ...

* Kim Suk (born 1975), comedian * Kim Taehee (born 1980), actress and model * Kim Wonhae (born 1969), actor and comedian *

Kwon Mina Kwon Mina (; born September 21, 1993), mononymously known as Mina'','' is a former South Korean singer and actress. She was a vocalist and rapper of the girl group AOA and bassist of the sub-unit AOA Black. Kwon has acted in television dramas ...

(born 1993), singer, actress, and former member of

AOA Aoa, AOA, or AoA may refer to: Government * Agreement on Agriculture, a World Trade Organization treaty * Administration on Aging, a health agency of the United States * Angolan kwanza, the currency of Angola * Auxiliary Organizations Associatio ...

and AOA Black * Lee Hodong / Lee Howon / Hoya (born 1991), singer, rapper, songwriter, dancer, actor, former member of

Infinite Infinite may refer to: Mathematics *Infinite set, a set that is not a finite set *Infinity, an abstract concept describing something without any limit Music Performers *Infinite (group), a South Korean boy band *Infinite (rapper), Canadian ra ...

* Lee Jonghyun (born 1990), singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor, and former member of

CNBLUE CNBLUE () is a South Korean pop rock band formed in 2009. The band consists of Jung Yong-hwa (leader, main vocals, guitar, keyboard, rapping, rap), Kang Min-hyuk (drum kit, drums), and Lee Jung-shin (bass guitar, bass). First bassist Kwon Kwang- ...

* Lee Jang-kun (born 1992), professional

Kabaddi Kabaddi (, ) is a contact team sport played between two teams of seven players. It is one of the traditional games of South Asia. In this game, a raider enters the opposing half of the court to touch defenders and attempt to return within 30 ...

player * Lee Jihoon / Woozi (born 1996), singer, dancer, producer, songwriter, and member of Seventeen * Lee Joongi (born 1982), actor, singer, writer, dancer, and model * Lee Junghwan / Sandeul (born 1992), singer, actor, and member of

B1A4 B1A4 () is a South Korean boy band formed by WM Entertainment. The group debuted on April 23, 2011, with the single "O.K" from the EP '' Let's Fly'', after being introduced to the public through a webtoon. They have released nine studio albums ...

* Lee Seunghoon / Hoony (born 1992), rapper, dancer, choreographer, and member of

* Lee Suji / Halla (born 1998), singer, actress, and former member of The Ark and

UNI.T Uni.T (; stylized as UNI.T) was a South Korean girl group formed through the KBS survival show ''The Unit''. The group consisted of nine members: Yang Ji-won, Bae Woo-hee, Yoonjo, ZN, NC.A, Euijin, Yebin, Lee Hyun-joo and Lee Su-ji. For the ...

* Nam Joohyuk (born 1994), actor and model * Park Gyeongree / Kyungri (born 1990), singer, actress, and member of Nine Muses *

Park Ji-hoon Park Ji-hoon (; born May 29, 1999) is a South Korean singer and actor. He was initially active as a child actor and advertisement model. Park rose to fame in early 2017 as the second-place winner of the second season of the reality competitio ...

(born 2000), leader, vocalist, dancer, member of

Treasure Treasure (from from Greek ''thēsauros'', "treasure store") is a concentration of wealth — often originating from ancient history — that is considered lost and/or forgotten until rediscovered. Some jurisdictions legally define what constit ...

* Park Jimin (born 1995), singer, songwriter, dancer, and member of

Park Jong-cheol Park Jong-chul (; April 1, 1965 – January 14, 1987) was a South Korean democracy movement activist. His death by torture was a key factor in sparking the June Democratic Struggle, which led to the democratization of South Korea. Biography In ...

, South Korean democratization activist * Park Sanghyun / Thunder (born 1990), singer-songwriter, actor, model, and former member of

MBLAQ MBLAQ (, ; an acronym for Music Boys Live in Absolute Quality) is a South Korean boy band created by South Korean singer Rain under J. Tune Camp. The group consists of Seungho, G.O, and Mir, and formerly Lee Joon and Thunder. The group debuted ...

Sandara Park Sandara Park (; born November 12, 1984), known mononymously as Dara (), is a South Korean singer, actress and television presenter. She rose to fame in the Philippines as a contestant on the ABS-CBN original talent show ''Star Circle Quest'' i ...

(born 1984), singer, actress, and former member of

2NE1 2NE1 (, ) is a South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment in 2009. The group consists of Park Bom, Bom, CL (rapper), CL, Sandara Park, Dara, and Minzy. Known for their Experimental music, musical experimentation, fashion, and stage pre ...

* Park Sooah / Lizzy (born 1992), singer, actress, and member of

After School After School may refer to: Film and television * ''After School'' (1972 film), a Chinese animated short film * ''After School'' (2003 film), a Singaporean film * ''After School'', a 2023 film directed by Lan Cheng-lung * ''Afterschool'', a 2009 ...

and

Orange Caramel Orange Caramel () was the first subgroup of South Korean girl group After School. The subgroup was formed in 2010 with the third generation After School members Nana, Raina, and Lizzy. With no formal announcement of disbandment made, as o ...

* Park Sunyoung / Hyomin (born 1989), singer, songwriter, actress, fashion designer, and member of

T-ara T-ara (; ) is a South Korean girl group formed in 2009, currently consisting of four members: Qri, Hahm Eun-jung, Eunjung, Hyomin, and Park Ji-yeon, Jiyeon. T-ara's career is marked by Hook (music), hook-heavy dance-pop music, a result of their ...

Samantha Futerman Samantha Futerman (born Ra-Hee Chung) is a South Korean-born American actress, writer, director, and activist. She is known for her supporting role in the drama film '' Memoirs of a Geisha'', set in Japan around World War II. She is also known f ...

(born 1987), South Korean-born American actress, writer, director, and activist. *

Seo Yuna Seo Yu-na (; born December 30, 1992), better known by the mononym Yuna, is a South Korean singer, actress and yoga instructor. She is a former member of the South Korean girl group AOA and its sub-groups, AOA Black and AOA Cream. Early li ...

(born 1992), singer, songwriter, actress, producer, yoga instructor and former member of

* Son Dongwoon (born 1991), singer, songwriter, actor, and member of Highlight * Song Seunghyun (born 1992), singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor, and former member of

F.T. Island F.T. Island (, short for Five Treasure Island), is a South Korean rock band formed by FNC Entertainment in 2007. The band currently consists of main vocalist Lee Hong-gi, bassist Lee Jae-jin, and drummer Choi Min-hwan. Guitarist Oh Won-bin left ...

Shin Bong-sun Shin Bong-sun (; born October 6, 1980) is a South Korean comedienne and entertainer. She took a five-year hiatus from comedy from 2010 to 2015, which ended when she joined '' Comedy Big League''. She is currently a member of the South Korean girl ...

(born 1980), comedian *

Jessica Seobyn Ryu Jessica Seo-byn Ryu (born 17 March 2000) is a South Korean model and beauty pageant titleholder who wears the crown of Miss Korea Earth upon being appointed as Miss Earth Korea 2024 and represented her country at Miss Earth 2024. Early life Ryu ...

(born 2000), beauty queen; Miss Korea 2024 *

Park Woo-jin Park Woo-jin (, born November 2, 1999), also known mononymously as Woojin, is a South Korean rapper, singer and songwriter. He placed sixth in the second season of '' Produce 101'', becoming a member of the project group Wanna One. He is a mem ...

(born 1999), rapper, singer, dancer, songwriter, a former member of

, member of

AB6IX AB6IX (; ''pronounced as A-B-Six'') is a South Korean boy band formed by Brand New Music. The group currently consists of four members: Jeon Woong, Kim Dong-hyun, Park Woo-jin and Lee Dae-hwi. Former leader Lim Young-min's departure from the gr ...

* Yang Hyo-jin (born in 1989), a former member of the South Korean women's national volleyball team *

Yang Jeong-in Yang Jeong-in (; born February 8, 2001), known professionally as I.N, is a South Korean singer. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Stray Kids formed by JYP Entertainment in 2017. I.N made his acting debut in the final episode of the ...

/ I.N (born 2001), vocalist, member of

Stray Kids Stray Kids (often abbreviated to SKZ; ) is a South Korean boy band formed by JYP Entertainment. The band consists of eight members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han (musician), Han, Felix (rapper), Felix, Seungmin, and I.N. For un ...

* Yim Siwan (born 1988), singer, actor, and former member of ZE:A * Yoo Jaemyung (born 1973), actor * Yoo Kang-min (born 2003), singer, member of

VERIVERY Verivery (; stylized in all caps and also abbreviated VRVR) is a South Korean boy band formed by Jellyfish Entertainment in 2018. They debuted on January 9, 2019 with ''Veri-Us''. They self-produce their albums and have created several music vid ...

Song kang-ho Song Kang-ho (; born January 17, 1967) is a South Korean actor. Regarded as one of the most influential actors in Korean cinema, he has appeared in critically acclaimed films across various genres. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, i ...

(born 1967), an actor, The lead role in the movie

Parasite Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

*. *.

External links

*
Visit Busan: The Official Travel Guide to Busan Metropolitan CityAll About Busan
small> – The Official Korea Tourism Guide Site * {{Authority control Populated coastal places in South Korea Port cities and towns in South Korea Special Cities and Metropolitan Cities of South Korea