Themed Tour | Recommended Tour

Busan, Movie and the City- Our History

Written and Photographed by Travel Writer Mun Cheol-jin

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From the Hollywood blockbuster “Black Panther” loved by movie fans all around the world and the Korean film “Old Boy” that attracted over 10 million people, to the drama, “The King: Eternal Monarch,” the travel show, “Salty Tour” and, even, the Netflix original, “My Name” that has recently gained much popularity, Busan has been the background for countless movies and dramas. A trip to exotic scenes that have appeared in films is an opportunity to encounter the true charm of the city. We have prepared five different themed travel courses that are more cinematic than an actual movie. Be the main character of a film and explore Busan.

Our History

Time travel for Busan’s stories

During the Korean War, Busan was forced to serve the role as the provisional capital. A city that embraced refugees who were pushed all the way down to the southern edge of the country to flee from the war, Busan acquired a mixture of countless stories, pains, joys and sorrows and came to have a historical heritage that no other city has. A trip in search of the stories held inside Busan is, in other words, a trip to find the city’s identity. From Gamcheon Culture Village where refugees lived in shanties and the Provisional Capital Memorial Hall once used as the residence of the provisional government’s president to the 40 Stairs and 168 Stairs showing the exhausted lives of the people of Busan during the post-war industrialization period and Kangkangee Arts Village, which was the cradle of the Korean shipbuilding industry, let’s dive into the hidden stories of Busan that cannot be fully told even if we stay up all night.

Time travel for Busan’s stories

Gamcheon Culture Village(L.U.C.A.: The Beginning, 2021 / A Little Princess, 2019)
Provisional Capital Memorial Hall
Gukje Market(Ode to My Father, 2014)
Kangkangee Arts Village(My Name, 2021)
Huinnyeoul Culture Village(Waiting For Rain, 2021 / The Attorney, 2013)
40-step Culture & Tourism Theme Street(The King : Eternal Monarch, 2020)
168 Stairs
UN Memorial Cemetery
Uam-dong Urban Forest(A Little Princess, 2019)

Gamcheon Culture Village

Place that still holds the residential culture of Busan from the Korean War days when refugees built houses even atop mountains. The colorful houses terraced on hills show an exotic atmosphere comparable to that of Santorini, Greece or Machu Picchu, Peru.

Location
203, Gamnae 2-ro, Saha-gu, Busan / (Former) Kamjung Elementary School Public Parking Lot

카메라아이콘 Works filmed

L.U.C.A.: The Beginning(2021) Starring Kim Rae-won and Lee Da-hee

A spectacular action film in which a man with special powers fights against a great conspiracy

A Little Princess(2019) Starring Na Moon-hee and Kim Su-an

A family movie that comically depicts a youthful grandmother and a mature granddaughter living together

Provisional Capital Memorial Hall

The official residence of the Governor of Gyeongsangnam-do built during the Japanese occupation period. This unique modern structure combines Western and Japanese styles. It was used as the residence of the President of the Korean Provisional Government during the Korean War, and, today, is home to the Provisional Capital Memorial Hall. The building has great value as a site of Korean modern history and as a place that holds the stories of Busan.

Location
45, Imsisudoginyeom-ro, Seo-gu, Busan / Provisional Capital Memorial Hall Parking Lot

Gukje Market

Gukje Market was once filled with novel, amazing goods imported from overseas. One of the most notable traditional markets in Busan, it still overflows with things to eat, see and enjoy on various streets including Gourmand Alley, Patbingsu Alley, Cosmetics Alley and Antique Alley. The traces of time encountered in the narrow alleyways clearly show the history of the market.

Location
Sinchang-dong, Jung-gu, Busan / Gukjesijang-ro Section 1 Public Parking Lot

카메라아이콘 Works filmed

Ode to My Father(2014) Starring Hwang Jung-min and Kim Yunjin

A movie of humanism depicting the stories of a father and mother who sacrificed all their lives for their family during the impoverished and difficult days of refuge

Kangkangee Arts Village

The Daepyeong-dong area in Yeongdo-gu, which is the cradle of Korean modern shipbuilding, is still home to many ship-repair factories. The sounds of striking hammers “kangkang” on the surfaces of ships and the removal of rust resonate throughout the area. As desolate streets of the town meet with art, the area has been transformed into a tourist attraction that cannot be found anywhere else other than Busan.

Location
36, Daepyeongbuk-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan

카메라아이콘 Works filmed

My Name(2021) Starring Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon and Ahn Bo-hyun

A drama depicting a revenge-driven girl who becomes a member of a criminal organization to find the killer who murdered her father

Huinnyeoul Culture Village

Colorful houses gather together along the coastal cliffs. As you look at large ocean-going ships anchored on the sea in front of the village, you will feel as if you are standing on an island somewhere in a faraway land.

Location
194, Jeoryeong-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan / Sinseon 3-dong Public Parking Lot

카메라아이콘 Works filmed

Waiting For Rain(2021) Starring Kang Ha-neul and Chun Woo-hee

A movie of analog sentiments in which a man and a woman find solace in each other thanks to an accidental exchange of letters

The Attorney(2013) Starring Song Kang-ho

A movie that sheds light on the unfair legal system experienced by an attorney from Busan who takes on a case that everyone avoids

Forty Stairs Street

The fatigue and weariness of the common people who left their hometowns and struggled to survive because of the war still remain in various corners of the streets. Having the look of Busan in the olden days including wooden telephone poles and railroad tracks, it’s as if we have traveled back in time on a time machine.

Location
Jungang-dong, Jung-gu, Busan / Yuchang Building Public Parking Lot

카메라아이콘 Works filmed

The King : Eternal Monarch(2020) Starring Lee Min-ho and Kim Go-eun

A drama depicting love transcending between two different dimensions between the emperor of the Korean Empire and a Korean detective

168 Stairs

The pain and sorrows of refugees are vividly told through stories by grandmothers and grandfathers who had to ceaselessly walk up and down the 168 steep stairs. By the time you take your final step and are out of breath, the scenery of Busan Port unfolds panoramically below your feet.

Location
Choryang-dong, Dong-gu, Busan / Choryang 2-dong Public Parking Lot

UN Memorial Cemetery

This is where the remains of fallen UN soldiers who lost their lives during the Korean War are buried. Divided into the cemetery and green areas, it feels sacred and solemn but, at the same time, peaceful and heartwarming.

Location
93, UN Pyeonghwa-ro, Nam-gu, Busan / UN Memorial Cemetery Parking Lot

Uam-dong Urban Forest

Known as the "La La Land" of Busan, it boasts an excellent view. Container ships anchored at the port are seemingly in harmony with Yeongdo and Busanhangdaegyo Bridge that cuts across the sea to present a fantastic nightscape. This spot is also a hot photo zone where many young couples visit to take photos of their lives with a full moon in the backdrop.

Location
Uam-dong, Nam-gu, Busan

카메라아이콘 Works filmed

A Little Princess (2019)Starring Na Moon-hee and Kim Su-an

A family movie that comically depicts a youthful grandmother and a mature granddaughter living together