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A Short Cultural Tour Just for Me

Written and Photographed by Travel Writer Shin KyungMin

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How about going on a short cultural trip in late autumn when the air gets chilly? The story of Busan connects the past and the present: you can have a unique experience and time travel into the past. So why don’t you enjoy some new cultural experiences and make hapy memories?

Bokbyeongsan Mountain Small Art Museum

The Jung-gu area, which played a central role during the modern development of Busan, still retains traces of that time here and there. For example, you can see a unique building, the Busan Jung-gu Cultural Center, which looks like a mixture of Japanese and Western architectural styles. The building, believed to have been built during the Japanese colonial era, was purchased by the Busan Jung-gu Office and transformed into the Jung-gu Cultural Center after a repair period.

The annex of the Jung-gu Cultural Center is considered a well-preserved Japanese-style warehouse in Korea and opened as Bokbyeongsan Mountain Small Art Museum in June by participating in a small art museum project organized by Arts Council Korea. The Bokbyeongsan Mountain Small Art Museum was recently holding a relay exhibition of , and is planning to become an art museum specializing in photography. On the first and second floors, connected by a narrow staircase, you can see the photos of the colonial Japanese house taken by artist I Dong-geun.

Mangyang-ro Mountainside Road Exhibition Hall

If you pass Jwacheon-dong Furniture Street and climb a steep road from Beomgok Junction toward the mountain, you will reach Mangyang-ro Mountainside Road. ‘Mangyang-ro’, a road with a view of the sea, connects Dong-gu to Seo-gu and Busanjin-gu. If you follow this winding road, you can meet the ‘Mangyang-ro Mountainside Road Exhibition Hall,’ located on a curve that that you can easily miss at first glance. Since it is built on a hillside, you will first see the parking lot next to the road.

Ater passing through the entrance with mother-of-pearl decorations, you can hea straight to the exhibition hall. Busan, the temporary capital during the Korean War, enjoyed its heyday as a vibrant industrial city. Due to the rapid increase in population, residential areas were built up to the hillside, and the present mountainside road village was formed. It is a place where various exhibitions are held under the theme of the history of Busan, which contains the traces of such life, and the stories of people who flourished along the winding mountainside road.

After viewing the exhibition that calmly conveys years of Busan history, you can return to the parking lot, where you will see the mountainside road in late autumn and the scenery of Busan Port in the distance unfolded. There are many things to see for both adults and children, so it would be nice to visit with family members.

Sujeong Cultural Empathy Center

'Sujeong Cultural Empathy Center' is one of the remaining colonial Japanese houses in Busan and is evaluated as a place with important values for research on the history of modern housing architecture and life. It was a place that gained great popularity after appearing in IU's music video in the past and has recently reopened with a newly built exhibition facility. The first floor is a library and media room, and the second floor is an exhibition space.

When you enter the building, large windows, relatively high ceilings, tatami mats, and Jangji doors on the floor show a very different look from the wooden architectural style of Korea. Walking up the wooden stairs to the second floor, you can see a unique folk painting exhibition and black-and-white photos of Sujeong-dong's past.

Immediately after entering, the hallway on the left is the place that appears in IU's music video. In the morning, pleasant sunlight shines in, creating a comfortable and warm atmosphere.

Overview

Address
Bokbyeongsan Mountain Small Art Museum: 20, Bokbyeongsan-gil, Jung-gu, Busan (The Jung-gu Cultural Center)
Mangyang-ro Mountainside Road Exhibition Hall: 3F, 488, Mangyang-ro, Dong-gu, Busan
Munhwa Gonggam Sujeong: 75, Honggok-ro, Dong-gu, Busan
Inquiry
Bokbyeongsan Mountain Small Art Museum: +82-51-442-2550
Mangyang-ro Mountainside Road Exhibition Hall: +82-51-462-1020
Munhwa Gonggam Sujeong: +82-51-441-0740
Closing Dates
Bokbyeongsan Mountain Small Art Museum: Saturday and Sunday
Mangyang-ro Mountainside Road Exhibition Hall: Monday
Munhwa Gonggam Sujeong: Every Monday
Hours
Bokbyeongsan Mountain Small Art Museum: Monday~Friday 10:00-17:00
Mangyang-ro Mountainside Road Exhibition Hall: Tuesday~Sunday 10:00-19:00
Munhwa Gonggam Sujeong: Tuesday–Sunday 10:00 ~ 17:00
Service Fees
Free
Traffic Information
Bokbyeongsan Mountain Small Art Museum
A 5-minute walk from Exit 11 of Jungang station on Busan Metro line 1

Mangyang-ro Mountainside Road Exhibition Hall
Exit 5 of Busan station on Busan Metro Line 1 → Transfer to Bus 508 or 190 at Busan Station bus stop
→ Get off at Dongil Park Mansion bus stop and walk for 2 minutes
Parking: Mangyang-ro Mountainside Road Exhibition Hall parking lot

Munhwa Gonggam Sujeong
Walk for 7 min from Exit 1 of Busanjin Station on Busan Metro Line 1