"While its beaches are the main draw, Busan's real charm is in how it wears its past on its sleeve. The influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees from all over the peninsula to Busan, the last safe haven during the Korean War, shaped it physically and culturally. Also the birthplace of Korean cinema, the city is the host of the 30-year-old Busan International Film Festival."
"Once an impoverished refugee settlement, Gamcheon Culture Village is now a colorful tourist attraction that comprises several hundred homes on the steep slopes of a mountain, Cheonmasan. Redeveloped from disused railways, Haeundae Blueline Park is a railroad-themed park that offers visitors ocean views on two types of trains. Songjeong Beach, northeast of central Busan, offers white sand and gentle waves that are perfect for beginner swimmers and surfers."
Busan is a coastal city marked by beaches, rugged neighborhoods, and a visible history shaped by wartime refugees who settled there. The city hosts the Busan International Film Festival and is the birthplace of Korean cinema. Popular attractions include Gamcheon Culture Village on Cheonmasan’s slopes, Haeundae Blueline Park with ocean-view trains, Songjeong Beach for beginner swimmers and surfers, and the coastal Igidae park overlooking Oryukdo islets. Cultural sites include the Busan Cinema Center, Spa Land bathhouse, Haedong Yonggungsa seaside temple, and the ancient Beomeosa Temple on Geumjeongsan. Busan faces population decline as residents relocate to Seoul via two-and-a-half-hour high-speed rail.
#busan #korean-war-refugees #busan-international-film-festival #beaches--coastal-parks #historic-temples
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