Busan, South Korea is the Nation’s “Second City” Destination
By Greg Hallberg, Waymark Shanghai
Published June 14, 2010
About 200 miles diagonally (northwest-to-southeast) from capital Seoul, Busan has become a focal point in Asia-Pacific world-class business and tourism – to the point of recently holding the G-20 Summit (June 4-6) of global economic leadership deliberations, housed in the space-age Nurimaru APEC House, located on Dongbaek Island (more of a geographic peninsula) adjacent to the increasingly famous Haeundae Beach Resort. I was actually in the metro area as well for other work-related business meetings during this time, and frequently visit Yangsan about an hour to the north, for industrial vendor and project management efforts.
Once called Pusan, and perhaps best known for its strategic defensive position as the Pusan Perimeter during the Korean War (1950-53), this thriving city of 3.6 million people is teeming with cultural activities, restaurants, and shops to fit virtually every person’s taste for leisure pursuit. Songjeong is another popular, although less crowded beach well suited for enticing surfboard riding – and you thought this was confined to Hawaii. Beach life has become popular among the locals as well as the tourists, and for frequent business travelers looking for a way to relax during a weekend layover on an extended Asian trip. My stays in other parts of Asia usually last from 4-6 weeks, so this kind of recreational distraction makes the travel even more worthwhile.
As I have for more years than perhaps I can recall, the Westin Chosun Beach Hotel, where rooms overlook the Haeundae Beach as well as the city’s curvy Kwangan Bridge, has been my home while stationed in this southern Korean city. For a number of years, the Westin was rough around the edges, time worn, and the bridge spanning the harbor stood unfinished as the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis hit South Korea especially hard. But now that the nation has both bounced back economically and tourism has returned with great vigor, the Westin has been completely renovated and the nearby beaches are bustling with activities and nighttime food enthusiasts virtually everywhere. Like my home in Shanghai, China, Busan has developed a pulse and energy similar to most all other major Asian metropolises.
After a pleasant morning jogging routine through the forested loops of pagodas and camellia trees that start off near the hotel entryway, I head for work, already looking forward to evening at Songdo Beach’s Annam Park, just a short stroll from downtown. Busan is surprisingly an easy walking city, and “brief” stops can include Shinsegae Centum City, the world’s largest shopping and entertainment center (680 stores, ice skating rink, golf range). Spa Land, Asia’s biggest public bathhouse, complete with 22 different kinds of tubs and 13 sauna and massage rooms beckons – however I still have not managed to set foot inside. Further down the beach a mile or so is the Las Vegas-Macau type of casino complex, with lights and Jumbotron billboards illuminating the night sky and ocean waters where the Sea of Japan and Yellow Sea intersect.
There are many reasonably priced restaurants offering a Korean style fast food, commonly known as su naek jip, which cater to university students and travelers on the go. Han shik jip specializes in Korean foods only. Try pul go gi, chon gol, kal bi, or pi bim bap. Shredded beef over rice, barbecued beef and vegetables are among the highlight dishes just mentioned, and served on Korean Airlines, too. You’ll find that the letter “p” is often these days replaced with a “b” similar to the more accurate Korean pronunciation of Pusan, now formally changed to Busan.
A rather unusual shopping venue is Gukje Market, a crowded-but-fun den of stalls in Nampo-dong that is a great place to purchase presents for the journey home. The open air market is dutifully selling Korean drums, leather handbags, and locally made clothes. I especially enjoy the street food, incredible local restaurants, and dishes such as green onion pancakes (pajeons) and the fresh seafood at an eatery called Jagalchi Fish Market, packed with “foodie” stalls and a diverse blending of restaurants. My recommendations would include: ke (crabmeat), tae hap (clams), or tae ha (lobster).
English speaking shop proprietors, once scarce throughout South Korea, have become much more tourist friendly with recognition of this thriving industry becoming profitable and more welcoming as compared to the country’s traditional heavy industry prioritization. From hair stylists at Hwamiju Hair Salon, to the park stops at Geumjeongsan mountain (2,600 feet), the serene close-by Buddhist Beomeosa Temple, and within the confines of the stores and dining establishments, English is enthusiastically spoken, albeit moderately broken at times. Koreans, normally a proud culture, have found out that they have a lot to offer international tourism and commerce, not merely shipbuilding and automobiles, washers/dryers, and mobile telephones. The ancient and rich history is becoming increasingly well known, far beyond pickled cabbage with delightful spicy pepper paste – phonetically spelled “kim-chee.”
Try out Busan next time you are in South Korea, it’s definitely worth the time and travel efforts. While only a few years ago a much more challenging trip, confined to a long drive or 48-minute domestic airplane ride from Seoul Kimpo Airport, Busan now has high speed rail service cutting through the country that is pleasant, inexpensive, and simply marvelous to experience.