Blue Bottle Coffee is parking a coffee truck pop-up store in Busan this month.
It will be open from 11:00 am to 9:30 pm at “The BAY 101” near the Dongbaek Island.
You can visit the truck until the last day of July. 
Blue Bottle Coffee Truck in Busan
Category: Travel
Taejongdae Danubee Bus Extends Operation by Two Hours
What is the name of the flower that blooms in late March and early April? It is a cherry blossom.
Do you have any idea what flower blooms during this time of the year? A Hydrangea!
Hydrangeas do not look as dramatic as cherry blossoms, but they are just as beautiful. They bloom in late May and stay in blossom until the end of the month.
Taejongdae Island is where a lot of people go to enjoy the blossoming hydrangeas. There is a well-known pink house that is THE spot to take pictures on the island.
Taejongdae Island has a Danubee bus that helps take people around the large island. For those who visit the island during the hydrangea season, Danubee bus will be operated for an extra two hours, so until 8 pm. Besides the pink house, Beopyungsa Temple is a beautiful place to see the hydrangeas.
You can also enjoy the hydrangea flowers at the Songnim Park near the Westin Josun Hotel.
Busan City Tour Bus Special Package
The other day, I noticed there were a lot of non-Koreans visiting Busan again. I heard a few languages that I didn’t recognize. That is a sign that the pandemic is over.
If anyone plans on doing a city bus tour, there is good news. The Busan Tourism Organization has organized a special tour package, called “부산 지화자 좋다.”
Tour buses will depart from the Busan Train Station and travel to Busan Port Bridge, Gwangalli Beach, Marine City, Songdo Beach, and the Jagalchi Market before returning to the Busan Train Station. The interesting thing about this tour is that passengers will be able to get off and watch special performances at Gwangalli Beach and Songdo Beach.
The tour is expected to take about two and half hours. Tickets cost 22,000 won for adults and 11,000 for children. The fare covers the bus tour, performances, and souvenirs.
The tour is only available every Thursday during the month of June. That means that the tour will run on the 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th. If you are interested, visit “citytourbusan.com” to find more information or to make a reservation.
Haeundae Beach and Songjeong Beach Open on June 1st
Starting June 1st, Haeundae Beach and Songjeong Beach will be open to the public. Of course, Haeundae Beach and Songjeong Beach are open all year, but now people can swim in the ocean.
There are seven beaches in Busan. They will open on July 1st, including Gwangalli, Dadaepo, Songdo, Imrang, and Ilkwang Beach. Each will install shower facilities, umbrellas, bathrooms, etc.
An Outdoor Concert Will be Held on June 3rd and 4th
An outdoor concert, titled “Classic Park Concert” will be held at the lawn square of the Busan Citizens’ Park on June 3rd and 4th. It will help promote the Busan International Art Center and the Busan Opera House, which are scheduled to open in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
On June 3rd, the KBS Symphony Orchestra will perform with Jung Myeong-hoon as the conductor.
On June 4th, the Busan Philharmonic Orchestra will play world-class masterpieces under the conducting of Choi Sooyeol.
The concerts are free to anyone, and seats are given on a first-come, first-served basis.
Haeundae Sand Festival
The annual Haeundae Sand Festival is coming, so mark your calendars.
The festival will be open for four days starting May 19th. This year’s theme will be World Expo 2030. Three Korean artists and eight international artists from the US, Canada, China, etc will showcase sand sculptures.
I think sand festivals are fabulous. After the festival is over, there is no garbage to clean up.
Gwangalli Eobang Festival
Throughout the year, many festivals and events take place in Busan. Busan has designated May to be their “Ocean Month” and a lot of ocean-related events have been scheduled. If you are visiting Busan, you will probably be spending a lot of time in the Gwangalli Beach area. If you come anytime between the 12th and 14th of May, you will be able to enjoy the Gwangalli Eobang Festival.
The Gwangalli Eobang Festival is the only festival in Korea that celebrates traditional fishing culture from the Joseon Dynasty. Many programs let visitors catch fish with nets, play traditional games and wear hanbok (traditional attire).
If you are not a fan of these programs, let me tell you about the various cultural performances and parades available. Speaking of parades, this Saturday, May 13th at 4 pm, if you visit the Gwangalli area, you will be able to see people walk in a parade wearing traditional dresses.
Also, the drone show! I’ve mentioned it before, but the drone show happens every Saturday night in the Gwangalli area. As a part of the Gwangalli Eobang Festival, drones will fill the night sky with a fish-related theme. There will be two shows, one at 8 pm and the other at 10 pm, respectively.
Starting at 9:30 pm on the 12th, 13th, and 14th, “Eobang EDM Party” will be happening. EDM stands for Electronic Dance Music. As the name suggests, DJs will be playing on the beaches, and anyone can dance and join the party!
The festival is open to anyone for free of charge. If you are interested, you can find more information at english.visitkorea.or.kr.
Busan Lotus Lantern Festival
There are many special holidays in May. Some include Children’s Day, Teacher’s Day, Parents’ Day, and Buddha’s Day. It may just be a part of our culture, but even if you are not Buddhist, many go to temple every once in a while to find tranquility and inner peace.
The Busan Lotus Lantern Festival is held to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday and can be celebrated whether you are religious or not.
Fyi, Buddha’s birthday is on the lunar calendar, so the exact date differs from year to year. This year, it falls on May 27th.
Anyways, this year’s Busan Lotus Lantern Festival began on April 28th and will last until May 20th at the Song Sanghyeon Square in Busan Citizens’ Park.
There are many different lanterns to see, some are big, and some are small enough to be hung above your head. Others are colorful, white, or shaped like flowers. There are some booths that let visitors have cool experiences, too. So, if you have a chance, check it out.
Events and Festivals Regarding Children’s Day
If any of you are planning a trip to Busan and are looking for something to do with your kids on Children’s Day, I recommend checking out some of our events and festivals.
First, the Busan Cinema Center will host a “Children’s Day Festival” in the town square on Friday, May 5th. This event is free of charge for all visitors.
From 10 am to 3 pm, a lot of fun events are scheduled to be held. That includes a concert of Carrie and Friends, a DJ dance party, a magic show, a fan meeting with a famous YouTuber, 에그박사, and a recital.
If your kid is around five to ten years old, you must know who Carrie is.
Carrie and Friends will have a concert three times that day, one at 10 am, 11:30 am and the last at 2:30 pm.
At 11:00 am, the DJ will turn up the music in the square of Busan Cinema Center. All kids willing to dance can join and enjoy the clubbing vibe.
The science magic show will be held at 12 pm and Dr. Eggie (에그박사) will have a fan meeting at 1 pm. The kids can also show their talent at 2 pm at the talent show. You and your kids won’t want to miss these free events.
Meanwhile, Busan Minjoo Park (aka Busan Democracy Park) will run a special program on Children’s Day, too. Visitors will be able to experience a variety of things, hopping from a booth to booth. A play and street dance show are also scheduled to be held at 3:30 pm that day.
Gwangalli M Drone Light Show (Line-up for May)
Now that May is just around the corner, I would like to begin with what is scheduled for the Gwangalli M Drone Light Show next month.
For those who haven’t heard about the Gwangalli M Drone Light Show, it is a free attraction held in front of Gwangalli Beach twice every Saturday. Thousands of drones fill the night sky and feature a variety of themes throughout the week.
The themes for next month are a little bit more special since May marks the first anniversary of the light show. To celebrate its anniversary, the Suyeong-gu district held a vote last month which let citizens vote for their favorite drone shows. After the voting period ended, they picked the five most voted for themes.
The themes were as followed:
On May 6th, the show’s theme will be “marriage proposal.” A few lucky couples will have this opportunity to pop the question as drone write, “will you marry me?” in the sky.
The next week, Gwangalli Eobang Festival is scheduled to be held. In order to celebrate the local festival, drones will put on a related themed performance.
On May 20th, drones will decorate the sky with a magic theme.
On May 27th, the most voted for show will be held and 1,500 drones will decorate the sky. The organizer hasn’t revealed which theme won, so we will have the wait until the 27th to find out. That day, there will only be one show at 8 pm.
If you visit Busan during that weekend, you won’t want to miss the drone light show.
Busan Travel & Living 