Gamcheon Culture Village
Yes, I know that I have it difficult, that the name of this south korean city doesn't ring a bell and that, a priori, it does not seem like a very attractive destination, but I only ask you for five minutes of your time to convince you. I start with an argument of those that are engraved like iron in the fire: party, lots of party.
**Busan has one of the funniest nights in South Korea**. It is a university city that has hordes of young people who want to have a good time. the area of Haeundae It is a busy meeting point for dinner and a first drink.
On the main street you can see shows with K-Pop choreographies , the musical genre that triumphs in the Asian country. Basically, it's about boy bands that sing songs with mellow and frenetic melodies, reminiscent of video game music in which you have to pop bubbles.
haeundae at night
After warming up, Koreans like to go to the discotheque literally give it your all. During the work week they furiously go to work, where they work marathon 10- and 12-hour shifts.
But when Friday arrives, they throw themselves with the same devotion into the mysteries of the night. Y, If your boss asks you out, you have an obligation to go. It is not negotiable.
It's easy to find a young businessman in a white shirt, black suit and unbuttoned tie circling the floor break-dancing at 10pm. You can't miss the Busan Pub Crawl and Party -where the foreign community meets-, the Ghetto Club either The Back Room .
Busan: party, beach and alien crabs
GAMCHEON CULTURE VILLAGE
Second point: cultural life. In Busan, the second largest city in South Korea, there is a wide variety of interesting galleries and spaces dedicated to art . Most are in Gamcheon Culture Village , a small town of brightly painted houses, huddled together on a small hill, just 40 minutes from Busan.
The chaotic layout and narrow streets are reminiscent of Brazilian favelas, but in a Korean version, very safe and well maintained. It is a true delight to get lost in its alleys and surprise yourself with exhibitions of contemporary art, in free and permanently open spaces. Get your mobile ready, your Instagram will burn.
This third argument will definitely convince you: it is one of the cities with largest variety of fish and seafood in Asia . After touring the markets of half the world, I can assure you, without batting an eyelid, that the Jagalchi Market It is the most spectacular I have seen in my life.
Long before reaching the market, in the surrounding streets, the underwater feast : sea bream, sole, tuna, shark meat, swordfish, red mullet, flocks of sea urchins, extremely rare alien-shaped crabs, blue prawns, octopus, squid, XXL-sized clams... the row of products seems have an end
Gamcheon Culture Village, one of the most interesting areas in Busan
Surprising that much of the product is alive. There are many aquariums full of fish. those of eels they are very popular. If you want to take them home, you'll have to experience some wild moments: the live eel is placed on a wooden board, nailed to the head and skinned alive in front of the customer, while he writhes in pain. The vendor doesn't flinch, but the few tourists who witness the sacrifice stay petrified.
Strolling through the market is an explosion of life -death- and color : there are old women of indeterminate age who can't stop smiling, boys shouting for passage while moving boxes of fresh fish in a cart, street vendors fishing the fish, small street stalls where they sell grilled fish and many, many curious.
The market is a giant two-story fish market. Seafood abounds downstairs. There are oysters, lobsters, sea snails, 12-inch slugs and a strange sea cucumber, with obvious phallic connotations, which generates laughter among the newcomers. At the top are the salted , the dehydrated underwater world.
View of stunning Busan
WE GO TO THE BEACH
Busan is a city with several kilometers of coastline. This is where its great marine wealth comes from. If you want to swim on its beaches, you have to wait for the summer months, which go from June to September. The rest of the year, Koreans come on weekends to walk, dance in the trendy venues and eat fresh fish in one of the many restaurants in the area.
It must be recognized that they are not the most beautiful beaches on the planet : they are in front of buildings, the sand is gray and the sea is dark, but to take a dip, they are more than fine. The most popular are those of Haendae Beach and Gwangalli Beach.
As for temples, the one in Haedong Yonggungsa . It is located on the outskirts of Busan, and throughout the day there are several buses that take you directly, in a journey of about 30 minutes. Apart from a fascinating statue of a dragon and the colorful Buddhist temples, what makes it unique is its location facing the sea. Strolling through its gardens while listening to the waves crashing against the rocks puts you in Nirvana mode in a few seconds.
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple facing the sea
FURIOUS SHOPPING
From that temple of spirituality we move on to another temple, but this one, of consumption. The mall Shinsegae (metro stop of the same name, in the financial part of the city) is The biggest in the world, with Guinness World Records award included. It is a huge building with 14 floors, four underground floors and 300,000 square meters.
Really is an ode to capitalism : escalators, kilometers of shop windows and the presence of all the main luxury brands, clothing, sports, accessories and everything else you can imagine.
It might seem like fiction, but it is absolutely true: on Saturday afternoons queues of dozens of people are formed waiting to enter the Channel or Louis Vuitton stores. And they are not going to look for discounts.
The gigantic Shinsegae mall
In Shinsegae you will not get bored. There are dozens of restaurants, cafes, an ice skating rink, children's play areas, art galleries, clinics and a Sky Park overlooking the city. Of course, what will finally captivate you about this place is the Spa Land , a futuristic hot springs center. It has it all: oxygen therapy, Finnish saunas, Turkish baths, swimming pools, relaxation treatments and light therapy.
A perfect excuse to spend an entire afternoon in a shopping center, without having to buy anything.