This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.
Like all good things, Dongbaekseom Island has rebranded itself over time. The “sands of time” gradually joined the formerly solitary island to the mainland, if only to allows Koreans and foreigners to promenade along it and admire the dongbaek, pine, and camellia trees that surround it.
Always loving a good rebrand myself, I ventured to Dongbaekseom Island in mid-January with the girls to enjoy a sunlit stroll along the Busan coast, as well as to check out the APEC Nurimaru House.
The Nurimaru APEC House is filled with a lot of information regarding the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit held in Busan; very little of which I actually retained. I know that leaders from two dozen countries came to Busan in 2005 to discuss economic cooperation and that they were required to wear traditional Korean garb. The visual of George Bush in a hanbok sticks out, but not much else. Four years as a history major, memorizing textbook upon textbook of minute details, and this is what I have to show for it. Sorry, but I’m really not that sorry.
After briefly exploring the APEC House, we ventured outside into Dongbaekseom Park which offered gorgeous views of the coast and Haeundae Beach. We chuckled to ourselves about the fact that, while our friends and family were suffering through “Canada’s Polar Vortex Winter 2013/14”, we were leisurely walking in a beautiful outdoor park in cardigans. We caught sight of a towering lighthouse perched upon the jagged coastline, and a monument to the Confucian philosopher Choi Chi-won during our exploration.
We continued along the coastal trail, until we happened across a fun little rope bridge. Just beyond the bridge, below the rock wall, sits a statue of Princess Topaz, of the Naranda Kingdom. The melancholic princess stares dejectedly down into the water, in an almost Mulan, “when will my reflection show” type of way. According to lore, she was married off to King of Mungungnara, and now sits for all eternity in the coast, weeping for her homeland. [Note: I was going through my “2014 Korea Breakdown” around this time, and could totally sympathize with the poor girl and her longing for the “old country”.]
Dongbaekseom Island was off my radar with regard to “things to do and see in Busan”, but is a perfect spot for a quiet walk (or talk, with Princess Topaz) if you’re in the Haeundae area.
Directions
To get to Dongbaekseom Island, take the Green Line on the Busan Subway (Line 2) to Dongbaek Station (stop 204). Take exit 1, and walk straight for approximately 10 minutes until you reach Dongbaekseom Island.
Millennial Abroad 
