Camping at Songjeong Beach

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

Photos by David Smolak. Check out his Instagram and Tumblr for more of his photography.

After a pretty disastrous camping experience on Bijindo Island in early June, I was feeling slightly wary that “Camping at Songjeong Beach” was one of the last fixtures on my Korean Bucket List. To give you some context, I was incredibly under-prepared to sleep in the sand at Bijindo. I brought no bedding of any kind; light, ineffective clothing, and very little food for an overnight stay under the stars on a relatively deserted island. I’ve had some pretty terrible slumbers during my time in Asia (Tokyo stairwells, anyone?), and Bijindo certainly qualifies as one of the worst.

Thankfully, every situation is one to learn from, so when the last weekend of June was all cloudless and sun-drenched, I decided I would go whole-hog on preparing for a night and day at Songjeong Beach. Three bags full of blankets, pillows, chunky sweaters, sweatpants, and a two-person tent later, I was hailing a cab with my fellow Montrealer, David, our sights set for Songjeong Beach.

I had forgotten how much I really enjoyed the atmosphere of Songjeong Beach (my last visit there was in mid-August 2013). Comparatively smaller than Haeundae and Gwangalli, Songjeong was still teeming with the excited chatter of groups sipping soju and wild shrieks of children building sandcastles when we arrived at 10:30PM. After we set up our sleeping arrangements, we gathered the necessary supplies for a “millennial sleepover” – beers, snacks, and plenty of ammunition for a three hour game of “Never Have I Ever”, all to the tune of crackling fireworks exploding overhead. It was truly the childhood experience I had never had!

Overnight at Songjeong was much more restful than Bijindo had been, although, the tent basically became on oven at around 7AM with the sunrise. David and I rose with it, taking an early morning dip in the ocean and settling into a day of sunbathing. Eventually, the locals of Busan’s famed “surf beach” began to spill out of the numerous surf shacks lining Songjeong’s main strip. We watched a dozen surfers warming up, their brows dripping and tensing up with sweat and pain under the hot sun. They took to the water and rode baby waves onto the shore until well into the late afternoon. Around them, children splashed and frolicked happily under the hot sun and their parents’ reproachful eyes. David and I took in the sights and sounds of Songjeong Beach until the sun disappeared behind the clouds at around 5PM. With my sunburn in tow, I headed back to Haeundae at the close of yet another weekend in Busan.

Songjeong Beach is the perfect location for those looking to camp in Busan on a sunny weekend – a small and quiet beach buzzing with families and couples, offering a great ambiance. The biggest draw for those Frugal Freddies is that Songjeong is free of charge for camping, and thus, totally free of troubles.

Directions
To get to Songjeong Beach, take the Green Line on the Busan Subway (Line 2) to Haeundae Station (stop 203), and go out exit 7. From here, take either Bus No. 100, 100-1, 139, or 142. The ride should take approximately 20 minutes, depending on traffic. Get off at Songjeong Station and walk 600 meters until you reach the beach. Alternatively, a cab from Haeundae should cost approximately ₩5,000.

Haeundae Sand Festival

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

“Just another manic Monday – wish it was Sunday.”

Nope, nope, nope – not today. I woke up this morning in an absolutely chipper mood. Why, you ask? Oh, just a casual Monday morning field trip to the beach for the Haeundae Sand Festival, that’s all!

The Haeundae Sand Festival happens every year on Busan’s largest beach, Haeundae. Despite Busan’s reputation as a coastal town and playing host to five major beaches, this is the South Korea’s only festival based on appreciation for sand (huh?!) Given that it only lasts for three days, my head teacher had to amend the regularly designated field trip day (Friday) in favour of Monday morning. However, this was the best possible outcome since the field trip took me from “totally zonked out” to “z0mg look at all of this energy, I’m the best teacher in the world!”

We arrived at Haeundae Beach mid-morning. I rode with my homeroom students – Aiden, Grace, and Sa-Yeon of Happiness Class. After informing the students of the “beach rules”, (“no eating sand”, “no throwing sand”, no drowning, etc.), we were off to look at the various sculptures scattered across the sand.

The theme of the 2014 Haeundae Sand Festival felt slightly garbled. Featuring Tarzen and Jane as the main players, the festival was (aptly?) named “Through the Sand Jungle”. While there were important elements of environmental awareness and protection throughout (Tarzan and Jane end up saving the beach through sand restoration – yay!), the entire backstory felt like it had been written by one of my fourth-graders and didn’t really add much to the beautiful scenery. I’m all for motifs, but in this case, the backstory was completely unnecessary; methinks a simple “here’s a sand sculpture of a gorilla” would have sufficed.

It’s always so refreshing to see the looks of wonder and excitement on the faces of five year olds. They absolutely marvelled at the giant sculptures featuring lions, rhinoceroses, and other jungle imagery. One of the cooler elements of the Sand Festival was the large sand hill at the end of the beach, towards Marine City. At any given moment, hordes of children could be seen clambering to its peak, only to be unsuspectingly yanked down the hill on a sand board by  their parents. Other (admittedly unexplored) elements of the festival included a “sand theatre” where visitors could view short films and documentaries, a sand exploration hall containing seven differently themed rooms, and a sand maze. I silently wept upon learning that the sand maze was not on our itinerary for the day. I do love a good labyrinth!

Towards the end of our time at the beach, the kids were allowed to flex their creative muscles, (something seriously lacking from Korea’s hagwon system, in my opinion), by building sand sculptures and castles, themselves. After dozens of references to Elsa’s ice palace in Frozen, too many pockets filled with seashells, and wails of “teacher, there is sand in my eye!”, it was almost time to leave. My head teacher did allow the children to strip off their socks, sandals, and in my case, leather loafers, to run in and splash about ankle-deep in the ocean. Very wet, much fun, so smiles!

While I’ve heard rumours that this year’s festival was significantly less ostentatious than in year’s past, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The Haeundae Sand Festival is one-stop shopping for the millennial soul – one can marvel at the beautiful sand sculptures at one end of the beach before moving to the opposite end to enjoy a day in the sun. Sand, sightseeing, and sunbathing – Busan’s tried and true recipe for an amazing summer!

Directions
To get to Haeundae Beach, take the Green Line on the Busan Subway (Line 2) to Haeundae Station (stop 203). Go out either exit 3 or 5 and walk straight until you hit the beach (this takes approximately 10 minutes). The Haeundae Sand Festival happens every June for approximately 3 days during the first or second week of June. The 2014 Festival took place from June 6th to the 9th.

Chungnyeolsa Shrine

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

Today is Election Day in Busan. It constitutes an important day where the citizens of Busan can exercise their civic duties to safeguard the values they hold most dear. Since I cannot participate in this particular election, I decided to spend my afternoon at Chungnyeolsa Shrine, a site commemorating citizens of Busan who also safeguarded their own values – over 400 years ago.

Chungnyeolsa Shrine is dedicated to those Korean nationalists who lost their lives during the Japanese invasion of Korea between 1592 and 1598. The bravery of the largely unprepared Korean troops and volunteers who fought against annexation are memorialized at the Chungnyeolsa. The complex itself consists of a main hall, fifteen subsidiary structures, and nearly one hundred tablets in memory of the Busan area patriots who lost their lives defending Busan.

I spent around an hour exploring the large grounds of Chungnyeolsa. I started at the small koi pond near the entrance of the shrine. I watched as earnest children deposited coins into a machine dispensing fish food, their faces alight with wonder as they sprinkled it into the water beneath them. I worked my way around to a quiet elevated park on the west side of the complex, where groups of men huddled together to watch games of (what looked like) backgammon. I sat for about fifteen minutes and drank in how peaceful and restrained it felt beneath the perfectly trimmed tree branches of Chungnyeolsa. Even though I could see the urban sprawl of Busan just beyond the shrine’s walls, I felt far removed; in my own private Garden of Eden.

The park itself is meticulous and manicured. Every type of tree, flower, shrub, bush, plant, and weed you could imagine was in bloom, neatly trimmed, fighting against every unruly tendency it might have. The shrine contains dozens of seated areas, ranging from gazebos, wood benches, and circular rock formations, depending on your mood. Chungnyeolsa also gains serious points for being completely wheelchair accessible.

I eventually reached Chungnyeolsa’s Main Hall, which is dedicated to twenty-two officers who lost their lives during battle. Perhaps more interesting to me was the Uiyeolgak complex. This particular shrine is dedicated to two women who resisted Japanese aggressors by throwing roofing tiles upon them. I pulled my hands to heart centre and bowed to these women, but felt quite sure that there were more unsung female heroes that deserve equal representation at Chungnyeolsa.

The day soon turned overcast and rainy. I decided to depart the shrine, but not before ambling over to peer down into the koi pond one last time. I caught my own reflection in the clear waters, flashed a quick smile and turned on my heel to leave. Mushy, but it’s true.

Directions
To get to Chungnyeolsa Shrine, take the Blue Line on the Busan Subway (Line 5) to Chungnyeolsa Station (stop 405). Go out exit 3, and turn left until you are facing the large white stone monument. Take your first right and walk for about a minute. You will see a flight of stairs on your left. Take them and the shrine will be on your right.

Seokbulsa Temple

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

Known as the “Stone Buddha Temple”, or Byeongpung-am (the “Folding Screen Hermitage”), Seokbulsa Temple is perched high upon Geumjeongsanseong Mountain. The temple is a bit of an anomaly – the majority of Koreans and foreigners I’ve spoken to have never heard of it, yet it is consistently ranked as a “must see” by Lonely Planet and other travel blogs. I was excited to be let in on the secrets of Seokbulsa.

I visited the temple in mid-April, a month that was all about early morning wake-up calls on the weekends. Following a Saturday night slumber party with the girls, we woke to an overcast Sunday in Busan. Nonetheless, we laced up our runners, downed our requisite Starbucks lattes, and began the great journey to Seokbulsa.

The subway ride itself was a bit of a voyage, as we had to switch from the green to the brown to the red line. Once we reached Oncheonjang, we caught a cab to the base of Geumgang Park, the grounds which house both Seokbulsa and the Geumjeongsanseong Mountain Fortress. The rain was starting to fall at this point, and I remember thinking, “I hate this already”.

Just beyond the entrance of Geumgang Park, we found the ticketing office for the cable car up to Geumjeongsanseong Mountain. My spirits were lifted at the prospect of being physically lifted up the mountain, plus, I had never taken a cable car before. I’m all about experiencing everything, but I feel like I need to ride a cable car at least once more in my life. The foggy views of Busan’s cityscape and the forest unfolding below us were absolutely breathtaking. I wrote the word “bumnaegol” in the condensation forming on the cable car’s window to mark my time there.

Once we reached the top, the hard work began. Apart from simply mustering the energy to hike to the temple, (we were still very groggy at this point), we also had to effectively navigate our way there. This was much more difficult than we had initially anticipated. We had assumed that we could simply follow a group of hikers to the temple, but quickly learned that there were dozens of trails; some leading the Seokbulsa, some leading to the Geumjeongsanseong Fortress, some leading to Beomeosa Temple, and some simply for meandering nature enthusiasts. The signs, obviously all in Korean, also weren’t exactly a big help to us either (0.8km to what, exactly?!)

Thankfully, a kind Korean gentleman offered his adept navigational skills, and put us on the right path to the temple. Originally, he led us to one of the fortress entrances, but recalculated to lead us through a quaint mountain hamlet, covered in cherry blossom leaves. There were rows of tiny, roofed tents occupied by smiling ajummas serving up rice cakes to groups of hikers sipping on thimbles of soju. The entire scene was completely picturesque, and we all agreed to return for lunch after we visited the temple.

After exiting the village, and gaining some assurances from other hikers (“Say-uk-bowl-sah Tem-pull-uh? This way?”), we finally reached the main path. We crossed small bridges, avoided tripping over numerous jutting rocks and tree roots, and descended a rather perilous flight of stairs bordering a quiet bubbling brook. This rather enchanted forest reminded me a little bit of the grounds surrounding Hogwarts, and I was almost breathlessly waiting for a pack of centaurs to hop out from behind a tree and offer us a ride on their backs to the temple.

The last leg of the journey to the temple can only be described as a “long and winding road”. The majority of the blog posts I had read about Seokbulsa indicated that this part of the hike would be treacherous and awful and so bad that you would slap your own mother in the face to avoid going back down. Apologies for the humble brag, but I didn’t find the hike any more strenuous than Mount Geumnyeonsan or Jangsan Mountain. That said, I was admittedly dripping in sweat by the time we reached the temple. Thankfully, it was a happy sweat.

I don’t know about the girls, but I felt vindicated once we reached the grounds of Seokbulsa. The temple complex housed a small, two-story stone pagoda, much less ostentatious than others I’ve seen throughout Asia. Before ascending the stairs into the temple, we stopped to appreciate the mountains rising from the mist in every direction, the attention to detail on the giant bell that hung in front of the temple, and most importantly, the placid beauty of a virtually deserted temple high above Busan.

Between the giant mountains and the six towering stone Buddhas staring down at me, I was reminded of how insignificant my daily worries are. I felt incredibly humbled as we left the sacred temple, pledging to remember not only how beautifully intricate the carvings were, but also how liberated they made me feel.

I had a very pensive hike back down, trying to internalize my pledge while also reminding myself to keep my weight over my knees – I’m no stranger to the old twisted ankle. After about 25 minutes, we reached the tiny village, where we enjoyed a celebratory meal of pajeon (a Korean pancake primarily made of green onions and leeks) and beer. It felt so good to toast to what we had achieved that day – all before 2PM! While I didn’t enjoy any pajeon (leeks, yuck!), I did try some roasted king crabs, a slightly less adequate snack to pair with beer than, let’s say nuts, but manageable.

If you’re going to brave Seokbulsa Temple, don’t half-ass it: bring snacks (I opted for granola bars and bananas), at least 2L of water (you’re going to sweat a lot), proper footwear (as I said, twisted ankles are no fun, and neither are blisters), as well as a positive attitude.

Seokbulsa is worth it if you’re concerned with gaining street cred for journeying to obscure locales, experiencing new things like riding a cable car or sampling roasted king crabs, and being astounded by the beauty of nature. Otherwise, maybe you ought to stick to Shinsegae.

Directions
To get to Seokbulsa Temple, take the Orange Line on the Busan Subway (Line 1) to Oncheonjang Station (stop 127). I would recommend taking a cab to Geumgang Park (approximately ₩3,500). Enter the park, and follow the signs to the cable car ticketing office. A round trip costs ₩7,000.

This Busan Haps review of Seokbulsa Temple contains very clear directions from the cable car, however, if you do get lost, show the following Hangul (석불사) to a fellow hiker and pray that you receive adequate directions.

Bujeon Market

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

What originally started as a simple trip to H&M in Seomyeon quickly turned into a detour into the heart of Busan’s largest indoor market.

Located in one of Busan’s commercial centres, Seomyeon, Bujeon Market occupies over a half dozen streets and alleys. There are literally no vacant stands – every stall is filled, with vendors selling everything from fresh produce to ajummas visors to sides of pork to cow heads to fresh seafood. There are smiling ajusshis spraying down buckets of fish and and crustaceans with a hose. There are the unsmiling ajummas separating the good onions from the bad. There are cats and dogs with seemingly no owner wandering around on top of giant stacks of ginger and garlic cloves.

The market itself is obscenely cheap, especially on the produce side. I almost felt pangs of jealousy for those who live closer to Seomyeon than I. While I do enjoy my own neighbourhood market (Jungdong Market), Bujeon is one stop shopping for anything and everything that is lacking from your new (or old) Korean apartment/kitchen.

The atmosphere of Bujeon Market is relatively relaxed, despite the larger crowds. It’s perfect for people-watching, so grab a seat in the middle of the market on one of the circular stumps in the waiting area for a brief repose. Life feels much easier when you’re simply cocking your head towards the direction of a persistent vendors trying to attract you to their booth, or perusing barrels of grains and nuts for a new yogourt topping.

Directions
To get to Bujeon Market, take the Green Line on the Busan Subway (Line 2) to Seomyeon Station (stop 219). Take exit 15 and walk straight out for about five minutes. Bujeon Market will be down multiple side streets on your left.

Busan Museum of Art

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

Photos by Jess Sternberg (go check her Instagram out here) and the Korean Tourism Organization.

Blogging about the Busan Museum of Art is a stark reminder about how put together I was not upon arrival in Korea. I visited the museum during the second weekend of September – a whole eight and a half months ago! Oy vey. Blame the late blog post on a totally “blissed out, lazy, end of summer 2013” Dylan.

I’m usually pretty ambivalent about museums on the whole. During my summer 2010 trip to Europe, I spent four hours at the Jüdisches Museum in Berlin. It was a thoroughly curated museum, with an excellent exhibit on Jews in comic books. However, I was so overloaded with information that upon departure from Berlin, everything had left my brain. I was not a sponge that summer for anything except World Cup soccer and beer.

This time around, during my year in Busan, I was excited to take in some Eastern-inspired works of art. Given that the Busan Museum of Art is the penultimate subway stop on my journey to work everyday, I figured this would be a good place to start. In addition, Jess and Maddie had their lovely friends Maritza and Steph visiting, and it seemed like a positively cultured way to introduce the girls to the city.

The Busan Museum of Art had some pretty excellent elements. First of all, it was free entrance (great news for the frugal). The complex itself is large, modern, and well-maintained (as it should be – it was only opened in 1998). The museum has five exhibition halls with hardwood floors throughout, along with archives and interactive learning rooms. The exhibits didn’t feel too overwhelming – the average person (read: me) could enter any given section and feel comfortable identifying general themes and representations.

When the girls and I visited, the main exhibit was titled The Art of Prayers, featuring pieces of art donated by the Korean-Japanese artist Ha Jung-Woong. The exhibit consisted of  three different sections: Prayers, Evidence, and Happiness. Each section hoped to represent regret and despair, record “art as historic evidence”, and show “art which provides happiness”, respectively. The section I remember the best was Prayers, which featured a series of woodcuts titled “The Story of Hanaoka”. These vivid reenactments of the uprisings and massacres at the Hanaoka mine in 1945 were particularly realistic and brutal, as well as an exercise in gratitude on my part.

In addition, there were two exhibits by Kim Bong Tae (titled “Accumulation”) and Shin Sang Ho (tilted “Final Frontier”). The Kim Bong Tae exhibit was almost Warholian, but in a totally nondescript way (read: stacked, differently coloured boxes). The Shin Sang Ho exhibit was slightly more interesting, with bright, ceramic sculptures and airplanes inspired by “the unknown world depicted by Star Trek screenwriter Eugene Roddenberry”.

The exhibit we enjoyed the most was the one designed for children (obviously). We entered a dark room, and were immediately delighted when a series of colourful projections began parading about the walls. An older Korean man approached us afterwards to inform us that his young daughter had drawn the pictures and he had turned them into projections. This room of projections was easily the best part of the museum. We joked about the room just needing some EDM to make it a real party.

My trip to the Busan Museum of Art was perhaps more of an exercise in taking derpy photos with my friends than a truly cultural experience. That said, I feel like I did gain some real exposure to different forms of Korean art during my two hour visit to the museum, which was my original goal anyway. You don’t have to remember it all, you just have to appreciate it all.

Directions
To get to the Busan Museum of Art, take the Green Line on the Busan Subway (Line 1) to the Busan Museum of Art Station (stop 205). Go out exit 5 and walk straight for about two minutes. The museum will be right in front of you.

Lotte Giants Baseball Game

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

I can’t even begin to fathom how excited my father is going to be when he reads that me – little old bookish, bloggish me! – went to a baseball game. (LOL joking, my mom is the only one who reads this anyway). But, it really did happen and I really did love it.

Steph, Mary, Nina, Brandi and I headed to Sajik Stadium this past Saturday to watch Busan’s Lotte Giants take on Seoul’s Nexen Heroes. Baseball in Korea seems to be some sort of aphrodisiac, because Koreans and foreigners alike love it and go on and on about the joys of a Saturday afternoon game. Before they left Korea, Jess and Maddie insisted I go. My young elementary school boys constantly ask if “I know the famous player Kim Han-eol”, to which I always respond with a blank stare. Even my Korean co-teachers who, to me, would seem completely disinterested in baseball, rave about games. It is serious business here.

We arrived too late to purchase a ticket to the sold out event, but luckily, Steph and Brandi managed to find a(n adorable ajumma) scalper selling them for ₩20,000. We entered the stadium, and were greeted by (somewhat) deafening cheers from a stadium packed with baseball enthusiasts.

Admittedly, none of us knew anything about baseball, and for the longest time, we thought it was the Giants who were slaughtering the Heroes. Thankfully we had Brandi, our very own little baseball savant, to help explain the series of confusing numbers, letters, dots, and jargon associated with the scoreboard and baseball, generally (and to also inform us that the Giants were the ones being slaughtered). I can honestly own up to zoning out for much of Brandi’s explanation, by no fault of hers. My brain is simply not wired to care about baseball beyond the very superficial “wow, I’m in a sports stadium!” level.

That said, I really enjoyed the Korean baseball experience. The Nexen Heroes did unfortunately destroy the Giants (the final score was 14-2), but there was too many typically/adorably Korean things happening to be fazed by the loss. The derpy little bat girl with her pumping knees and giggle as she ran to grab bats off the field. The chants of  “ajooooooraaaah!” (roughly translated, this means “give it to a kid!”) when a ball would fly into the crowds. Orange plastic bags intended for garbage tied into a bow and placed upon spectators’ heads. 7/11 convenient stores all over the stadium, selling tall boys of my favourite Korean beer, Cass, for $2.70CAD. Groups of Korean teenagers sitting and nomming on entire boxes of pizza, fried chicken, and Korean BBQ, cheering between chewing. The entire thing was such a spirited occasion and really showed me that South Korea is on their baseball grind.

Overall, my evening at Sajik Stadium was all brews and balls with my biddies, which is just how I like it. This was another Bucket List favourite for me, and I would highly recommend it to tourists and expats alike. A night of Korean baseball will feel almost like home, but with a Korean twist. That’s why you’re here anyway, right?

Directions
To get to Sajik Stadium, take the Brown Line on the Busan Subway (Line 3) to Sajik Station (stop 308). Take exit 1 and walk straight out for two blocks, before turning right. Continue straight down this road and the stadium will be on your left (you honestly can’t miss it). Entrance to Sajik Stadium for a Lotte Giants game approximately is ₩7,000. More pricing details can be found here.

Beomeosa Temple

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

Photos by Stephanie Pellett. Check out her personal blog here, her Flickr account here, and her Instagram here for more beautiful photography.

“There is a well on the top of Mt. Geumjeongsan and the water of that well is gold. The golden fish in the well rode the colourful clouds and came down from the sky. This is why the mountain is named Geumsaem (gold well) and the temple is name ‘fish from heaven’.”

This summary of the origins of Beomeosa Temple’s etymology is from the Donggukyeojiseungram, a Korean geography book. Nestled up in the mountains, Beomeosa, like all good temples is remote, offering a peaceful, cultural day trip for tourists (like me!)

Admittedly, I had been informed that Beomeosa Temple was “pretty, but nothing special” from a few people. Regardless, I was eager to visit and form my own opinions about “the temple where the Nirvana fish play”.

I visited Beomeosa on a day when spring was positively springing with Steph, my co-worker Robert, and his fiancé Anna. As soon as we stepped upon the temple grounds, I could feel how hallowed and sacred they were. We followed a row of wisteria trees up to the main compound, which houses a three-story pagoda, multiples shrines, and approximately a dozen hermitages, presumably for the fighting monks who called Beomeosa home. I’m always amazed at the intricacies and attention to detail when studying the colourful shrines and gates at Korean temples. I found it inspiring. Like, if someone could spend all that time designing something so beautiful, then I can at least floss every day or blog three times a week, right?

Beomeosa, itself, was lost twice; first, in the 16th century at the hands of the pyro-happy Japanese invaders, and second, a mere decade later in an accidental fire. It was rebuilt in the 17th century. These days, however, it is still undergoing a “temple facelift”. There was, in fact, ongoing construction on a couple of the hermitages and halls while we were visiting. Whoever said cosmetic surgery in Korea is just for people was dead wrong.

Oddly enough, my favourite part of my time at Beomeosa was spent in a rather unique rock field, with a quiet stream running through it. Steph, Robert, Anna, and I sat for a while in a circle on the rocks, and even took a few moments to dip our hands and feet into the chilly water. I’m hoping to visit Beomeosa again so I can follow this path of rocks up to the North Gate of the Geumjeongsanseong Fortress, because I’m all about that hiking sweat life on summer days.

In addition, the four of us visited the Seongdo Museum, located on the temple grounds. There were a variety of Buddhist antiquities, including a Lego construction of the “Nirvana Fish”, where Beomeosa derives its name from. Bizarrely, this Lego “masterpiece” seemed to be a bigger deal than the relics that were hundreds of centuries old. Just nod and smile, y’all.

Beomeosa is one of the most important temples in all of Korea, and receives extra credit for its “Temple Stay” program. While I found the Haedong Yonggungsa Water Temple more visually pleasing, the tranquility of Beomeosa Temple was a welcomed sort of beauty. My recommendation? Visit Beomeosa on a sunny day, walk the grounds, have a picnic on the rocks, and continue up Mount Geumjeongsan. Then you’ll really be about that sweat life.

Directions
To get to Beomeosa Temple, take the Orange Line on the Busan Subway (Line 1) to Beomeosa Station (stop 133). Take exit 5 or 7 and turn up the road between the exits. After 5 minutes, you will reach the Samsin bus stop. Bus Take bus #90, and get out at the Beomeosa Temple stop (approximately 15 minutes).  Alternatively, a taxi costs approximately ₩6,000.

Samgwangsa Temple

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

Let’s jump right into things, folks: Samgwangsa Temple on Buddha’s Birthday was easily one of the most stunning place I’ve been to this past year in Korea. It will undoubtedly top my pending “Korean Bucket List Roundup” in three months time, and frankly, I find it odd that it’s not more widely publicized as a “must see in Busan” (besides on CNN’s “50 beautiful places to visit in Korea” list).

When you Google Samgwangsa (or Samkwang) Temple, there’s comparatively less information about it than say, the Haedong Yonggungsa Water Temple. This is pretty surprising, but I suppose it makes sense – one of the temple’s main draws is that it holds Busan’s largest Lotus Lantern Festival once a year in the weeks leading up to and following Buddha’s Birthday. That said, the temple grounds themselves are quite ostentatious and commanding, rivalled by perhaps only the water temple, mentioned above.

Given that Buddha’s Birthday is a nationally recognized public holiday in Korea (like Children’s Day before it), I took opportunity of my day off to visit Samgwangsa Temple with Steph, Mary, and Nina, as well as some new friends, including my lovely new co-teacher Brandi.

We arrived at Seomyeon Station shortly after 5:30PM to ensure we would catch the setting sun, only to chase our tails for 20 minutes in search of the bus that would actually carry us to the temple. Eventually, we opted for a cab.

The neighbourhood housing Samgwangsa is not what I expected. The temple grounds are located pretty centrally in Seomyeon, while most other temples I’ve visited (Beomeosa and Seokbulsa, namely) have been quite remote. There were convenience stores and coffee shops lining the street running adjacent to the temple, allowing anxieties of  “oh no, our cab driver doesn’t know where he is going” to take root. Once we began to see a string of vividly coloured lanterns, I knew we were in the right place.

A slight incline coupled with some dancing ajummas in the street later and we had reached the mainstay of the temple, which is frankly too absurd to even try to explain (allow me to try anyway). There were lanterns of every colour, shape, and size everywhere, hung with care by the Buddhist monks of Samgwangsa. There were wafting aromas from the stalls manned by ajummas selling delicious street foods. There were two glowing dragons at the temple’s apex, rearing their heads upwards to the sky in unison. Once the sun set, they began emitting billowing smoke and blowing fire from their mouths. All around us, families, individuals, the young, the old, all marvelled at the unreal sights that Samgwangsa was offering in bulk. This place was seriously like the Costco of temples.

After walking through the temple grounds, we returned its centre to watch the lanterns light up. I didn’t think the surroundings could be any more beautiful, but was discredited once the sun disappeared, as I have been so often before in this beautiful country. Ultimately, any attempt at describing Samgwangsa will do an incredible injustice, so just continue scrolling for the photos.

Samgwangsa Temple, as its etymology designates, provides “three rays of light” – a verdant setting in an albeit urban yet serene setting, towering shrines and pagodas, and a quiet reputation of splendour amongst foreigners. If you’re lucky enough to visit this hidden gem during Buddha’s Birthday, take it in and feel fortunate you did.

To get to Samgwangsa Temple, take the Green Line on the Busan Subway (Line 2) to Seomyeon Station (stop 219). Go out exit 13, and take bus number 81 or 122 towards Samgwangsa Temple. Get out at the Songyeong Apt. stop. The temple will be approximately five minutes from the bus stop. Additionally, a cab from Seomyeon Station cost ₩5,000. Entrance to the temple is free.

The Busan Museum

This is a Busan Ex-Pat City Guide post. Check out the rest of my list here.

Did I really visit the Busan Museum? Frankly, the entire thing was a bit of a boring blur. After departing the UN Memorial Cemetery with Mary and Steph, we came across the museum by accident. In a very “YOLO, let’s go learn some things!” moment, the three of us entered the museum. We left about fifteen minutes later, probably less knowledgeable about Busan than we had been upon entrance.

The Busan Museum itself seems fairly curated. It has two main exhibition halls – one devoted to habitation in Busan, spanning across the Palaeolithic, Samhan, Silla, Samguk, and Joseon Periods, and the other devoted to modern and contemporary Busan. The latter also features an exhibit on Korean-Japanese relations.

The museum maybe tries to pack too great a punch, and suffers from “information overload”. I found the lighting made the entire place feel a little desolate, but overall, I think I was just more interested in talking to Mary about our applications to school for the fall.

No offense meant to the Busan Museum, but you were the tiniest and most boring blip on my Korean Bucket List radar so far. Keep hustling, though. If it’s any consolation, I would have enjoyed you much more as a field trip with my kindergarten students.

Directions
To get to the Busan Museum, take the Green Line on the Busan Subway (Line 2) to Daeyeon Station (stop 213). Go straight out exit 3, take your first right, and proceed straight for about 10 minutes. The Busan Museum will be on your left. Entrance to the museum is free (thank goodness).