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Busan, South Korea —
The crabs are pulled alive from the tank and cooked to order. A group of teens dressed in fan gear of their favorite pop idols. A mother and her daughters relax side by side in a heated natural pool.
Yes, Busan, South Korea’s second largest city, has it all. But in recent years, the city has made a big move from being just a side trip to becoming a destination in its own right.
But this isn’t just a watered-down version of Soul.
Busan, located on South Korea’s southeast coast, is known for its warm and mild climate. It’s home to a passionate surfing community, and the annual sand-sculpting contest features miniature versions of the Pyramids of Giza and Mount Rushmore. If Seoul is New York, Busan is Los Angeles. They are younger, cooler, and less stressed.
“It’s on the coast, it’s got beaches, it’s a slower-paced lifestyle, people are much more active. It offers something completely different,” said Rebecca Barry, South Korea product manager at Inside Travel Group. She helps plan itineraries for travelers who want to experience Korean food, pop culture, beauty, and more.
Once a busy working-class area with an active shipping port, the newly redesigned Busan North Port district is now connected by pedestrian walkways. People leave Busan Central Station and take an elevated walkway past the waterfront and over a busy expressway.
Busan, one of the world’s largest port cities, has given the green light to a series of high-profile design-forward projects that will forever change the city’s skyline and its global cultural standing.
The skyscraper Lotte Tower is one of them. The building, currently under construction, occupies the Plum Waterfront space that once housed Busan City Hall and has a dramatic stacked disc style inspired by crashing waves. When it opens, at least one luxury hotel is expected to open, along with high-end shops and offices.
The tower is located very close to Jagalchi, the country’s largest fish market. Already a popular tourist spot, the Busan city government has made efforts to make the market more tourist-friendly by upgrading toilet facilities, bringing outdoor stalls indoors, and increasing transparency in food hygiene practices.
Busan Mayor Park Hong-joon said at a press conference in 2025, “We will develop Jagalchi Market into a top brand of marine culture and seafood tourism that attracts people all over the world, and we will spare no effort in supporting this goal.”
Perhaps the city’s most notable structure is the Opera House, designed by luxury architecture firm Snøhetta and scheduled to open in late 2027.
“They’re trying to transform Busan from a port city to a design-driven city,” says Emily Yang, director of Snøhetta’s Asia footprint. “The Opera House will be a catalyst for development around the area.”
As part of these goals, Busan has expressed its ambition to become a “15-minute city.” The term, coined by French urbanist Carlos Moreno, assumes that key elements of a person’s life, such as jobs, schools, stores, and outdoor recreational areas, are within 15 minutes of their home by foot, bike, or public transportation. Busan North Port is already a proof of concept for a walkable, tourist-friendly downtown area.
That may seem at odds with the opera house, as this art form has a reputation for being elitist and inaccessible. But Jan disagrees. One of the opera house’s key design principles is that, similar to the Oslo and Sydney opera houses, the public can access large parts of the building 24/7 without purchasing a ticket.
A popular Busan coffee shop brand (local officials declined to say which brand, but several homegrown cafes have recently received international recognition) will set up shop on the roof of the Opera House.
“This is much more than a traditional opera house,” she says.
Mr. Yang’s opinion is true because there is creativity everywhere in Busan. The cost of living is lower than in Seoul, making it easier for young people to launch new projects and start small businesses.
The Busan Film Festival, which started in 1996, has become an international event that attracts top actors and directors. In 2011, a year-round permanent venue, Busan Cinema Center, was added. As well as a dedicated screening room and film archive, it also has the world’s largest cantilevered roof.
Meanwhile, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) reopened in 2026 after an extensive $32 million, multi-year renovation and expansion.
Access to Busan has also become easier. South Korea’s high-speed rail network, KTX, connects travelers from Seoul to Busan in just under three hours. Meanwhile, Busan’s Gimhae International Airport (PUS) has direct flights from major Asian cities such as Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore.
In 2025, Gimhae City surpassed 10 million international tourists for the first time in its history. Traffic has increased so much that the South Korean government has given the go-ahead to build a second airport, Gadeokdo, on an island just south of Busan. It is scheduled to open in 2035.
Meanwhile, travelers coming from Japan also have the option of taking a six-hour ferry ride from the seaside city of Fukuoka to Busan.
One thing is clear: travelers are paying attention.
Airbnb has named Busan as one of the destinations that will grow in popularity in 2026. Expedia.com has added Busan to its list of destinations to visit in 2027, announcing that searches for Busan have increased by 50% compared to the previous year.
“Korea’s cultural appeal has always been strong, but travelers are now looking to experience South Korea beyond the capital,” said Laila Seo, Airbnb’s Korea Country Manager. “According to our latest research, 79% of international travelers and prospective travelers want to explore places other than Seoul, and Busan is their first destination.”
Additionally, searches for accommodation in Busan have increased by 30% over the past year, according to Airbnb data.
Major hotel brands are also moving into Busan. Hyatt Centric is expected to open in the business district near City Hall in 2025, and Banyan Tree’s beachside accommodations are also expected to open by the end of this year. The deck also features a wellness-focused Hilton property near the Instagram-famous Haedong Yonggungsa Temple.
In 2025, 74% of people who booked a trip to South Korea through Inside Travel Group visited Busan, according to travel advisor Barry.
“When we started selling in Korea three or four years ago, accommodation options were limited,” Barry says. “Now we have big brands, new hotels, new tourist attractions. Things are changing quickly. There’s no hesitation in creating something new and interesting. Even if you go back to Busan every year, you’ll see something different.”
“They know this is their moment in the sun and are ready to take advantage of it.”
