[One Day Walk] Enjoy Busan, the City of Sea and Culture... Jagalchi Station

Editor's NoteThe subway is not only a transportation method that anyone can easily access and travel safely with, but also an important point for daily walking. We introduce pleasant walking spots around subway stations.

Today's course is one that allows you to fully enjoy Busan, a coastal city and a city of culture. The starting point of the course is Jagalchi Station on Busan Metro Line 1. It is named after Jagalchi Market, the largest seafood market in Korea, located nearby. It is also closely connected to Nampo-dong, one of Busan's main downtown areas.

The first place to visit is BIFF Square. The Busan International Film Festival, which recently held its 28th edition, was based in the Nampo-dong area for about 15 years from its first event in 1996 until 2011 when the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu was completed. BIFF Square was created to commemorate this. Even after the festival's center shifted to Haeundae, attempts to preserve the memories of Nampo-dong continue, such as screening festival films at local cinemas and hosting events like 'Community BIFF.' The street stalls in the square sell famous snacks like seed hotteok, and nearby is Gwangbok-ro Fashion Street, offering a space to enjoy various cultural activities.

Heading south from BIFF Square leads to Jagalchi Market, the largest seafood market in Korea. It generally refers to the entire area including the modern building of Jagalchi Market built in 2006 inspired by flying seagulls, as well as Sindonga Market and Busan Seafood Street. Near Jagalchi Market is Namhang, a southern port where fishing boats still come and go, allowing visitors to taste fresh fish caught that day.

The bridge you must cross to reach Yeongdo, the destination, is Yeongdo Bridge. Built in 1934, it is Korea's first bascule bridge. A 'bascule' bridge is designed to be temporarily lifted to allow ships to pass when the bridge is built at a height that makes passage difficult. It has been famous as a Busan landmark since old times, mentioned in the song "Be Strong, Geumsun," and served as a meeting place for refugees searching for separated family members. Due to its historical significance, there were strong calls for preservation, but due to increasing traffic demand, it was dismantled and rebuilt with expansion, maintaining a design as similar as possible to the original. The bascule function was also restored, but since large ships rarely pass under the bridge nowadays, the bridge is lifted only once a week at 2 p.m. every Saturday.

Entering Yeongdo and walking south along the coast, you will find Bridge Waterfront Theme Park. Also called Namhang Bridge Waterfront Park, it was created in 2012 on a 5,783㎡ area under Namhang Bridge, which crosses Busan's southern port connecting Yeongdo and Songdo. The park features walking paths, playgrounds, and a circular stage, serving as a resting place for residents.

Panoramic view of Huinyeoul Culture Village, Yeongdo-gu, Busan
[Photo by Visit Busan]

The last place to visit today is Huinnyeoul Culture Village. The area is notable for its many white buildings, evoking the unique scenery of Santorini in Greece. The name comes from a stream flowing down from Bongrae Mountain that looks like falling white snow. You can leisurely enjoy the sea along the sky-blue coastal road promenade resembling the ocean, or explore the upper village paths where the old Busan downtown scenery and an artistic village blend into a distinctive landscape.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.