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BUSAN, South Korea — When in South Korea, a trip to Busan is inevitable.
The beautiful port city is just two hours away from the capital Seoul via the Super Rapid Train, and riding the train is an experience altogether as many passengers undoubtedly refer to the famous South Korean movie about a trip to Busan with the undead wreaking havoc among train passengers.
Busan, however, is teeming with life with its beautiful skyscrapers dotting its skyline and ships and yachts on its coastline.
The second largest city after Seoul, Busan's charm lies on its more laidback vibe with its beaches alongside its trendy spots.
Building for creators
The P.ark in Yeongdo is a building that houses many Instagrammable features. It is aptly named as Platform of Ark for Creators (P.ark) because of its many picturesque features and corners.
The building is glass-covered on all sides, providing the guests and diners a view of the ocean outside. The fourth and fifth floors house the cafes, where delectable pastries are sold.
'Shocking Bridge'
For thrill seekers, they can challenge themselves by visiting Busan X The Sky in Haeundae.
Going up the to the 100th floor of the Landmark Tower where the observatory is located is already a challenge especially since the trip only lasts for 56 seconds to reach the topmost floor.
A Starbucks cafe, souvenir shops and observatory are located at the floors below it. The 100th floor remains to be one of the most popular floors in the building. It is where the Shocking Bridge is located, where only the brave ones will dare to cross the glass bridge that offers a view of the building from ground up to the 100th floor.
Beach side
Gwangalli Beach is reminiscent of the popular beaches in the metropolis. Its sandy beaches beckon visitors and locals alike to walk on its path while enjoying the sea breeze.
Just across it are restaurants that offer a view of the famous beach and shops that cater to modern needs.
One shop that recently opened in that renowned strip is Samsung's Flip Side Market and Studio. The store is an immersive one where experience zones are set-up for those who would want to try their hands on the latest Galaxy phones, including the fifth genereation Fold5 and Flip5, some of which are donned in phone cases that feature Busan's famous tourist attractions and its mascot, Boogi.
Hopeful for World Expo 2030
By November this year, Busan hopes to win its bid to host the World Expo 2030. Busan is competing to host one of the three most popular events in the world together with the cities of Rome (Italy) and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia).
The World Expo is among the three most popular events in the world. The other two are the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. Held every five years, the World Expo is a gathering of nations that showcase their achievements and innovations.
Busan is gearing up to host the World Expo by beefing up its hosting capabilities.
The Busan Metropolitan Government has started its North Port Redevelopment Project in 2007. Its target date of completion is 2036.
Phase 1 is the Gateway or Water-friendly Cultural District. It is envisioned to house various facilities such as an international passenger pier, opera house, Korea's largest waterfront park and a scenic waterway.
Phase 2 is dubbed the International Exchange or Urban Complex District. This is where commercial functions will be located, with urban resorts and waterfront shopping centers located on the beach.
"We are not limiting our efforts locally but as we prepare hosting it and even after it, we are planning to share this experience with people all around the world," said Hwang Hyun-ki, Deputy Director for Overseas Expo Outreach Division of the Busan Metropolitan City, to the international media present during a site visit in Busan.
"Seventy-years (70) ago, we were in a civil war and we recently celebrated the 70th anniversary of the war. Seventy years ago, we were one of the poorest nations in the world. But today, we are among the top 10 economic powerhouses in the world. I think it is time for Korea to share this growth journey with the other parts of the world. We believe the 2030 World Expo would become a milestone in sharing that journey with others," he added.
He also explained about the World Expo site in Busan, which they plan to be more efficient by regenerating their existing industrial site.
"Most of the countries that hosted the three main world events: Olympics, World Cup and World Expo, they built a new site on a natural environment. However eco-friendly that facility is, carbon footprint will be made. We differentiate ourselves here in Busan because we are regenerating the industrial site and this is an ongoing project. And in the middle of this ongoing regeneration project, we are [hoping] to host the World Expo. We are trying to maximize the utilization of the existing infrastructure as much as possible and host the World Expo in the most eco-friendly way," Hwang explained.
He expounded about their eco-friendly measures by revealing that they are planning to build a floating city in Busan by 2030.
"This will be in the form of a prototype building, which is aimed at tackling climate change and the consequent rise in sea level, which is a challenge for all humanity," he said.
A total of 300 households are eyed to be tenants in this prototype building. These households will come from different cultural backgrounds with different residential culture.
The floating city, he said, will be sustainable and will generate its own energy.
Hwang said this is a model and a policy that the Busan Metropolitan Government proposed to the United Nations Habitat in April last year.
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Editor's note: The tour to Busan was hosted by Samsung to promote tourism in the area. At no stage does the host organization have a say on the stories generated from the coverage, interviews conducted, publication date and story treatment. Content is produced solely by Philstar.com following editorial guidelines.
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