Daily Busan
Busan’s rich culture blooms in May
Throughout the month of May, also known as "Family Month" in Korea, a variety of cultural and arts events will take place in the city, offering entertainment for audiences of all ages.
The Busan International Performing Arts Festival began on April 7 and will run until May 19. This festival is a local event for actors and also serves as a preliminary stage for the Korea Theater Festival in Seoul. Nine plays will be presented in four theaters across the city, including Haneulbaram Theatre and Yongcheon Jiral Theater.
The closing ceremony will be live-streamed on the festival's official YouTube channel at 7 p.m. on May 1. For details on theater locations and reservations, visit the official website of the National Theater Association of Korea (bstheater.or.kr).
The Busan National Gugak Center's "Saturday Performance of Korean Traditional Music & Dance" continues in May. This regular concert showcases aspects of “gugak”, Korean for “national music.” Audiences can experience traditional Korean court music and folk music, along with other related art forms including dances and ceremonial movements. Visit the official website of the Busan National Gugak Center (busan.gugak.go.kr) for more information.
<Calendar of Events>
For more information, visit Dabom (busandabom.net), the city’s official website dedicated to cultural events happening citywide.
May 2023 | Event Name | Time | Location | Price (won) |
Classical Music | The 7th Special Concert of The New Ensemble “Opera Gala Concert” | May 2 7:30 p.m. | Busan Cultural Center | 20,000 for all seating |
Busan Philharmonic Orchestra “Chamber Music II” | May 4 7:30 p.m. | 10,000 for all seating | ||
2023 Dmitry Shishkin Piano Recital | May 5 7 p.m. | R 100,000 S 80,000 A 60,000 B 40,000 | ||
IPB Chamber Music Series: “French Connection” | May 6 7:30 p.m. | 20,000 for all seating | ||
Busan Philharmonic Orchestra “Kids Concert” | May 19 7:30 p.m. | 10,000 for all seating | ||
Pinkfong Classic Land: “Finding Tutti” | May 20 3 p.m. | Busan Citizen’s Hall | R 50,000 S 40,000 A 30,000 | |
Yuhki Kuramoto Concert | May 26 7:30 p.m. | R 70,000 S 50,000 A 30,000 | ||
Theater | “Old Memories” | May 16 to 18 7:30 p.m. | HaeundaeCultural Center | 30,000 for 1st floor seats 20,000 for 2nd floor seats |
Ventriloquism performance | May 20 2 p.m. | Eulsukdo Cultural Centre | 10,000 for all seating | |
Musical | Busan Metropolitan Choir Children’s Musical: “Once Upon a Time” | May 4 7:30 p.m. May 5 11 a.m. | Busan Cultural Center | R 20,000 S 10,000 |
Busan Metropolitan Theatre Company “The Ugly Duckling” | May 3 to 28 Weekends and holidays: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. | 12,000 for all seating | ||
“The Velveteen Rabbit” | May 11 7:30 p.m. | Geumjeong Cultural Center | 20,000 for all seating | |
Kids Musical: “Wow!” | May 13 2 p.m. | Buk-gu Culture IceSports Center | 20,000 for all seating | |
Traditional Art |
Busan Metropolitan Traditional Orchestra “Fun and Exciting Gugak” | May 2 to 3 10:30 a.m. | Busan Cultural Center | 10,000 for all seating |
Art and Sense “Pansory in Cello and Piano” | May 31 7:30 p.m. |
Busan Arts Center | Free | |
Dance | Dance drama “Yumado” season 2 | May 3 to 13 Wed. to Fri. 7:30 p.m. Sat., Sun. and Children’s Day 3 p.m. | Busan National Gugak Center | S 20,000 A 10,000 |
Busan Metropolitan Dance Company “1002 Nights” | May 12 7:30 p.m. May 13 4 p.m. | 부산시민회관 Busan Citizen’s Hall | R 30,000 A 20,000 | |
Pop Music | Road to 2023 WORLD DJ FESTIVAL - BUSAN | May 1 2 p.m. |
The Busan Cinema Center |
99,000 for all seating |
11 o’clock concert: “Every Single Days’ Drama Music” | May 31 11 a.m. | 20,000 for all seating | ||
Exhibition | 2023 Children’s Gallery “Lots of People” | May 4 to Dec 17 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays | Busan Museum of Art | Free |
Vision and Perspective 2023 “My Young and Sad Days” | Until Aug 6 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays | |||
2023 Busan MoCa Cinemedia “Climate of Cinema: Isle, the Planet and Postcontact Zone” | Until Aug 6 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays | Museum of Contemporary Art, Busan | ||
Opera | Children’s Opera: Let’s Play! Bizet’s “Carmen” | May 5 2 p.m. | Eulsukdo Cultural Centre | 10,000 for all seating |
Circus | The Family Circus Show “Alice in the Wonderland” World Tour | May 20 to 21 2 p.m. & 6 p.m. | BEXCO | R 110,000 S 99,000 A 77,000 |
Magic Show | “Moments of Magic” | May 13 3 p.m. | Yeongdo Culture and Arts Center | 20,000 for all seating |
Lecture | 2023 Humanities Master Class: Tyler Rasch | May 13 3 p.m. | Busan Cultural Center | R 30,000 S 20,000 |
Other | Hisiashi Joe Movie Music Concert Busan Encore | May 28 2 p.m. | Busan Citizen’s Hall | R 120,000 S 90,000 A 60,000 B 40,000 |