Busan is good

What to do this weekend: Gamcheon Culture Village Alley Festival

source: visit busanThe 16th Gamcheon Culture Village Alley Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, filling the hillside village’s alleys with parades, music and hands-on activities.Held under the theme “Stories in the K-Alley,” the festival takes place against the colorful murals and hillside scenery of one of western Busan’s major tourist attractions.The festival opens with gilnori, a traditional Korean street parade that will wind through the village’s alleys on Oct. 31 ahead of the main program. An alley parade featuring a lion mask dance is also scheduled for the afternoon.Performances spanning a range of genres will be staged at venues across the village throughout the festival. The lineup includes a set pairing K-pop with sogo, a small traditional Korean hand drum; Jindo Buknori, a traditional drum performance from Jindo Island; and fusion music on the gayageum, a traditional Korean zither. Guitar performances of 1970s and 1980s hits, along with retro-style K-pop, will add a note of nostalgia to the autumn program.Local residents will also take the stage at the village’s community lounge, with children’s cheerleading, taekwondo demonstrations and line dancing.Hands-on activities include workshops for making natural cosmetics and nakhwabong, a traditional Korean fireworks pouch. Visitors can also play traditional folk games and try out old-fashioned items such as a water-carrying yoke.A QR code stamp collection event runs throughout the festival, inviting visitors to explore the village’s alleys and hidden corners. Participants who collect stamps at four main attractions can claim a reward at the “Feel Good Destination SAHA” booth.※ 16th Gamcheon Culture Village Alley Festival, Oct. 31-Nov. 1◎ Time: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.◎ Gamcheon Culture Village:- Naver Map: Click  - Google Maps: Click ◎ Visit Busan: Click <Today's Vocabulary - 오늘의 단어>alley: 골목 mural: 벽화 nostalgia: 향수 demonstration: 시연 Editor: Song SoomiCopy Editors: Ryu Hyoseung, Anton J. Mapoy

“Missing Busan? Customize Your Phone and Computer!” Busan Unveils Busan Kku

□ Busan Metropolitan City has rolled out Busan Kku*, a digital souvenir platform showcasing visual works inspired by the city, including iconic places and events, in response to ‘Busan Fever’—the lingering desire many domestic and international visitors feel to return to Busan.○ The platform captures the growing popularity of online merchandise and self-expression, particularly among Generation Z.○ Moving beyond text-heavy public relations, the city aims to help residents and tourists discover and celebrate what makes Busan unique in a practical and engaging manner.○ ‘Phone customization (phonkku)’ and ‘computer or tablet customization (comkku)’ are emerging trends in which people personalize their devices to reflect their tastes. To bring Busan’s character and identity into daily routines, the city provides a variety of downloadable materials—illustrations, stickers, and wallpapers.* (Access) Busan Kku website at www.busan.go.kr/goods (Korean only)□ Collaborated pieces with Busan-based artists, renowned for their evocative styles and collectible appeal, are also available.○ The platform highlights illustrated and animated wallpapers depicting notable sites such as Gwangandaegyo Bridge and Gamcheon Culture Village, as well as PNG stickers featuring ordinary moments in Busan and the city’s public outreach mascot, Boogi.□ An advanced search system makes it easy to browse content by theme, item, device, and district.○ Content is categorized by format (images and videos), intended use, and theme (landmarks, festivals, mascots, and policies). The applicable Korea Open Government License Types 1–4 or free-to-use label—is also indicated to clarify the terms of use.

Royal Russell Busan, Southeastern Korea’s Pioneering International School, Marks Start of Construction; Opening Targeted for 2028

□ Construction of the Royal Russell School Busan Campus, the first foreign educational institution in southeastern Korea, commenced on October 19, 2026.□ The Royal Russell School Busan Campus will occupy Lot 1 at 3638 Myeongji-dong in Myeongji International New Town and comprise six buildings with a total floor area of 19,286 square meters.○ The Busan campus will adopt the teaching approach and core curriculum of the prestigious Royal Russell in the United Kingdom, which has over 170 years of history. Those enrolled in Busan will therefore benefit from an academic framework equivalent to that of their peers at the main campus.□ Busan Metropolitan City has asked Korea Land and Housing Corporation (LH), which is in charge of the project, to fast-track preparations to ensure the campus opens as scheduled in 2028.○ Following an expedited tender process, LH signed the contract on October 1. After a mobilization period, civil engineering work, including excavation, is due to get underway in mid-November.○ The city has also coordinated with responsible authorities on updates through task force meetings. It will continue to monitor implementation progress in cooperation with relevant parties and facilitate the necessary administrative procedures.□ The Royal Russell School Busan Campus is expected to function as a strategic asset in drawing and retaining multinational companies and professionals, helping position western Busan as a hub for talent development.□ Mayor Chun Jae-soo said, “Breaking ground on the Royal Russell School Busan Campus is an important step toward establishing global education infrastructure that will underpin Busan’s future as a maritime capital. We will work to maintain partnerships with all stakeholders so that the campus is ready to welcome its initial cohort of students in August 2028.”□ Project OverviewㅇLocation: Lot 1, 3638 Myeongji-dong, Gangseo-guㅇScale: Six buildings, each with one basement level and four above-grou