Busan is good

Exploring YOLO Galmaet-gil ⑥ YOLO Route 3

Photo courtesy of Minjae LeeFor a refreshing seaside stroll with sweeping ocean views, YOLO Galmaetgil Route 3 offers one of Busan's most picturesque escapes. This scenic 5.8-kilometer route stretches from Songjeong Station to Mipo Station, hugging the city's eastern coastline. A 10-minute walk from Songjeong Station leads to Songjeong Beach. This sandy playground is a favorite year-round, but it buzzes in August with sunseekers and surfers alike. From the beach, trekkers follow a wooden deck that winds along the coast. With brilliant blue water on one side and lush greenery on the other, it's easy to appreciate this urban paradise.Midway through, take a breather at the Cheongsapo Daritdol or Haewol observatories. Their reinforced glass floors offer a heart-pounding view of the waves crashing below. With the sea swirling beneath your feet, either place offers a memorable spot to take a picture and rest before finishing the trail.<Today's Vocabulary - 오늘의 단어>stroll: 산책 picturesque: 그림 같은 stretch: 뻗다 appreciate: 감사하다 swirling: 소용돌이치는 Editor: Song SoomiCopy Editors: Ryu Hyoseung, Anton J. Mapoy

Domoheon Tops 300,000 Visitors, Cementing Success

Domoheon Tops 300,000 Visitors, Cementing Success□ Since opening on September 24, 2024, Domoheon has welcomed a total of 300,000 patrons.○ Remodeled from the former mayor’s official residence, once an event hall, Domoheon was made accessible after four decades as a versatile community facility.□ The city’s annual target was 200,000, but Domoheon now averages nearly 1,300 per day, attesting to its strong appeal.○ By April, merely six months into operations, it had already reached 200,000 cumulative attendees. Positive word of mouth about Sosopung Garden, Busan’s first everyday garden, and a varied program lineup helped attendance climb to 300,000 within its first ten months.○ Through active communication, Busan gathers feedback to help shape Domoheon into a space that truly reflects public needs and values.□ Domoheon provides a vast collection of cultural engagement opportunities: ▲ Sosopung Garden, ▲ lectures and healing workshops, and ▲ free exhibitions.○ [Sosopung Garden] Divided into ▲ Grass Garden, ▲ Pond Garden, ▲ Involvement Garden (sculptures and commemorative trees), and ▲ Sculptured Pine Garden, it is home to 252 species and 47,650 plants, such as pine trees, matteuccia, and caryopteris. Recent additions like picnic tables, benches, and deck seating enhance its urban sanctuary atmosphere.○ [Lectures Healing Workshops] ▲ Key highlights in early 2025 included the Sosopung Festival, the Love Peace Furniture Exhibition, and Art Busan showcases. ▲ Current offerings are the Space Interpretation Tour, which explores Domoheon’s history; Busan Story, sharing local leaders’ journeys; and Busan School, lectures on discovering life’s meaning.○ [Free Exhibitions] Complimentary displays in the first- and second-floor lounges encourage ongoing attention.□ For the remainder of the year, Busan will strive to keep up the momentum and further elevate Domoheon’s impact with fresh initiatives.○ Plans feature ▲ historical-t

Busan Named 2028 World Design Capital: Stepping Up as a Global Design Hub

Busan Named 2028 World Design Capital: Stepping Up as a Global Design Hub□ Busan Metropolitan City has been honored by being named as the 2028 World Design Capital (WDC) by the World Design Organization (WDO).○ The World Design Organization biennially distinguishes a city that employs design to catalyze economic, social, cultural, and environmental progress. The WDC program was inaugurated in 2008.○ Busan becomes the 11th recipient of the title, joining other cities such as Seoul (2010), Helsinki (2012), and Valencia (2022).□ For its winning bid, Busan championed the concept of ‘Inclusive City, Engaged Design,’ grounded in active involvement by local citizens in service design.○ Last June, a WDO delegation inspected key sites: ▲ Very Very Good Bongsan Village, Yeongdo; ▲ Dongseo University; ▲ the Busan North Port Redevelopment Area; and ▲ F1963. These visits underscored Busan’s dedication to participatory design, design-focused education, and the alignment of public policy with design principles.□ With community-led renewal initiatives at its heart, Busan exemplifies excellence in culture and infrastructure as well, ultimately outshining its final competitor, Hangzhou, China.○ The World Design Organization noted, “Busan manifests strong potential for urban transformation through a creative design ecosystem. Its data-driven regional analysis and improvement strategies can act as a reference worldwide. We look forward to Busan making a meaningful impact not only within Korea, but also internationally.”□ The official proclamation will take place in September during the 34th World Design Congress in London, the United Kingdom.□ In partnership with the Design Council Busan, the city will now establish an implementation framework and embark on thorough planning and execution to showcase itself for the World Design Capital 2028.□ Mayor Park Heong-joon commented, "This designation is a collective achievement by our citizens and a moment