Busan is good

'Fun City Busan' targets 5M foreign tourists

New nighttime events have attracted foreign tourists.　Busan is emerging as a premier destination for fun and engaging travel experiences, attracting travelers from around the globe with its diverse and vibrant charms. From January to October 2025, the city welcomed 3,019,164 international visitors, marking the first time Busan has surpassed the 3-million threshold in a single year. 　This growth represents a remarkable 20% year-on-year increase in tourists from several key markets, including Chinese-speaking regions, Vietnam, India, the Philippines, Russia and the United Kingdom. Alongside the rise in arrivals, international tourist spending reached 859.2 billion won as of October 2024, a 31.5% increase compared to the previous year and the fastest growth rate in the country.　City officials attribute the surge to inbound tourism strategies, including developing experience-based travel content, hosting major cultural events and strengthening offerings in gastronomy and cruise tourism. Looking ahead, Busan aims to attract 5 million international visitors and generate 1.5 trillion won in annual tourism spending by 2028. 　To achieve these goals, the city will focus on elevating its global branding and competitiveness as a premier tourism hub. Plans include expanding the city's tourism footprint and enhancing cultural content, as well as developing high-value, purpose-based travel programs. Furthermore, Busan plans to implement a range of measures, from infrastructure innovation to developing integrated tourism routes linking Busan to other major cities in the southern region. <Today's Vocabulary - 오늘의 단어>premier: 최고 수준의, 선도적인  vibrant: 활기찬, 생동감 있는  threshold: 기준(점), 문턱  compared to: ~와 비교하면  gastronomy: 미식(학), 요리 문화  implement: 시행하다, 도입하다Editor: Song SoomiCopy Editors: Ryu Hyoseung, Anton J. Mapoy

Opening Festival for Nakdong Art Center, West Busan’s Premier Classical Music Venue

Opening Festival for Nakdong Art Center, West Busan’s Premier Classical Music Venue□ The Nakdong Art Center hosted its grand opening concert on January 10, 2026, at 17:00.○ As the inaugural site in West Busan devoted to classical music, the Nakdong Art Center spans three floors above ground and one below and comprises a 987-seat concert hall for classical recitals and 292-seat ensemble theater designed as a versatile space. Even before its official debut, trials exploring different genres—concerto, opera, choral pieces, chamber repertoire, and vocal music—drew intense interest and sold out quickly.○ On January 10, 2026, approximately 1,000 people, including locals and key figures within the arts community, gathered in the concert hall.□ The grand opening concert started with congratulatory video messages from residents and Busan-based creative artists, followed by participation from regional performers. The program featured ▲ Part 1: Original Symphony and ▲ Part 2: Symphony No. 8 by Mahler.□ Through March 5, the opening festival will highlight in-house productions and presentations by globally acclaimed musicians, while promoting locally led projects to further solidify a robust artistic ecosystem.○ A total of 20 works across 27 sessions will be showcased in the concert hall and the ensemble theater, such as ▲ Aida, entirely handled internally from planning to casting and staging, and ▲ international acts performed by WDR Sinfonie-Orchester Koln from Germany and The King’s Singers, a world-class a cappella group.○ Additional distinguished local lineups will feature: ▲ ‘Future Generation Classical Concert,’ a collaboration between Busan high school and college students and the Nakdong Art Center Festival Orchestra, ▲ ‘Nakdong Expands the Classical Realm’ by the Busan Symphony Orchestra, a 140-member private orchestra, and ▲ ‘Nakdong’s Breeze Plays the Piano’ by top pianists.□ The Nakdong Art Center was built by the

Busan Airport Limousine Buses Reorganized with Reference to Usage Patterns: Effective January 5, 2026

Busan Airport Limousine Buses Reorganized with Reference to Usage Patterns: Effective January 5, 2026□ Commencing January 5, 2026, Busan airport limousine bus routes connecting Gimhae International Airport to major city destinations will be partially realigned.○ Over the past five months, data was collected and analyzed to optimize efficiency and convenience.□ Busan Airport Limousine 1 (Haeundae · Gijang) will introduce a stop at the East Busan Tourism Complex (airport-bound: Osiria Theme Park, Gijang-bound: Matie Osiria) to accommodate growing demand in East Busan.○ Several bus stop locations near Haeundae Beach will be adjusted for clarity. The Haeundae Beach Entrance (09112) stop will become Haeundae Beach (09116), using a single name for both inbound and outbound trips.○ Frequency on the less used Gijang line will decrease, whereas frequency on the busier Jangsan line will increase. Under a flexible dispatch system, intervals from Jangsan will be shortened from 60 to 20–60 minutes, with additional buses deployed during peak periods to prevent overcrowding.□ Busan Airport Limousine 2 (Seomyeon · Bujeon) will implement an adult fare reduction from 7,500 to 6,000 won.○ Headways will be fine-tuned to 60–80 minutes, while routes and stops will remain unchanged.□ Airport limousine services were temporarily suspended in 2024 after route rights were returned. A new operator took over in February 2025.○ From the restart on July 31, 2025, through the end of the year, buses carried an average of approximately 300 travelers per day, with cumulative ridership reaching 50,000, garnering positive feedback for operational reliability even in the early stages.Update Overview□ Effective Date: First departure on Monday, January 5, 2026□ Routes Fares○ Busan Airport Limousine 1 (Haeundae · Gijang)Gijang – Haeundae – Gimhae International Airport (42.2 kilometers, one-way 110 minutes)First / Last Bus (from Gijang: 04:50 / 16:30, from Airport: 10:10 /