10 Best Festivals in Busan

The Joseon Tongsinsa Festival is an event that recreates the procession of Joseon Tongsinsa, which were envoys of the Joseon Dynasty sent to Japan to restore relations between the countries that had been severed after the Imjin War (1592-1598). Busan has hosted this festival because the city has historical and geographical significance as a window for cultural exchange between the two nations and also as the place where the Tongsinsa departed for Japan.

The festival consists of the reenactment of the procession of Tongsinsa, Korea-Japan cultural exchange events, and academic conferences, along with large to small programs designed for the purpose of cultural exchange. The main highlight of the festival is the reenactment of the procession of Tongsinsa, in which about 1,000 people dressed as scholars and officials of the Joseon Dynasty march led by a wind band. Don't miss the rare opportunity to go back 5 centuries and watch the procession of the royal envoys, the "originators of the Korean Wave," who sparked the Korean wave in Japan during the era.

The Busan Lotus Lantern Festival is an occasion where all citizens and Buddhist communities in Busan unite their hearts. Ancient Koreans attached a special meaning to a lantern, which brightens up the dark, as a carrier of earnest wishes and hopes. In particular, a lotus lantern symbolizes lightening the heart darkened by worldly desires and selfishness.

During the festival, colourful lotus lanterns light up the night sky of Busan, and citizens and Buddhist communities interact through various programs to experience the traditional rite of lantern lightening and related culture. Among these programs, the lotus lantern procession, in which many citizens participate to create a spectacular view together, is the highlight of the festival. There are no flashy performances during the festival, but you can experience traditional Korean culture and find small happy moments. If your heart is burdened with sorrow and anxiety, let the lantern giving off the soft and warm light carry them to the sky.

The Jeongwol Daeboreum Moon Greeting Festival is a traditional festival that takes place on the 15th day of the lunar new year (Jeongwol Daeboreum) around Busan to pray for good fortune for the entire year. The festival features the traditional rite of "daljip taeugi," where you burn a woodpile symbolizing the moon house (daljip) to invite good luck and drive away bad luck for the new year. The festival is held simultaneously in Haeundae, Gwangalli, Songdo, and Igidae, and among the different locations, the Haeundae Moon Greeting Hot Spring Festival has the longest history. The festival engages visitors to play folk games such as kite flying, yutnori, one-legged fight, tuho, and jegichagi, while also providing a variety of performances including pungmunori (traditional Korean percussion music performance). The festivities reach their peak as the rite of daljip taeugi starts when the moon rises at Haeundae Beach.

Visit the festival and make wishes for the new year while burning the daljip and interact with locals dancing to the joyful pungmul rhythm under the full moon. Start the new year in a meaningful way at this festival and have a fruitful year.

The Haeundae Sand Festival is an eco-friendly cultural tourism festival held on the white sandy beach of Haeundae every year in May or early June. Started as an event to commemorate 150 days before the 2005 APEC Summit, it was well-received as an eco-friendly festival using sand and emphasizing the spectacular view of Haeundae Beach.

Under a new theme each year, world-famous artists display their remarkable sand sculptures on the white sandy beach of Haeundae. In addition to the main exhibition, the festival consists of diverse programs such as an opening ceremony, performances and parades, and various experiential programs such a treasure hunt in the sand, sandboarding, and hourglass making. Immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere, feeling the soft sand of Haeundae Beach underfoot. The festival is also a great occasion to relieve stress and have a good time with your kids.

The Hydrangea Flower Culture Festival is held in early summer around the city's large hydrangea colonies. The festival provides a rare opportunity to experience healing watching freshly bloomed hydrangea flowers. The hydrangeas bushes at Taejongsa, a temple in Taejongdae, have been cultivated for over 40 years by the chief priest who has collected seedlings of different varieties from around the world. Now, the 5,000 hydrangeas trees form a huge colony altogether. The Hydrangea Flower Culture Festival was started in 2005, through a partnership between Taejongsa and Yeongdo-gu, to share the joy from these beautiful hydrangea flowers with more citizens.

Celebrate the arrival of early summer with the beautiful unexplored scenery of Taejongdae and the splendid hydrangea flowers boasting bright colours. These ravishingly beautiful flowers will brighten up your heart. During the festival, you can also enjoy various performances and experiential programs such as busking, photo spot tour, cold noodle tasting, and flower art exhibitions.

The Busan Sea Festival, held from August 1 to 9 every year at major beaches in Busan, allows you to enjoy summer to the fullest. The festival features various cultural and artistic events and unique experiential programs based on popular culture at the scenic beaches of Busan, including Haeundae.

Some of the key words to best describe the festival are the hot sun, cool sea, golden sandy beach, colourful neon signs, and exciting music. Starting with the opening party held in Haeundae, the festival offers a variety of attractions and activities such as water play zones that jets water from all directions and water gun fights that will bring back memories of your childhood. Have a passionate summer day enjoying a night pool party, water activities, and a dance party at Gwangalli Beach. Spend an unforgettable summer night in Busan listening to the sound of music that resonates with the sea air.

The Busan International Film Festival is Asia's representative non-competitive film festival held in Busan every autumn. During the festival period, the entire city bustles with festivity. Launched as Korea's first international film festival, it has served as a window for Asian films to be showcased and an opportunity for audiences to meet Asian film directors. The festival has built a reputation as a popular film festival attracting large numbers of visitors.

The festival, which takes place mainly around the Busan Cinema Centre and BIFF Square in Nampo-dong, kicks off with a red-carpet event, the gem of the festival, following which films from around the world are screened in dedicated theatres. The Busan Cinema Centre features a plain yet splendid design and provides convenient transportation, and BIFF Square in Nampo-dong is another attractive place where filmmakers and audiences can interact and feel connectedness through various events held in the early days of the film festival. If you are a cinephile, don't miss visiting the Busan International Film Festival.

The Busan International Rock Festival is Korea's longest-running rock festival that started in 2000 and continues to this day. The large-scale music festival attracts over 100,000 visitors every year. Indie bands from across the country, including Busan, and top domestic and international bands offer performances outdoors for three days. The festival features a large line-up of popular rock musicians. Many rock enthusiasts at home and abroad look forward to this festival every year.

When the ear-splitting rock sound and the penetrating vocals heat up the outdoor stage, people stamp their feet together in a trance, becoming part of the music themselves. Mingling in with the enthused crowd, release your passionate side and fall into the music at the festival that continues even into the night.

The Busan International Fireworks Festival is held every October around Gwangalli Beach and Gwangandaegyo Bridge. More than a million people from home and abroad visit the city every year to participate in this festival. The festival features a variety of fireworks as well as a spectacular laser show. As the opening parade of fireworks and concert warm up the crowd, the main fireworks show starts and mesmerizes the audience with fireworks in different shapes and colours, until the closing ceremony―a street fireworks performance―makes a grand finale of the festival. The festival is a once-in-a-year chance to see fireworks in unique shapes and extra-large sizes exploding over the sea.

When the festival kicks off after a 10-second countdown from over a million people, fireworks soar to the pitch-black night sky and embroider the sky in different colours. You will shout for joy watching the endlessly exploding fireworks. If you fail to get a seat on the sandy beach, don't be disappointed. You can see fireworks from Dongbaekseom Island, Igidae Park, and Hwangnyeongsan Mountain as well. Visit the festival and spend a romantic time with your loved ones.

The Haeundae Light Festival, one of Busan's representative winter festivals, conveys the message of comfort and hope through light. Starting from the lighting ceremony in early December, beautiful lights illuminate famous tourist spots in the Haeundae area including Haeundae Beach, Haeundae Market, and Aehyang-gil Street during the festival. At the Gate of Light, which is the entrance to the festival area, handwritten supportive and hopeful messages attract your gaze, and at the end of the plaza, a huge Christmas tree warmly greets you.

This festival is a wonderful way to celebrate wintertime with your family or lover. Spectacular light installations on every corner of the street, exciting street performances, and dreamy lights shimmering on the white sandy beach will present you with unforgettable experiences. The twinkling lights will warm your heart and put a happy smile on your face.