My Hometown’s International Exchange
― Busan, Korea version
YoungWoo Jang (Faculty of Economics, 5th Year, Korea)
Do you know where the
biggest harbor in Korea is?
How about the most beautiful
beach? Well, the answer is
Busan. While most foreigners
are familiar with Seoul, the
capital of Korea, not many
people are aware of the
beauty of Busan.
Busan is the second largest
city in Korea with a
population of approximately 3.6
million people. It has one of
the largest harbors in the
Republic of Korea and is the
known as the fifth largest
harbor in the world. The city
is located near the Eastern
Sea (Sea of Japan) and is
possible to travel to Fukuoka
by a ferry, which will take
about 2 and a half hours.
The city of Busan has held
many major sporting events
such as the 2002 Asian
Games and APEC 2005
Korea. It has also held the
2002 FIFA World Cup and is
considered as one of the
most festive cities in the
country. Not only is it a
center of numerous events,
but it also has a very famous
beach known as Haeundae.
I was born and raised in
Haeundae and I have many
joyful memories there. They
have one of the biggest
beaches and have many
natural hot springs, which
are visited by many tourists.
During the summer, they fill
up the beach and create a
line of parasols on the
seashore.
Besides the stunning
natural scenery, Shinsegae
Centum City has the world’s
largest department store in
Asia and is now one of the
newest landmarks. The
Busan Lotte World Tower is
a 110 floor, 510.1 m (1,674ft)
super skyscraper and is
expected to be completed in
2013. After completion, it will
be the third tallest building
in the world after Burj
Khalifa and the One World
Trade Center.
Of course, Haeundae isn’t
the only famous place in my
hometown, Busan. There is a
magnificent bridge in my
neighborhood called the
Kwang-Ahn bridge. The
lighting of the bridge was
brilliantly done and is now
recognized as an artificial
structure that symbolizes
Busan. The bridge faces the
Kwang-Ahn-Ri beach and has
a lovely view during day and
night.
Ships that come in and out
of the Busan harbor have to
pass the Ohryukdo, also
known as the symbol of
Busan. The seafood market,
Jagalchi is famous for its
people since they are widely
known for their compassion
and generosity. Nearby, there
is a town called Nampodong
where the international film
festival is held annually. It’s
proven to be famous
worldwide since many people
from across the country
attend this event. The place
has received much attention
because of its frequent visits
from many Hollywood
celebrities.
Nakdong River is Korea’s
2nd longest river followed by
the Aplok River. Around the
fertile delta, there are many
migrating birds that rest
during the warmer seasons.
It is one of the best bird
watching sites in the world.
The view of the sunset is so
beautiful that words cannot
explain. It is also considered
a great dating spot.
Busan is not only a
beautiful place but is
renowned for its delicious
food. I often enjoyed eating
raw fish since I was born
and raised in Busan. I also love seafood too. When I was
in Busan, I had seafood two
or three times a month. Live
octopus is one of my favorite
foods, however, I don’t get to
eat it frequently because it is
very expensive. If you enjoy
raw fish, you should
definitely go to my favorite
restaurant. It has a taste that
you will never forget.
To conclude everything, I
am very proud to have been
born and raised in such a
great city. If you ever have a
chance to visit Busan, I
highly recommend enjoying
the scenery while driving
along the highway and the
delicious food. I promise that
you will not be disappointed.
