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    • Where to Visit in Busan, South Korea
      • Haeundae Beach (해운대 해수욕장) in Busan, Korea
      • Gwangalli Beach & Gwangan Bridge (광안리 해수욕장 & 광안대교)
      • Gamcheon Culture Village (감천문화마을) in Busan, South Korea
      • BIFF Square (BIFF 광장) & Kakao Friends, Busan, South Korea
      • Gukje Market (국제시장), Busan, South Korea
      • Taejongdae Resort Park (태종대 유원지), Busan, South Korea
      • Haedong Yonggungsa Temple (해동용궁사), Busan, South Korea
      • Shopping in Busan: Complete Guide to Department Stores
      • Luxury Hotels in Busan, South Korea
      • Oryukdo Island (오륙도) & Oryukdo Skywalk
      • Songdo Beach & Songdo Cloud Trails (송도해수욕장 & 송도구름산책로), Busan, South Korea
      • Dongbaekseom Island (동백섬) in Busan, South Korea
      • Songjeong Beach (송정해수욕장), Busan, South Korea
      • Dadaepo Beach (다대포 해수욕장) & Dadaepo Sunset Fountain of Dream in Busan, Korea
      • Beomeosa Temple (범어사) in Busan, South Korea
      • Busan X The SKY in Busan, South Korea
      • Jukseong Church (Dream Open Set / 죽성성당) in Busan, South Korea
      • Nakdong Estuary Eco Center (낙동강하구에코센터) in Busan, South Korea
      • Nurimaru APEC House (누리마루 APEC 하우스) in Busan, South Korea
      • F1963, Urban Cultural Complex, Busan, South Korea
      • United Nations Memorial Cemetery (유엔기념공원) in Busan, South Korea
      • Ilgwang Beach (일광해수욕장) in Busan, South Korea
      • Museum of Contemporary Art Busan (부산현대미술관)
      • Seongjigok Reservoir (성지곡수원지) in Busan, South Korea
      • Hwamyeong Rose Park (화명장미공원), Busan, South Korea
    • Where to Visit in Seoul, South Korea
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      • Gwanghwamun Square (광화문광장), Seoul, South Korea
      • The Story of King Sejong (세종이야기) in Seoul, South Korea
      • Insadong (인사동), Seoul, South Korea
      • Jogyesa Temple (조계사) in Seoul, South Korea
      • Seoul Lantern Festival (서울 빛초롱축제)
    • Other Destinations in South Korea
      • Jeonju Hanok Village (전주한옥마을) in South Korea
      • Jeonju Hyanggyo (전주향교), South Korea
      • Tongdosa Temple (통도사), Gyeongsangnamdo, South Korea
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Dongbaekseom Island (동백섬) in Busan, South Korea

LCT Towers, Haeundae Beach, Suspension Bridge

Camellias bloom during winter over the southern parts of South Korea, and they have been beloved especially in Busan. Probably that’s why camellias are the city flower of Busan. Dongbaekseom means the island of camellias and as its name suggests, it is certainly one of the must-visit destinations in Busan. 

Location

99, Dongbaek-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea

 

Hours

Open year-round

Admission

Free

Directions

  • Subway: Line 2 (Green Line) Get off at Dongbaek station (동백/204), Exit 1 > about 20min walk (1.3 km or 0.8 miles)
  • Bus: No. 139, 307, or 1003. Get off at Dongbaekseom Ipgu bus stop (동백섬입구)

Parking

Paid parking available

Contact

  • Call: +82 51-749-7621
  • Website: Haeundae-gu Tourism Website

Jewel of Haeundae, Dongbaekseom Island

Gwangan Bridge and Marince City in Busan, South Korea

Dongbaekseom island is right next to Haeundae Beach on the opposite side of Dalmaji Hill. As you may assume from the name, Dongbaekseom Island was once an island. Later, it got attached to the land by sedimentation of sands carried by waters flowing down from Jangsan Waterfall and Buhong Peak.  

In its name, ‘dongbaek’ is a camellia and ‘seom’ means an island in Korean. Camellias bloom over the whole island from winter to spring. You can’t enter the island with any automobiles or bicycles. 

Dongbaekseom Island in Busan

Dongbaekseom Island has been a stage for many popular Korean dramas, movies, and songs. Come back to the port of Busan (돌아와요 부산항에), a very famous song from the 70s, by Jo Yongpil (he was 1980’s BTS), starts with the lyrics of ‘at the blooming Dongbaekseom Island.’ Some parts of a K-drama, Shopping King Louie, were filmed on this island. Probably the most widely recognized K-drama featuring the island is The King: Eternal Monarch. In the TV show, the King’s (Lee Minho) palace situates on Dongbaekseom Island. Of course, the palace is all computer graphics. (See more filming locations of Korean movies and dramas.)

Pavilion at Dongbaekseom Island in Haeundae, Korea
Trail at Dongbaek Island in Haeundae, Busan
View of Gwangan Bridge from Dongbaekseom Island in South Korea
View from the pavilion in Dongbaek Island, Haeundae

Trails surround the whole island and you can see one of the best ocean views in Busan along the trail. From the island, you can see many of Busan’s landmarks such as Gwangan Bridge, Oryukdo, Haeundae Beach, and Dalmaji Hill. The trail connects all the points of interest on the island including Haeundae Carved Stone, the lighthouse, Nurimaru APEC House, and more. The trail is only about 1km and not elevating too high so it shouldn’t be too hard to stroll for everyone. 

View of LCT Tower and Dalmaji Hill in Busan, South Korea
View of Dalmaji Hill and LCT Tower from Dongbaekseom Island
Trails along the ocean at Dongbaek Island in South Korea
Beach of Dongbaek Island in South Korea
Suspension Bridge
Suspension Bridge at Dongbaek Island
Fishing at Dongbaekseom Island in Busan

Nurimaru APEC House

Nurimaru Video Image

Nurimaru APEC House hosted the 2005 APEC Summit meeting at the tip of Dongbaekseom Island and, since then, this unique building has been a must-visit place in Busan, South Korea.

Read my post about Nurimaru APEC House here.


Choi Chiwon Statue and Monument

Choi chiwon statue at Dongbaekseom Island in Korea

At the top of Dongbaekseom Island, the monument and statue of Choi Chiwon welcome visitors. Now you may wonder who this person is. The answer: he named the area, ‘Haeundae.’

Choi Chiwon was born in 857 A.D. in the Silla Dynasty. He was a gifted poet and a government officer. Although he was a very talented person, he had to go through a tumultuous period, retired at age 40 and wandered all over the Korean peninsula with his family. 

While he was traveling the country, he passed by Haeundae area on the way to Mountain Gaya. He was so impressed by its natural beauty. He named the area after his penname, ‘Haeun’.

Choi Chiwon monument at Dongbaek Island
Trail at Dongbaekseom Island in Haeundae
A trail to Choi Chiwon plaza
Haeunjeong, the pavilion, in Dongbaek Island, Haeundae
Haeunjeong Pavilion at Choi Chiwon Plaza

Haeundae Carved Stone

From the Nurimaru Observation Deck, you can see Haeundae Carved Stone. The name ‘Haeundae’ is inscribed on the stone. It is uncertain whether Choi Chiwon actually carved the inscription himself, but there is a record from Goryeo Dynasty (a period after Silla Dynasty) describing the carved stone so it gives more credibility to the story.

Haeundae Carved Stone in Dongbaek Island, Busan, South Korea

Prince Cordelia (the statue created with recycled material)

At the entrance of Dongbaekseom Island, you will meet Prince Cordelia Pet, an installation artwork created with used PET bottles. The City of Busan planned this project to raise public awareness about recycling and keeping the ocean clean. The purpose of the artwork is well expressed in a letter from the princess:

Recycled statue at Dongbaek Island in Haeundae, Busan

“Hello,

I’m princess Cordelia Pet from Plastic Island, a big island country in the Pacific. Plastic Island consists of great and small piles of plastics and is 7 times bigger than the Korean Peninsula. 

The reason I’m visiting Haeundae is that the consumption amount of Korean plastic runs at 108 kilograms per capita, two times larger than the world average. More importantly, a great deal of plastics is washed away to our country. It pains me deeply that whales, turtles, and albatrosses are suffering. Lately, even small oceanic organisms such as mackerels, squids, and shrimps are affected by microplastics. You may not be able to eliminate plastics completely at the present time, but you can keep them from being swept away to sea. I ask for your interest and support for the sake of marine animals, my country, and yourself. 

Respectfully Yours, Princess Cordelia Pet Emissary of the Plastic Island. August 2015

By the way, the name, Cordelia, means the jewel of the sea.”


The Bay 101

The Bay 101 in Busan, South Korea

The Bay 101 is a marine leisure complex located near the entrance of Dongbaekseom Island. The facility features restaurants, cafes, and retail stores. The place offers yacht tours as well. The outdoor deck is quite popular during the warm season thanks to its night view of high rises in Marine City. For more information, here is The Bay 101’s website.

The Bay 101 in Haeundae, Busan
The Bay 101 at Dongbaek Island
Cafe Side at The Bay 101 in Haeundae

Things To Do Near Dongbaek Island

You can walk to Haeundae Beach from the Island, where you can visit SKY The X at LCT Tower and SEA LIFE Busan Aquarium. Or you can simply stroll down the beach.

If you have enough time, go have some seafood at Mipo port or enjoy a relaxing time with a cup of coffee at Dalmaji Hill.

Haeundae Beach (해운대 해수욕장) & Busan X the SKY (엑스 더 스카이)
Nurimaru APEC House (누리마루 APEC 하우스) in Busan, South Korea
Restaurants at Paradise Hotel Busan
Haeundae Light Festival (제6회 해운대 빛축제)
Haeundae Sand Festival (해운대 모래축제), Busan, South Korea

  • Planning a trip to South Korea? Click here to find more destinations here.
  • Do you want to study in South Korea? Here is a basic guide to start with.
  • Want to learn about Korean culture and more? Click here to find more information about it.
  • Trying to learn Korean language? I have some interesting real expressions for you.
  • A big fan of Korean food? How about some Korean noodles?

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