Best Photo Spots in Busan, Korea
Busan’s mix of coastline, mountains, and dense hillside neighborhoods makes it one of Korea’s most photogenic cities. Here’s where to point the camera.
Gamcheon Culture Village
The pastel, terraced houses stacked up Gamcheon’s hillside toward the sea are Busan’s most photographed streetscape, best in late afternoon light. Remember it’s a lived-in neighborhood with a real Korean War refugee history, not a set built for photos, so be considerate of residents while shooting.
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple
Built directly on coastal rocks rather than up a mountain like most Korean temples, Haedong Yonggungsa pairs ocean views with striking architecture, and it’s especially crowded and lantern-decorated around Buddha’s Birthday. Early morning light works well here, and it’s a genuine sunrise-viewing spot for locals too.
Gwangan Bridge at night
Gwangalli Beach is the best vantage point for the illuminated Gwangan (Diamond) Bridge, especially during the Busan International Fireworks Festival when the sky and the bridge light up together.
The Oryukdo Skywalk
The glass viewing platform at the Oryukdo Skywalk, opened in 2013, looks straight out at the small Oryukdo archipelago, a clean composition of sea, cliff, and islands.
Jagalchi Market and BIFF Square
For street photography, Jagalchi Market’s ground-floor seafood stalls and the handprint pavement of BIFF Square next door offer a different kind of shot: color, motion, and daily life rather than landscape.
Huinnyeoul Culture Village
Quieter than Gamcheon but visually similar, Huinnyeoul on Yeongdo Island has its own mural-covered cliffside houses above the water, with far fewer people in the frame.
Busan Tower at night
For a cityscape rather than a coastal shot, Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park gives a clean view over the harbor and the surrounding rooftops once the lights come on, a straightforward add-on if you’re already in Nampo-dong for Jagalchi or BIFF Square.
Taejongdae’s cliffs
On the southern tip of Yeongdo Island, Taejongdae pairs dense forest with sea cliffs and a lighthouse, worth timing for late afternoon light if you want the warm glow across the water rather than flat midday sun.
Bring a polarizing filter for the coast, and be respectful with your camera at the active temples and inside residential parts of the hillside villages.
Read more: our hidden gems guide has more on Huinnyeoul and the Oryukdo area, and the main Busan guide covers the full city.