A Day at Busan Tower: Where Korea’s Past and Present Quietly Meet

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A Tower with a View and a History

Busan Tower sits at the top of Yongdusan Park, a quiet hill with a name that means Dragon Head Mountain. You wouldn’t know it from the view today, but this patch of land has seen everything: colonial shrines, war refugees, people dancing to trot under cherry trees. What’s there now is a clean, modern tower with a 360-degree view of Busan. But what stood here before tells a very different story.

Echoes of Occupation: Yongdusan’s Past

Long before the observation deck and soft serve stalls, Yongdusan was home to a Shinto shrine built during the Japanese occupation. In the 1930s, the Japanese colonial government constructed shrines like these across Korea as part of a larger effort to overwrite Korean identity. Yongdusan’s hilltop location made it an ideal place to physically and symbolically dominate the city. After Korea’s liberation in 1945, the shrine was torn down, and the hill eventually became a public park.

Then in 1973, Busan Tower was built. Not for telecommunications like most towers, but as a symbol. A beacon of postwar recovery and national pride. Funded through a mix of private and city investment, the tower was designed to say something loud: that Korea, and Busan in particular, was looking forward. Seoul had Namsan Tower. Busan needed its own icon. At 120 meters tall, its form echoed traditional pagoda shapes, but its purpose was all about modernity.

Music on the Hill: Life at Yongdusan Park

By the time I reached the top of the hill, it didn’t feel like I was standing at some grand monument. There was no anthem playing, no overly produced tourist moment. Instead, I heard trot music floating in the air. Near the pavilion, ahjussis (men) in bright jackets were dancing like it was second nature. A man was singing into a wireless mic with full sincerity. It was more a community showcase than performance, but he committed to every verse like it was his final audition.

Then came the saxophonist. She was good too. Really good. That old-school Korean jazz-pop fusion sound filled the open-air deck like it belonged there. The banner behind them said something about a cultural program, but it didn’t need explanation. You just stood there, watched, and let it soak in.

The music wrapped itself around the trees, the tower, the people...all of it. Tourists stopped and stayed longer than they planned to. Some clapped. A few older couples swayed a little. Kids leaned on the railing while their parents took videos, unsure whether it was nostalgia or novelty they were watching.

The Tower 360° Panorama: What You See from the Top

Stepping into the elevator at the base of Busan Tower is almost anticlimactic. There is no grand music, no cinematic countdown. Just a gentle hum as you rise. It takes less than a minute to reach the top, but in that short time, you're lifted out of street-level Busan into something wider, calmer. As the doors open, the world unrolls beneath you like a painted scroll.

The observation deck is quiet, ringed with floor-to-ceiling glass. You can walk in a slow circle and watch Busan change with every angle.

To the southeast, the port stretches out like a mechanical organism with cranes frozen mid-motion, container ships the size of small villages drifting in and out. Closer in, the rooftops of Nampo-dong huddle together in a patchwork of metal and clay tile, interrupted only by the occasional neon sign or church steeple. To the west, you catch the sprawl of the city as it pushes against the green hills. Concrete high-rises stand shoulder to shoulder, but between them, you can still make out old alleyways that twist like stories being retold. Look north, and you’ll see the city curl toward Seomyeon, where business, shopping, and nightlife pulse together in sync. And beyond all of that, a ridge of mountains holds everything in place, like punctuation at the edge of a long, sprawling sentence. Then there's the sea. Busan’s defining edge. Turn east and the horizon opens up entirely. You’ll spot the outline of Yeongdo Island, with its cranes and cliffs. Further out, ships glint like silver slivers on the water.

Before You Go – Travel Tips

Getting There and What’s Nearby

Take the Busan Metro Line 1 to Nampo Station, Exit 7. From there, walk 5–10 minutes and take the outdoor escalators up to Yongdusan Park.

The location is walkable from:

• BIFF Square

• Gukje Market

• Jagalchi Fish Market

These nearby spots make it easy to create a half-day itinerary centered around Busan’s old-town vibe.

Best Time to Visit

Late afternoon into sunset is the sweet spot for golden light for photos, followed by city lights at night.

• Spring and autumn offer the best weather with cherry blossoms in spring and crisp views in fall.

• Avoid rainy days, as views may be limited and Yongdusan Park won’t be as enjoyable.

• The tower is open until 10 PM, making evening visits a romantic and less crowded option.

Tips for the Best Experience

• Buy tickets online if possible to skip the queue. Admission is around ₩8,000 for adults.

• Take your time in the park. The area’s mood changes depending on the time of day and season.

• Grab coffee or street snacks nearby. There are lots of local cafes and street vendors just down the hill.

• Use the observatory windows with city labels to spot other attractions you might want to visit.

• Combine with Nampo-dong shopping and Gukje Market for a full local experience.

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