The Busan One Asia Festival (hereafter BOF), a celebration of all things K-POP, will be held from June 8 to 9 this year. Now celebrating its eighth anniversary, BOF will feature the hottest artists in the industry right now, from BOYNEXTDOOR to ZEROBASEONE, Billlie, GOD, and H1-KEY. BOF is noteworthy because, unlike most other concerts held in the Seoul Capital Area, it is hosted in the maritime city of Busan, , offering fans a new “hip” way to enjoy usual K-POP concerts. If you are planning to travel to Busan or attend the BOF, here are some spots you can include in your Hallyu stan tour.

1. K-POP World Champion

Fans of K-POP have another thing to look forward to in addition to the beautiful beach at Gwangalli: The K-POP World Champion, a café serving a wide variety of beverages with a staggering collection of K-POP merch, including popular bands such as BTS, SEVENTEEN, TXT, and NewJeans, in one space. Moreover, the interior has interesting design elements like the lyrics to the BTS song “Spring Day” and visitor logs written by fans on windows. It even supports tax-free shopping, so feel free to go wild.

2. Yongmungak

With a 30-year history, Yongmungak is one of the local favorites in Busan. This is also a place that BTS Jimin has been frequenting since childhood. The restaurant even has a plaque bearing Jimin’s handwritten letter and signature, with the words “Thank you for keeping my precious memories over the years in the same place”. The signature dish of the restaurant, of course, has to be the “JIMIN’S PICK Black Bean Sauce Noodles with Minced Meat Set”. The menu consists of the Black Bean Sauce Noodles with Minced Meat (yunijjajang), crispy Deep-fried Pork with Sweet and Sour Sauce (tangsuyuk), and Pan-fried Mandu (gunmandu).

3. Gamcheon Culture Village

Some describe Gamcheon Culture Village as the “Santorini of Korea”, but this pastel-colored village, lying along the mountain ridge, has a sad story coming from Busan’s tragic modern history. The village was established during the Korean War when war refugees who had fled to Busan built ramshackle shelters on a mountainous slope. Its maze-like alleys come from this period. Gamcheon Culture Village served as the filming site of the TV show Rain or Shine, which featured 2PM’s Junho, and the web series STAYC's Secret in Busan. This village is also known for its beautiful view of the city and the sea, blending into one. Don’t miss the photo areas hidden across the village, from the statue of the Little Prince to murals of BTS Jungkook and Jimin.

4. Busan Citizens Park

Busan Citizens Park is known for its expansive grass plaza and beautiful walking trails, but BTS stans will recognize the park from V’s SNS. The place where V took his picture can be found near “Simin Maru” pavilion at the South Gate. In fact, V’s footsteps are marked as the “V Road”, so you can recreate the picture with a black umbrella just like he did.

This column was last updated in May 2024, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check details before visiting.