Discover the surprising history behind Busan's must-visit spot

At his ramshackle boutique on Gamnae-ro, Hwa Deuk-heun — otherwise known by his artistic handle of Parasolmann — is hard at work at his sewing machine. His store is busy with customers, who have come from all over Korea to shop for one of his trademark shoulder bags, which are decked out in day-glo colours and emblazoned with logos from Coca-Cola, Chupa Chups, Toyota and Korean brands. Handmade and waterproof, Hwa’s bags are also eco-friendly: they’re fashioned from recycled beach umbrellas and have proved a big hit on social media.

“I was shocked by all the abandoned umbrellas on Haeundae Beach [an urban beach in east Busan] and thought what a waste, there has to be a way to use these,” says Hwa, running a hand through his shaggy silver locks. Every year, around 2,000 bags fly out of his shop in Gamcheon, a popular neighbourhood in Busan’s south — not bad for a self-taught businessman in Korea’s second city.

Around 30 minutes from Gyeongju by train, Busan is some 260 miles south of the capital but only three hours from Seoul thanks to the KTX service. Home to almost three-and-a-half-million people and sprawled across a series of bays along the southeast coast, it’s a high-rise city with shades of a Korean Hong Kong. Tower blocks cloak the hillsides, steel bridges link the scattered islands, and cranes and container ships fill the port — South Korea’s busiest. But there’s a creative underbelly to Busan, too.

Gamcheon is one of several ‘culture villages’ in the city — former slums reinvented as artist-friendly neighbourhoods. With its colourful houses and precipitously pitched streets, the enclave has been dubbed South Korea’s Machu Picchu by locals — but Rio’s favelas would be a more accurate comparison. Just a few decades ago, Gamcheon was a notorious shanty town, built by refugees after the Korean War, racked by poverty, poor sanitation and crime.

In 2009, city authorities began a project to help locals rebuild the neighbourhood, focusing on supporting young artists and creatives to learn new skills and start businesses. It’s proved hugely successful, especially thanks to social media. As I walk along Gamcheon’s main street, I pass gelato stores, coffeeshops, craft beer bars and studios — not to mention crowds of young Koreans snapping selfies at viewpoints overlooking the city. Over a million people now visit Gamcheon a year, helping to fund further renovation.

Jung Kyung-ae is another artist who’s benefited from Gamcheon’s renaissance. I meet her inside her little studio, the Rainbow Atelier, where she paints striking, colourful artworks inspired by Korean folklore: prowling tigers, winged dragons, birds, butterflies. Her technique employs traditional pigmented minerals and she always uses handmade Korean rice paper for her canvas.

“Many of my artworks are inspired by things I’ve seen in temples, monasteries and museums,” she says. “But of course I reinterpret them in my own style. My art is a mix of old and new. A little bit like Gamcheon.”

Five classic Busan experiences:

1. Jagalchi Fish Market

As South Korea’s busiest port, it’s no surprise seafood is high on the menu in Busan — especially at the city’s chaotic fish market. Browse the squirming squid, sea squirts, spoon worms, live octopuses and pulsing abalone, before settling at a table inside the market for a meal. If the wriggly stuff feels a bit confronting, try a sashimi platter or seafood stew.

2. Busan’s beaches

For most Koreans, the main reason to visit Busan is the chance to chill out on the beach and paddle in the surf. There are seven large public beaches along the coastline: Haeundae and Gwangalli are the biggest, while those further from the city centre, like Songjeong, Ilgwang and Imrang, are considerably quieter and popular with surfers.

3. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple

Located beside the coast in northeast Busan, this is one of only a handful of ‘water temples’ in South Korea, dedicated to Haesu Gwaneum Daebul, the Sea Goddess Buddha of Mercy. The temple is believed to date back to the 14th century, but was partly rebuilt in the 1970s, which explains its unusually bright shrines, ornate statues and concrete walkways. For fewer crowds, head inland to the mountain temple of Beomeosa.

4. Songdo Marine Cable Car

The Korean take on seaside sightseeing: clamber into a glass-floored pod and swing out along the coast for a mile from Songnim Park on the east side of Songdo Beach to Amnam Park. This was the country’s first cable-car, launched in 1964, and remains a popular attraction.

5. Take a street-food tour

Busan is a food-loving city, so a snacking tour should be high on the agenda. A few local delicacies to try include bibim dangmyeon (spicy glass noodles), haemul bindaetteok (seafood mung bean pancake), tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and ssiat hotteok (filled sweet pancake). The city’s markets are great for street food: try Haeundae Traditional Market or Gukje Market, or head for the pojangmacha (covered food stalls) along Gwangbokdong Food Street or Nampo-Dong.