Busan’s beautiful port city of Daebyeonhang Port sees the richest harvest of anchovies in Korea, especially in the months of April and May, therefore holds the Busan Gijang Anchovy Festival during this period. Daebyeonghang Port is also the film location for the 2001 box office hit movie featuring Jang Dong Gun and Yu Osung. The scene where Jang Dong Gun reminisces about his childhood memory of swimming in the ocean near a lighthouse while smoking a cigarette was filmed at this very location. The beautiful clear sea decorated with a lighthouse is not only popular during the Anchovy Festival, but is also a popular tourist attraction all year round.Event Programs: As a symbol of the fact that the festival is held by the sea, the Gijang Anchovy Festival begins with a fishermen’s parade around the port while carrying nets and other fishing equipment, while the fishermen themselves dress up in traditional fishing outfits which are white Hanbok. Gijang Anchovy Festival also offers rich seafood dishes, and visitors can enjoy the most fresh anchovy hoe (raw fish) in the area during its peak season. Pickled anchovy with seaweed is also a popular dish, and cuttlefish and cutless fish are also popular spring catches of Daebyeonhang. An outdoor food market offers a variety of hoe (raw fish) dishes, soups, and baked foods at moderate prices with an incredible view of the ocean.At nights, a musical performance is held with music, singing, and dancing, adding to the evening excitement. For even more fun, colorful fireworks light up the sky and give pleasure to the evening events. The Gijang Anchovy Festival is smaller in scale and simpler compared to other festivals, but it doesn’t diminish the spirit of fun at one of Korea’s cleanest ocean villages.Festival Highlights: For Korean movie fans, watch the 2001 box office hit to add more enjoyment to your trip. Comparing the red lighthouse and Daebyeonhang’s clean ocean waters to the scenes in the movie offers another sort of fun. Of course, the Anchovy Festival is fun as well if you don’t end up watching the movie. Buying a freshly caught fish and having it served on the spot is definitely the highlight of the festival.

The Busan Christmas Tree Festival, Busan's annual winter event, will be held in the Gwangbok-ro area of the Jung-gu District in Busan. To add a more festive atmosphere, there will be concerts, a tree of wishes, street performances, collecting love coins, a photo and video contest, and many more.  

Busan International Rock Festival is a leading music festival in Korea, representing the openness and youth of the coastal city of Busan. The festival is organized with the goals of discovering new musical talent, revitalizing the music industry, and celebrating indie bands. Along with the international film festival in October, the Busan International Rock Festival has played a vital role in promoting the artistic affluence of Busan, the largest port city in South Korea. The festival is widely recognized as strengthening ties between renowned musicians worldwide. It is a fun and widely attended event that is a must-see for any rock music lover in Korea.

The Busan Biennale is held in Busan Museum of Art from October to November. Visitors can enjoy the main exhibitions, special exhibitions and additional events with 380 art pieces from 30 nations.

The festival, held in Busan, is a spirited celebration of both the spring and the ocean. The word ‘Eobang’ describes the spirit of the fishermen in the coastal regions, and the meaning carries over to the festival. Attendees can visit many popular nearby tourist destinations, such as Gwangalli Beach and the Gwangan Bridge and can even try bare–hand fishing, take part in a cooking contest, or sample a wide selection of interesting cuisine. Many people attend to try the sashimi sliced fresh catches of Busan at the attractive prices.

The Sunrise Busan Festival, has been held each year to welcome in the new millennium, has established itself as the premier coastal cultural festival, taking place on land, sea and sky, and including an air show and a ship flotilla at sea. Among those eager to greet the first sunrise of the new year after bidding farewell to the final sunset, the Sunrise Busan Festival is a popular winter festival, particularly among foreign tourists. At Yongdusan Park, there will be an array of artistic and festive events for the new year – as well as an opportunity to watch the first sunrise of the year, from this panoramic vantage point in downtown Busan. Events both large and small will be staged at many other popular tourist sites around Busan, including at Dadaego Beach, Haeundae Beach, Gwangalli Beach and Dalmaji Park, for those intent on seeing the year’s first sunrise.

Jagalchi Market is the largest seafood market in Korea and one of Busan’s most well-known tourist attractions. The festival takes place every autumn and its slogan is “Oiso! Boiso! Saiso! (“Come! See! Buy!” in the Busan accent)”. The huge size and bustling, lively atmosphere makes a visit to Jagalchi Market a unique experience for many visitors. Small food stalls serve fresh inshore hagfish grilled on briquette fires along with other unusual sea creatures and sashimi-sliced fish at market prices. 

Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) is one of the largest film festivals in Korea. Beginning in 1996 as the first international film festival in Korea, it is now a major global event.Held in Haeundae and Nampo-dong, Busan, the festival presents over 300 films from 70 countries. The main program themes include: A Window on Asian Cinema, New Currents, Korean Cinema Today, Korean Cinema Retrospective, World Cinema, Wide Angle, Open Cinema, and Special Programs in Focus.The festival also boasts a wide array of special events, outdoor performances and participatory programs. Tickets for opening and closing films can only be purchased online. 20% of seats for regular films (including films screened in theaters or outdoor venues) will be available for sale at on-site ticket booths. Main festival venues include Busan Cinema Center, CGV Centum City, Lotte Cinema Centum City, Megabox Haeundae and Community Media Center Busan. 

The Busan Sea Festival was first held in 1996. The festival takes place at Haeundae Beach, Gwangalli Beach, Songdo Beach, Dadaepo Beach, Songjeong Beach, and at other places in Busan. The festival offers various cultural events and unique hands-on programs. As Korea's first general ocean festival, it puts on many exciting programs including a great opening ceremony, cultural performances, and other special events. With a total of 6 beaches holding the event, each beach has different programs and performances for all ages.

This festival takes place at Busan’s beautiful Haeundae Beach, an extremely popular summer vacation spot. The festival’s program is full of events inspired by the beach’s beautiful white sand. One of the highlights of the festival is the hot sand bath (beneficial for health and beauty), where visitors are buried in the sand from head to toe. Other events include a beach volleyball competition, an exhibition of different types of sand from around the world, and a marathon race.The festival continues into the night with spectacular fireworks displays, concerts, and other entertainment events. Popular tourist destinations such as the Jagalchi Market, Gwangalli, and Taejongdae are all located nearby. Visitors can also stop by one of the many restaurants along the coast to sample the sushi for which Busan is famous.