[Around Us] Yeongdo, an Island of Unique Charm

Busan, Yeongdo-gu is the only unitary autonomous district consisting of one island in the country, and it is famous for being the island that has a wonderful natural environment and traditional culture. It was designated as a “legal cultural city” for the first time in the autonomous district based on its regional characteristics on December 30th, 2019. Through this project, the quiet places around the coast have been transformed into art villages and complex cultural spaces to attract many tourists in the last five years.

Although many visitors come to Yeongdo expecting fancy Yeongdo, it actually might not live up to their expectations. It is considered a representative city of population decline and aging in Busan. In Yeongdo, they can face a group of shanties huddled together on a steep slope, hillside roads (roads cut down the middle of the mountain), which you might have difficulty driving on, poor-looking buildings at a glance, and narrow and steep roads. “Channel PNU” visited Yeongdo, where unique scenes could be seen in Busan, on February 23rd.

■Attractive Yeongdo

Taejongdae is situated in the southernmost area of Yeongdo, by the sea. Taejongdae is the 17th nation-designated scenic spot cultural asset and a historical tourist site where strangely shaped rocks, weirdly shaped stones, sea cliffs, and blue seas harmonize. Visitors can feel it has a unique and magnificent ocean view that they cannot feel on the beaches of Gwangalli or Haeundae.

There are various cultural facilities such as “Kangkangee Arts Village,” “Taejongdae Drive-in Theater,” and “P-ark” in Yeongdo. Lots of people visit “Kangkangee Arts Village,” which has artworks and cultural facilities at a place that was once a shipyard and was converted through an urban regeneration project. “Taejongdae Drive-in Theater” is the facility transformed into Drive-in Theater from the parking lot in Taejongdae Resort Park. It is about to open this month with high expectations. “P-ark” is the nation’s largest café built on the place which was once an old industrial area, offering not only lots of desserts, cakes, and coffee but also culture, art, activities, and galleries. These cultural facilities help to develop regional culture and satisfy many visitors.

■The hidden side of Yeongdo, a tourist attraction

When you tour Yeongdo, you should be careful not to afflict the residents. According to the Yeongdo-gu office, the number of visitors to Yeongdo increased by approximately 3.6 million from about 15 million in 2018 to about 18.6 million in 2022. In particular, residents living in the “Huinnyeoul Culture Town” are suffering from tourists who come to take pictures even on weekdays. During the daytime on weekdays, “Huinnyeoul-gil” was crowded with tourists, but it was hard to find any residents who came out. It was also easy to see the notices saying, “Keep your voice down.” or “It is just general home in the residential area. Tourists, please don’t open the door.”

When you travel to Yeongdo, you might feel that public transportation is inconvenient. Heo Yoo-Shin (24, Seoul) said, “I came to Yeongdo to hang out, but I took a taxi because it was inconvenient to take buses. It may be difficult to connect to the subway because Yeongdo is an island, but it seems like the bus interval has to be shortened.” Yeongdo is the only place in Busan where the urban railway is not connected, and bus routes are limited, so transportation options are very limited.

It is also hard to drive on the roads of Yeongdo. The arterial roads of Yeongdo-gu are virtually all hillside roads except for Namhang-dong (Namhang Bridge) and Daegyo-dong (Yeongdo Bridge & Busan Bridge), which are connected from land. Although Hana-gil, the central hillside road in Yeongdo-gu, has two lanes, some sections have narrow roads that it is difficult for city buses to pass through. According to the “Development Circumstance Analysis Integrated Report” of Busan, most of the areas in Yeongdo have steep slopes except for urban areas, commercial areas, and industrial areas around the coast, resulting in a lack of available land.

■Santorini in Busan

The representative tourist spot of Yeongdo is “Huinnyeoul Culture Town,” which boasts exotic scenery. There is a unique village landscape with small houses huddled together above the steep wall of “Jeoryeng Coastal Walk.” The length of the “Jeoryeng Coastal Walk” is about three kilometers, and it takes about an hour and a half to get there and back if you take a walk and look around. It is recommended both to walk along the coastal trail to appreciate the sea and to walk along the “Huinnyeoul-gil” to visit general stores, cafés, workshops, and independent bookstores.

There are also places to eat, especially ramen while looking at the sea at “Huinnyeoul Jeomppang” is excellent. The café “Ether” is a large café in the “Huinnyeoul Culture Town,” and there is not only brunch but also coffee, baked cookies, and cakes so that you can fill your stomach. There is a rooftop and an outdoor terrace to enjoy the uninterrupted ocean view of Yeongdo and the sunset.

The “National Maritime Museum of Korea” is located about 15 minutes by car from the “Huinnyeoul Culture Town.” You can learn various stories related to the sea, and you can see marine life in the aquarium and experience various marine activities. Moreover, it introduces “Joseon Tongsinsa,” which represents traditional Korean ships, the “Turtle Ship,” and “Yi Sunsin,” so you can briefly learn the history of Korea. There is no admission fee, and it is indoors so that you can visit it regardless of the weather.

Reporter Kwon Eun-Ji

Translated by Kwon Eun-Ji