Attractions in Busan - Haeundae Beach, Juk Seong Church & Bulgogi Dinner
My Korean best friend Lee Joon Sung drove me from Seoul all the way to Busan which is 325 kilometres away. His wife who is a Korean bank's president insisted that he must show me around Korea with the best VIP treatment which included top notch lunches and dinner! The journey took over 4 hours in his big comfortable car with several stops along the way. We had a long talk with endless silly jokes to rekindle the time we both lived in the haunted dormitory at Point Park College. He used to call his girlfriend (wife now) in Korea from USA everyday until his phone bill ran over USD$1000 per month! No kidding!! My friend smoked non stop while driving and poor me had to inhale all the 2nd hand smoke! Cough! Cough!
We visited this famous Juk Seong Dream Church which is located at Gijang-gun in Busan. It was specially built just as a concrete prop for a SBS Korean Drama called "Dream". It has become a tourist attraction today for its scenic rocky location and panoramic view of the ocean.
Busan is the busiest & largest port in South Korea and has direct ferry to Japan's Kyushu Islands because they are pretty close!
Ahem! Look at this Korean Opah posing on the rock. Do you think I should start acting?
The side view of the Juk Seong Church.
The 'small church' is often used for Art Exhibits or Community Services. There is no church pews, altar or prayers here.
The Spring weather was nice, chilly and sunny.
This is the aerial view of how this unique church was built just for a TV drama series. (I borrowed this photo from TripAdvisor.)
This photo shows the filming of the "Dream" TV drama. Have you watched it??
Finally, I got my feet into the sand and sea water at the most famous Haeundae Beach!
Yoohoo!
So many movies and dramas have been shot at this scenic playground of the Rich and Famous.. My other Korean room mate Lee Seung Woo lives in this swanky area and I was guessing which condo belonged to him. That night I would have the chance to ask him over dinner.
All the most expensive South Korea's ocean front luxury condos and multi million dollar homes are lined here along Haeundae Beach! It reminds me of the Malibu Beach and Pacific Palisades in California. I could only look-see and dream on.
My roommate Seung Woo hosted the dinner and insisted that we must eat Bulgogi. He boasted that the best Bulgogi in whole of South Korea and the world is only available in Busan. I looked at him in real disbelief.
I used their traditional fragrant Perilla Leaves to wrap the marinated grilled beef, paste, garlic and onions. Wow!!! The taste was really fantastic with its natural sweetness and juice flowing out! It was non stop eating for me the whole night. You must try it when you visit Busan.
My roommate is still an alcoholic today while my other best friend is still a heavy chain smoker! That night we drank many bottles of the famous Chef Baek Jong Won's Soju.
My happy reunion with the 2 Korean Opahs. The left guy is my roommate whose late father owned many office blocks in Seoul's posh Gangnam area. He was such a pampered only son and his mother had to give him 'wake up' calls from Seoul everyday as no alarm clock could wake him up for school. I also gave up waking him in the mornings until he missed so many classes with bad attendance in America! So I had to pick up his mother's phone call every morning at sunrise and threw the cordless phone at him on the next bed beside me. That's how I learnt to speak the most polite Korean language and greetings as I had to address a very filthy rich mother.
*****
Wah, your friends are all from Rich families, that's why can go usa usa study so are you. Poor you have to suffer 2nd smoke for such a long journey. I didn't watch the dream show. Yes, you definitely should be an actor. You will be more famous than Mr.Bean because you are so humorous. So are your friends going to visit you here after mco? Then you can give them VIP treatment showing them around the east coasts and eating local food.
ReplyDeleteMy best friend Joon Sung visited me last September 2019 and stayed with me. I posted their visit in my blog post in September, if you recall. He was shocked to see that KL is a developed city. I am a poor man compared to them.
Deleteya, I did read your september 2019 post mentioning your best friend. What about the rest? They are not interested to visit here?
DeleteI have only kept in touch with 3 of them in Korea and a few who stayed on & migrated to US. We are all connected in a group chat now. We have lost touch with almost 10 others. I have extended my invitation many times esp during the threat by North Korea when I offered their families shelter if they had to flee South Korea. The banker lady was the most grateful for my offer and made sure her hubby treated me very well ❤️
DeleteYa, good to know they can always fly here to stay with you should nk pose a threat again.
DeleteA hall that looks like a church. It must have played an important part in the plot.
ReplyDeleteI should dig out this drama and watch since our MCO will extend till past April.
Deletewah, hanging out with rich opahs…..lucky u!
ReplyDeleteI have many rich friends but their money is not mine. Should I extort them?
DeleteBoth of your roommate and best friend are filthy rich. I guess these caught all our attention. Hahaha. Very funny about ur roommate during study time - that need his mom to give him wake up call all the way from Seoul. I guess how much the telephone bill cost him that time.
ReplyDeleteRich kids have problems too like anyone else. Just that this case was a rare and one in a million of its kind for me to share. It was the first time seeing someone sleeping like a dead fish in the same room. I actually have more funny stories about him.
DeleteI've been Busan too, 6 years ago with my mom, sister and bro-in law. We did go and visit Haeundae Beach but not the Juk Seong Dream Church. Will include this is my itinerary if going to Busan again.
ReplyDeleteBusan has got many tourist spots which foreigners might not know. I was fortunate to have a local friend as a guide who showed me the exotic places.
DeleteI didn't know there was a church like that when I was in Busan but o did visit Haewondae
ReplyDeleteYou will not regret for not seeing that church building which is empty 😁😁
DeleteUse the money to visit new places and not going to same places again and again. You have some disease in your head. Lolol
Mention Busan, the first thing that comes to my mind is the zombie movie. :)
ReplyDeleteI wanted to take a train to Busan but my friend refused. He said that we needed a car to move around as their subway lines only ply the city limits.
DeleteMy first thought was the movie - Train to Busan! The Juk Seong Dream Church located at Gijang-gun in Busan is so scenic. Wah...I want to eat bulgogi. I have heard of perilla leaves but I don't think we can find any here. I wish to taste it too. You really had a great time in Busan!
ReplyDeletePerilla leaves are like herbal plants with a mild minty tastes that made the wrap so fragrant and crunchy. No wonder my friend bragged their Bulgogi is the best in the world. Even their cows must be special 😂😂😂
DeleteI know Gangnam is like our Bangsar, a "rich people area", own a few office blocks in that area, I can't imagine how rich is he! Haha, so money minded hor LOL
ReplyDelete