If you have ever seen an advertisement promoting Busan, you would have seen a picture of Gamcheon Culture Village before. This place is probably one of the most famous attractions in Korea and I can see why.

This city on a slope dates back to the Korean War during the 1950s when refugees from all over the country started living there. After some time, most residents moved out to other cities, leaving many houses abandoned. The government decided to revive the whole area to attract tourists by promoting the opening of shops and renovating.

As a result of the transformation, Gamcheon Culture Village has become one of the most beautiful and picturesque places in South Korea.

Colourful buildings of Gamcheon Culture Village
A colourful village on a hill

The entrance to the village is easy to find. A tourist information centre sits directly next to the entranceway, and you will see a lot of people walking in and out of the village.

Entrance to Gamcheon Culture Village
Entrance to Gamcheon Culture Village

Once in the village, take your time to visit the small businesses lined along the main street. You will be able to buy snacks, souvenirs, and many more.

A shop in Gamcheon Culture Village
Shops and colour beautiful buildings line the main street (Photo by Paradise is where I am. under CC BY-ND)
Seed Hotteok from Gamcheon Culture Village
I got myself a Seed Hotteok 씨앗호떡 (my favourite Korean street food, by the way)

Don’t be afraid to stray into the alleyways (quietly; you don’t want to disturb the residents there). You might discover places that not many will find. I found this lookout point which oversees the whole village and I was able to capture beautiful pictures of the village like the one below:

Overview of Gamcheon Culture Village
Overview of the whole village

Don’t be too in a hurry to finish walking the main street. There are many cafes around. Visit one and take a rest if you feel tired along the way.

Cafe in Gamcheon Culture Village
One of many bakeries and cafes in the village

HOT TIP: Look for a cafe with a nice view. I found one with an open-roof area and my goodness, the view was breathtaking. I didn’t want to leave the cafe after settling down with my coffee.

Cafe with nice view in Gamcheon Culture Village
I wasn’t lying when I said the view from the cafe was breathtaking, right?

There is no right or wrong way to experience this village. Wherever the path takes you, go along with it. There are nice photo spots throughout the whole trail so remember to take pretty pictures along the way.

Photo spot in Gamcheon Culture Village
One of many pretty photo spots (Photo by ♣️행복 가득한 그루터기 발자취♣️ under CC BY-SA)

And before you know it, you will be seeing the day turn into night.

Night view of Gamcheon Culture Village
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