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INTERVIEW BY
CHARMAINE BAYLON
The Uluwatu Temple
Korea calling
Busan resident Kei Talusan’s move from island to city
has been worth it, as her new experiences show
YOUR GUIDE:
Katherine “Kei” Talusan
LIVES IN:
Busan
WORKS AS A:
Design engineer
HER NEIGHBORHOOD:
Geumgok
Jugong area
c h i k k a
d i s p a t c h
I’VE BEEN LIVING
in South Korea for more
than two years now. I used to stay in Geoje
Island, but moved to Busan a few months
ago because of work. All I knew about
Busan before the big move was that it was
the second largest city in South Korea
and that it’s home to the country’s longest
beach. I’ve come to love living here,
especially in my neighborhood, which
is in the west of Busan. It’s peaceful and
quiet, far from the busy streets and yet still
highly accessible — the subway station is
just a five-minute walk from my apartment.
WHAT’S POPULAR
Busan bustles with big events all throughout the year. You can come for the cherry
blossoms during April and May; the Sand Festival in June and the Busan International
Film Festival in October, both in the Haeundae District; and the Busan International
Fireworks Festival in October in Gwangalli.
COMFORT FOOD
Try the local Korean restaurants for the
gamjatang
(
pork bone and potato soup),
galbitang
(
short rib soup, similar to our
bulalo
),
dwaeji gukbap
(
pork soup), and
samgyetang
(
ginseng chicken soup)
,
which I love — it’s like our
arroz caldo.
And I think Kyochon chicken tastes way
better than Bonchon.
UNWIND HERE
Go to what Pinoys who live here call the
“
Antipolo area” near Suyeong (and the
city center) for a great view of the city at
night. You might need a guide to get there,
however, as not everyone knows where
it is. Check out Gwangan Bridge — quite
a sight at night as it changes colors from
green to blue to red. For a 360° view of the
city, head to Busan Tower.
The Sand Festival in
Haeundae Beach
Gamjatang
