Gamcheon Culture Village | The #1 Ultimate Guide

If you’re looking for a beautiful and unique place to visit in Busan, South Korea, Gamcheon Culture Village (감천문화마을) is definitely worth checking out. This tourist hotspot is home to some of the most impressive architecture in the city, as well as plenty of art galleries and cultural centers. There’s something for everyone here, so be sure to add Gamcheon Culture Village to your list of places to see during your next visit to Busan!

Gamcheon Culture Village: A Tourist Hotspot in Busan

Busan Gamcheon Culture Village (감천문화마을) is a beautiful destination to visit in Busan. It’s a popular tourist attraction because of its beautifully colored buildings and houses that sit on the hillside. From Gamcheon Village you can see a beautiful view of the ocean as well. It’s worth visiting Gamcheon Village because of its rich culture and history of Korea.

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.  Support my blog here. 

Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan

So why is Gamcheon Culture Village (감천문화마을), Busan such a popular destination to visit? Learn all about Gamcheon Village and things to do in this post.

History about Busan Gamcheon Culture Village

Busan Gamcheon Culture Village (감천문화마을) was built during the 1920s and 30s. It became a very popular place in the 1950s when the Korean War broke out. Many people left Seoul or the Northern parts of Korea to escape from the war. The hillsides protected them and hid them from the Korean war’s turmoil. It was also used to provide housing for many of the poor people in Busan. The houses were built on top of each other like legos and are known to be like the Machu Picchu of South Korea. 

In 2009, the government in Busan decided that the location needed to be renovated. So the area is now known for its colorful buildings, twisted alleyways, traditional paths, and stairways which have attracted thousands of tourists each year. The village is considered to be the most colorful place in Busan. 

In Busan’s Gamcheon cultural village, you will find many attractions, beautifully crafted and designed art on the walls and stairways as you walk through. Many artists contributed to the colorful murals that fill the streets and pathways of Gamcheon Village. 

Where is Gamcheon Culture Village?

Gamcheon Village (감천문화마을) is located in the southern part of South Korea in the city of Busan. 

The address is 200 Gamnae 1(il)-ro, Gamcheon 2(i)-dong, Saha-gu, Busan. 

How many visitors visit Gamcheon Culture Village Busan a year?

It’s difficult to say how many people visit the village every year as there is no official count. However, it’s estimated that around two million people visit Gamcheon Culture Village annually.

How to go to Gamcheon Village

If you are looking for how to get to Gamcheon culture village, there are a variety of ways to do so. Gamcheon Culture Village is located in Busan. To get to Busan from Seoul or Incheon, you can fly, take a bus, or take the KTX train. It really depends on your preference on how to get there. Sometimes it is even cheaper to fly than take the train. The bus will take longer, but if you choose to do an overnight bus ride, it may be worth it. Once you arrive in Busan, use the following routes below. 

By Subway

Take the subway to Toseong Station 토성역. >Take Exit 6 and look for the sign for Gamcheon Culture Village > Change to the green minibus 1-1, 2, or 2-2. > Get off at Gamcheon Culture Village. 

By Taxi

You can easily take a taxi cab to the main entrance of the Gamcheon Culture Village which is across the street from Gamcheon elementary school which is what we did. It was easier for our group of 3 people and my friend currently had an injury. 

Take the Bus

There are a lot of buses that take you to and from the area. This is a great way to save money. Many of them are village buses that will take you to the entrance. The bus stop is right in front of an elementary school across from the entrance.

How to get around Gamcheon Village

Gamcheon Village is all done by walking. There is the main pathway you can take from end to end, but to really appreciate the beauty of Busan’s Gamcheon Village be prepared to take some steep stairs and narrow alleyways. There are many cute little paths you can take throughout the village which is why getting a map at the tourist information center is important. This village has many stairs and can be difficult for those who have a disability. It’s important to note this for anyone who may have difficulties going up and down stairs.

The best route for visiting the Gamcheon Culture Village

I recommend visiting the Gamcheon Tourist Center first, there you can grab a map for about 2,000 won and find the best routes. There are 3 different routes that you can choose from. With the map, you can also track and stamp the different hidden and famous locations. Many tourists completely miss this part and it’s a great way to save money on tours with a self-guided tour that will take you down the many alleys of the town.

Planning a trip to Korea?

Gamcheon Culture Village Map

At the tourist information office or village information center, you can buy the map of Gamcheon Culture Village for 2,000 KRW. This map will show you all of the popular tourist spots in Gamcheon Village and acts as a passport to the area. You can stamp each area to show that you have visited all the tourist spots in Gamcheon Culture Village. If you finish your Gamcheon Culture Village Map full of stamps, you can receive 2 free Gamcheon Culture Village postcards from the tourist information office. This is a great way to not get lost in this beautiful village and enjoy an affordable self-tour.

If you have difficulties walking up a few flights of stairs, using the paths on the map can be quite helpful so that you are not going up and down constantly.

Busan Gamcheon Culture Village Attractions: Where to get stamped and Popular Photo Spots

• Little Museum
• Haneul Maru
• Asteroid B612 Souvenir Shop
• Ocean Photo Zone
• House of Peace
• Modern Man
• House of Hope II
• Gamnae Eoulteo
• House with Puppies
• Happy Power Station
• Gamcheon Loess Salt Company
• Message of Hope

Things to do in Busan’s Gamcheon Culture Village

• Buy cute character cotton candy – I was so excited to see a Peach Cotton Candy there that I couldn’t resist not buying one. Their cotton candy was so cute in design and I had been craving one for a while.
• Take Photos with the Little Prince – The Little Prince is a famous tourist location to visit and take photos. It’s quite popular in Busan and you’ll see them in many other places in the area.
• Buy local street food – There are a lot of street food vendors in Busan, one of the most popular street food you have to get in Busan is the Busan Hotteok. It’s a rice cake pancake filled with nuts, sunflower seeds, and brown sugar. It’s their style while the Seoul one is typically just the brown sugar filling. It’s one of my favorite desserts to get and a must in Korea.
• Enjoy the view from a cafe – There are a ton of beautiful cafes in Gamcheon Culture Village Busan and Korean’s love their coffee. So try to get one with the best views and just soak in all the gorgeous views you can get.
• Purchase a Lock with hopes and dreams – This was my favorite thing to do in Gamcheon Village because I was there with my best friends. We have made it a tradition to travel to a new country every year and this year they were coming out to visit me in Korea. It was nice to explore this area with them so we purchased a lock together with our hopes and dreams written on it.
• Take photographs of the Blue Rooftop Houses – This is what makes Gamcheon Culture Village Busan very special compared to other places within Korea.
• Shop at local souvenir shops with handmade gifts – If you want some cool or interesting souvenirs, I’ve found some great ones at Gamcheon Village. Many of them are handmade, different, and beautifully crafted.
• Rent a Hanbok – There is an option to rent a hanbok at Gamcheon Culture Village Busan. Don’t be surprised to see girls dressed in Hanboks in this area. Renting hanboks has seemed to be very popular all over Korea and it doesn’t surprise me that it happens here as well.
• Admire Street Art – There are so many areas in Gamcheon Culture Village to see the beautiful street art. If you follow the path on the Gamcheon Culture Village Map, you will find some of the best street art in the area.
• Walk down the many Alleyways in Busan Gamcheon Culture Village
• Collect all the Stamps – This is probably one of the least known things you can do in Busan Gamcheon Culture Village, but honestly one of the most fun things you should do while there. It was like a treasure hunt trying to find all of the stamps within the village.

[one-half-first]

Where to eat in Busan Gamcheon Culture Village

• Pancake Mang Good House – If you want some Western food, this is a great place to get some delicious pasta. Koreans really love to eat carbonara pasta so be sure to have that.
• Street Food Vendors – I highly suggest you eat at the many street food vendors and enjoy snacks rather than trying to find a restaurant. There are not many restaurants in the area and can be typically expensive compared to the rest of Busan. Bungeoppang which is in the shape of a fish and filled with sweet red beans is popular street food to have there.

Cafes in Busan Gamcheon Culture Village

• Coffee It House – This is a beautiful colorful cafe in Gamcheon Village to enjoy the beautiful views.
• Gamnae Cafe – While the views aren’t the best, the location is good and so is the coffee. You may stumble upon it during your self-guided map tour.
• Avant Garde Cafe – This is probably one of the most popular and one of the larger cafes in Gamcheon Culture Village. There are lots of places to sit in this beautiful cafe with a covered deck and an open balcony.

FAQs about Gamcheon Village 

Is there an entrance fee to enter the colorful Gamcheon Culture Village?

Busan Gamcheon Culture Village is free for all visitors.

Gamcheon Village Opening Hours

The operating hours for Gamcheon Village depends on the season. Since there are still people living in Gamcheon Village, the opening hours are usually later in the morning and closing hours end fairly early in the evening. For the best views try to get there around sunset to get a great view of the sun setting by the ocean. 

• March-November 09:00-18:00
• December-February 09:00-17:00

How much time do you need to explore?

You can easily walk from one side to the next in about an hour or 2, however, if you really want to get some other views and go through some secluded areas, I would suggest 2-3 hours. It will give you some time to really enjoy the shops, cafes, restaurants, and some cool architecture. 

Tips for visiting Gamcheon Village

• Be respectful and quiet – This village is still occupied by residents so please consider the families and residents who live there.
• Be patient for the right photo opportunities
• Visit during the weekdays to avoid big crowds
• Arrive right at 9:00 am.
• Buy the Gamcheon Culture Village map – At the entrance, you can purchase a souvenir map and collect stamps for all the map locations. It’s like a personal passport to Gamcheon Village. 
• Wear comfortable shoes

Did you like this article? Support this blog by donating to the button below. 

Gamcheon Culture Village related posts: