Travel
What’s on in Busan this weekend: Aug. 21-23
Haps Magazine Korea
August 20, 2026
(Photo courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea)
Check out what’s going on around the city this weekend in Busan.
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YouTube: 25 Events to Check Out in Busan This August
(Illustration by Accuweather/courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea)
Benjamin Righetti Organ Recital @ Busan Concert Hall
Swiss organist Benjamin Righetti performs a solo organ recital at Busan Concert Hall.
Busan Concert Hall, Busanjin-gu | Friday August 21, 7:30 p.m.
Dureraum Summer Special 2026 @ Busan Cinema Center
A new outdoor summer concert series at Busan Cinema Center runs every Saturday through September 2, with rotating lineups of Korean indie and pop artists.
Busan Cinema Center, Haeundae-gu | Every Saturday through September 2
Candlelight Concert @ Nurimaru APEC House
An intimate candlelit concert series at the iconic Nurimaru APEC House, running across two evenings.
Nurimaru APEC House, Haeundae-gu | Friday and Saturday, August 21–22
Live Music Nights @ Ol’55
A relaxed weekend vibe with open-stage performances featuring local musicians and guest acts. Expect an easygoing mix of genres and spontaneous sets every weekend. Nam-gu | Friday–Saturday, After 7 p.m.
Beach Openings @ Citywide
All beaches are open for summer operations.
Citywide | Through August 31
14th Busan International Comedy Festival @ BEXCO Auditorium & Around Busan
Korea’s biggest comedy festival continues its run through August 30 with stand-up, improv, sketch, and international comedy performances across BEXCO Auditorium and other Busan venues.
BEXCO Auditorium & various venues, Haeundae-gu | Through August 30
Busan Ballet Festival @ Yeongdo Culture and Arts Center
The 8th Busan Ballet Festival brings together professional dancers, aspiring performers, and ballet enthusiasts for three days of performances and educational programs.
Yeongdo Culture and Arts Center, Yeongdo-gu | Friday through Sunday
2026 NE(O)RDINARY Festival in Busan @ BEXCO
The 4th edition of the NE(O)RDINARY Festival returns to BEXCO — a popular fan convention celebrating K-pop, webtoon, and Korean pop culture with exhibitions, performances, and fan activities.
BEXCO Exhibition Hall 2, Hall 4E, Haeundae-gu | Friday and Saturday, August 21–22
2026 Busan Book & Content Fair @ BEXCO
A book and content industry fair featuring publishers, authors, and digital content creators across three days at BEXCO.
BEXCO Exhibition Hall 2, Halls 4A-B, Haeundae-gu | Friday through Sunday, August 21–23
2026 Convenience Food & Meal Kit Expo @ BEXCO
An industry showcase of Korea’s booming convenience food and meal kit sector, open to the public with product sampling and demonstrations.
BEXCO Exhibition Hall 2, Halls 4C-D, Haeundae-gu | Friday through Sunday, August 21–23
7th Startup Franchise Fair in Busan @ BEXCO
A franchise and entrepreneurship expo aimed at prospective business owners, featuring over 100 franchise brands and startup resources.
BEXCO Exhibition Hall 1, Hall 2B, Haeundae-gu | Thursday through Saturday, August 20–22
Reptile Fair @ BEXCO
A reptile exhibition and marketplace featuring exotic reptiles, amphibians, and related products — one of the most popular niche events of the Busan summer calendar.
BEXCO Exhibition Hall 1, Hall 3A, Haeundae-gu | Saturday and Sunday, August 22–23
Dong-gu Children’s Water Gun Festival @ Dong-gu District Office Plaza
A free water gun festival for young children (ages approximately 5–9) at the Dong-gu District Office outdoor plaza. Registration required — 200 spots per session on a first-come basis via the Dong-gu website or QR code.
Dong-gu District Office Plaza | Saturday August 22, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Free (registration required)
Suyeong Fortress Youth Cinema: That Summer of Ours @ Suyeong Fortress
Free outdoor film screenings running weekdays through August at the historic Suyeong Fortress. Three screenings daily. Advance registration required.
Suyeong Fortress, Suyeong-gu | Weekdays through August 31, 10:00 a.m. / 1:30 p.m. / 3:30 p.m. | Free (registration required)
Pungnyu Garden Special Exhibition @ Busan National Gugak Center
A free summer-long look at Korea’s traditional gugak culture inside the Gugak Experience Hall.
Yeonje-gu | Tuesday–Saturday, through August 29
Yeongdo Bridge Night Openings @ Yeongdo Bridge and Yurari Plaza
Busan’s iconic Yeongdo Bridge will host its annual Night Bridge Opening every Saturday from August 1 to August 29, giving visitors a chance to see the historic drawbridge raised after sunset.
Yeongdo-gu | Every Saturday through August 29
Heritage of Busan as the Wartime Capital @ Busan Modern and Contemporary History Museum
A free exhibition tracing the city’s pivotal role as Korea’s wartime capital.
Jung-gu | Daily except Mondays, through September 27
The Greatest Colorist: Michel-Henry @ Busan Cultural Center
A vivid new exhibition spotlighting the French colorist’s work, with free docent tours running through summer.
Nam-gu | Through October 25
Culture Camping @ Millak Waterside Park
The 2026 Millak Culture Camping offers weekend visitors a mix of relaxation spaces, hands-on activities, and live performances through early October.. Busanjin-gu | Through October 5
Gwangalli M Drone Light Show @ Gwangalli Beach
This drone show returns for its regular schedule. Gwangalli Beach | Saturday, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Dadaepo Dream Sunset Fountain @ Dadaepo Beach
Enjoy the nightly fountain and music shows at one of the city’s unique attractions. Gwangalli Beach | Through September 30
International Meet-up @ Cafe With
Join a new language exchange and culture program each Friday night Kyungsung University Area | Friday, 7 p.m.
Nuances: Archaeology of the Present @ Alliance Française Busan Art Space
A debut group exhibition from Nuances, a multidisciplinary collective of French-speaking artists living in South Korea. Through photography, drawing, film, installation, music, and performance, the show explores Korea’s rapidly changing society as if uncovering an archaeological site — revealing layers of history, tradition, and modern life. Presented as part of the 140th anniversary of French-Korean diplomatic relations.
Alliance Française Busan Art Space, GoEun Museum of Photography, Haeundae-gu | August 6–30 | Free
Garden of Pungryu @ National Busan Gugak Center
Visual artist Nanan reimagines flowers and nature found in traditional Korean songs and poetry through intricate paper flower installations. The exhibition blends contemporary art with the beauty of Korean musical heritage.
Gugak Experience Hall, National Busan Gugak Center | Through August 29
Seed Stories @ GoEun Museum of Photography
A photography exhibition tracing themes of origin, growth, and transformation through the lens of seeds as a metaphor for life, memory, and the natural world.
GoEun Museum of Photography | Through August 30
Moon Journey: Busan Moon Jars @ Haeundae Dalmaji Park & Busan Museum
An exhibition celebrating the iconic Korean moon jar — the round, white ceramic vessels of the Joseon Dynasty — displayed across two locations including the scenic hillside setting of Haeundae Dalmaji Park overlooking the sea.
Haeundae Dalmaji Park & Busan Museum | Through August 30
The Black Trilogy @ GoEun Gibson Photo Museum
More than 120 gelatin silver prints from Ralph Gibson’s iconic photographic series.
GoEun Gibson Photo Museum | Through August 30
Beyond the Edge of Vision: Media Art of Lee Lee-nam @ Beomeosa Seongbo Museum
A media-art exhibition blending traditional Korean landscapes with digital technology.
Beomeosa Seongbo Museum | Through August 30
Textile Hands, Women’s Time: ASEAN Textile Traditions @ KF ASEAN Culture House
A survey of textile traditions from 11 Southeast Asian countries.
KF ASEAN Culture House | Through August 30
Awakening @ O Gallery
Park Cheong-yong explores spirituality, reflection, and inner awareness through painting.
O Gallery | Through August 30
Alice Dalton Brown Retrospective: Briefly, and Forever @ Village de Ananti
The first Busan exhibition by renowned American artist Alice Dalton Brown, known as the “Painter of Light and Wind.” The retrospective features approximately 120 paintings and 40 drawings spanning nearly seven decades, highlighting her masterful depictions of sunlight, movement, and everyday landscapes.
Culture Club, Village de Ananti, Gijang | Through September 27
Busan, Maritime Capital 2050: Beyond the Waves to the Future @ Geumgo Art Museum
Created to mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of Busan Port, this exhibition imagines the future of Busan in a world shaped by climate change and rising sea levels. Through contemporary art, visitors are invited to explore floating cities, Arctic shipping routes, and the future of Korea’s leading maritime city.
Geumgo Art Museum, Busan Museum of Modern and Contemporary History | Through September 27
Alice Dalton Brown: For a Moment, Forever @ Village de Ananti
The first Busan retrospective of the acclaimed American painter known for luminous depictions of light and water.
Village de Ananti | Through September 27
2050 Maritime Capital Busan: Beyond the Waves, Toward the Future @ Busan Modern & Contemporary History Museum
An exhibition imagining floating cities, Arctic shipping routes, and Busan’s future as a global maritime hub.
Busan Modern & Contemporary History Museum | Through September 27
Heritage of Busan as the Wartime Capital @ Busan Modern and Contemporary History Museum
A free exhibition tracing the city’s pivotal role as Korea’s wartime capital.
Busan Modern & Contemporary History Museum| Daily except Mondays, through September 27
Again, the Age of Romance @ Museum One
A contemporary reinterpretation of Romanticism featuring artists from four countries working across multiple media.
Museum One | Through October 11
ART WALK Project @ BNK Busan Bank Headquarters
A rotating exhibition series showcasing emerging and established Busan artists.
BNK Busan Bank Headquarters | Through October 16
Jaesoo’s Sketchbook @ Dong-gu Cultural Platform
A large-scale exhibition by Busan-born illustrator Jaesoo featuring thousands of drawings, comics, and original works.
Dong-gu Cultural Platform | Through October 25
The Greatest Colorist: Michel-Henry @ Busan Cultural Center
A vivid new exhibition spotlighting the French colorist’s work, with free docent tours running through summer.
Busan Cultural Center | Opens Friday, through October 25
14th Korea Open Busan International Dragon Boat Race @ APEC Naru Park, Suyeonggang River
One of Korea’s biggest international dragon boat competitions returns to the Suyeonggang River at APEC Naru Park, drawing teams from across Korea and abroad for two days of racing on the water.
APEC Naru Park, Suyeong-gu | Friday and Saturday, August 21–22
Please note that event schedules may change or be postponed without notice, particularly due to weather. We strive to keep this information accurate, but recommend confirming details with the event organizer before visiting