Meow-tain and Sea

  A Heavy Metal Legend Lands in Busan: The 2026 Busan International Rock Festival If you're a rock fan, there's one fall festival in Busan you absolutely can't miss — the Busan International Rock Festival , known as Korea's longest-running rock festival. Remember the imaginary trip Namu and Grandpa took by bicycle two posts ago? The reed fields, the lotus ponds, the sunset — that was Samnak Ecological Park, and it's exactly where this festival takes place. If you only knew it as a peaceful walking spot, it might come as a surprise that it transforms into a rock festival stage every fall. Samnak Ecological Park , Busan | Photo: Busan Tourism Organization (visitbusan.net) It's now less than ten days until the festival opens! Held every year at Samnak Ecological Park, this year's lineup is generating buzz that fully earns the word "unprecedented." What is the Busan International Rock Festival? It's the longest-running rock festival in Korea, ...

My cat Namu loves to sit by the yard or the window, watching birds. Even just a few sparrows are enough to make his eyes go wide as he watches them for ages. Seeing this, Halbae had a thought: "A cat who loves birds this much — imagine how happy he'd be somewhere with tons of them!" So this episode's imaginary adventure sends Namu and Halbae to Eulsukdo, Korea's largest migratory bird sanctuary. What Kind of Place Is Eulsukdo? Eulsukdo is an island at the mouth of the Nakdong River in Saha-gu, Busan, formed over centuries as soil and sand carried by the river settled and built up. It was once known as the largest migratory bird sanctuary in East Asia, and in 1966 it was designated a Natural Monument. Every year, from early November through early March, tens of thousands of migratory birds — mallards, whooper swans, bean geese, black-faced spoonbills, and more — arrive here from as far as Siberia. Right now (September), it's not quite peak season yet, but if ...

  A Special Cultural Journey Under the Autumn Moon — Dalmaji Culture Festa When people think of Haeundae, they usually picture the beach — but there's another spot that truly comes alive on a fall evening: Dalmaji-gil (Moon-Greeting Road) . True to its name, it's the hillside road where moonlight falls most beautifully, and starting last Saturday, it's become the stage for a hands-on cultural festival called the Dalmaji Culture Festa . It runs every Saturday through the end of November, so it's not too late to join even if you're just hearing about it now. This festival is designed with tourists in mind, so if you're planning a trip to Busan, it's worth reading closely. Dalmaji Hill, Haeundae , Busan | Photo: Busan Tourism Organization (visitbusan.net) What is the Dalmaji Culture Festa? It's a program that combines the night views of Haeundae's Dalmaji-gil with a variety of hands-on cultural experiences — pottery, perfume-making, leather crafti...

Grilled squid, grilled fish — it doesn't matter. Namu won't so much as glance at human food. No matter how good it smells, she won't set a paw on the table. About the most she'll do is sniff the air once while passing by. Whenever we sit down to eat, Namu usually heads for her own bowl, or if not that, she just stares out the window. Sitting across from Halbae at mealtime, I'll glance over and catch her looking anywhere but the table — so composed I sometimes wonder, "are you even a cat?" But the moment the meal ends and a water cup shows up on the table, everything changes. As soon as that cup lands on the table, Namu hops right up. She's so indifferent to human food, and yet so determined about that one cup — I still don't quite get it. Sometimes when the water's low and her tongue can't reach, she'll dip a paw straight into the cup to check. Watching her carefully stir the water around with that little paw is so cute that Halbae ca...

  Ten Days When Busan Becomes One Big Movie Theater: The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) We gave you a little preview last Saturday through Namu's imaginary visit — remember the story where Namu's eyes lit up under the Big Roof, surrounded by the red carpet and the crowds? Today, following up on that preview, here's a full rundown of the actual Busan International Film Festival. If you're spending fall in Busan, there's one event you simply can't miss — Asia's leading international film festival, the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) . It opens in exactly one month, so now's the perfect time to start planning. This year marks the 31st edition, and for ten days, the entire city of Busan turns into one giant theater. Cinema Center , Busan | Photo: Busan Tourism Organization (visitbusan.net) What exactly is the Busan International Film Festival? Founded in 1996, BIFF holds the top-tier accreditation from the International Federati...

Every October, Busan comes alive with movie fever — thanks to the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), the largest film festival in Asia. Now in its 31st edition, the 2026 BIFF runs for ten days, from Tuesday, October 6th through Thursday, October 15th, centered around the Busan Cinema Center, with additional venues in Centum City and the BIFF Square in Nampo-dong. In an earlier post, we introduced the Cinema Center in detail — including its iconic " Big Roof. " Today's story picks up right where that left off, following Namu on an imaginary early visit to the upcoming festival. The real thing is still about a month away, but since this is an "imaginary adventure," we got a little head start. If you're planning to visit in October, think of this episode as your preview. Arriving beneath the Big Roof, Namu is once again awestruck by the sheer scale of the structure stretching overhead like a sky of its own. Before long, she notices something different i...