Meow-tain and Sea

September's already here. The midday heat hasn't quite let go yet, but there's a little more coolness in the morning and evening air lately, which usually means fall is on its way. With that cooler weather in mind, I wanted to get ahead of the season and share a spot that's especially good once autumn settles in. I mentioned once before, when introducing Busan, that the city is now home to Korea's 24th national park, Geumjeongsan National Park. Today we're heading to the neighborhood right at its foot — Dongnae, one of the oldest and most historic corners of Busan. We'll cover Dongnaeeupseong Fortress, Geumgang Park, and Dongnae Hot Springs all as one day trip. ​ 📍 What is Dongnae? These days, "Busan" tends to bring to mind beaches like Haeundae or Gwangalli. But up through the Joseon dynasty, it was actually Dongnae — not "Busan" — that gave its name to this whole region. Dongnae served as the first line of defense against Japanes...

Our cat Namu has an obvious favorite — and it's Halbae (Grandpa). Like a "Dog Whisperer" or "Horse Whisperer," Halbae seems to have Namu completely figured out. He doesn't have that magic touch with other cats, but Namu alone hangs on his every word and turns into the gentlest little lamb whenever he's around. Halbae really might be the true Namu Whisperer. The evidence is everywhere. Even a simple churu treat gets a different reaction depending on who's holding it. When my mom (Halmae) or I give her one, Namu eats it standing up — one bite, and she's already halfway to walking away, like she's just grabbing a quick snack before heading off. But when Halbae offers her a churu? She goes straight to his usual spot, sits down, and settles in like she's planning to stay a while. Calling her works the same way. When I call "Namu!" or Halmae calls "Namu~," she barely reacts. But when Halbae calls her? No matter what sh...

The Ridge Where Busan Shines Silver in Autumn When the mornings and evenings start carrying that first cool breeze, you just know the season is turning, don't you? It's still warm out, but with autumn on its way, I wanted to get ahead of it and introduce a spot that's absolutely worth the trip once the season turns. Did you know Busan has a mountain that turns silver every fall? Meet Seunghaksan, straddling Saha-gu and Sasang-gu, and in particular the wide silver grass fields spread out near its summit. It's rare to find a ridge this open and breezy so close to the city center, which is exactly why locals keep coming back every autumn. ​ 📍 What is Seunghaksan? Seunghaksan stands 496 meters above sea level, straddling Dangni-dong in Saha-gu and Eomgung-dong in Sasang-gu. It's often known simply as "the mountain behind Dong-A University," and it connects to Gudeoksan and Siyaksan to the east and Eomgwangsan to the north. There's a nice bit of le...

Our Imaginary Adventure series started with Halbae's wish to explore Busan together with Namu, and so far we've wandered through mountains, the sea, and bustling markets. This time, I wanted to show that Busan isn't just about mountains and coastline — it has a beautiful river too. So this trip takes us to Samnak Ecological Park, one of Busan's favorite riverside escapes, where we cycle along the Nakdong River, pass through reeds, lotus ponds, and cosmos fields, and end the day watching the sunset. Samnak felt like the perfect fit for Namu. Most of our imaginary destinations so far have been lively, crowded spots, but this one is quieter — a stretch of riverbank still close to nature. At home Namu is calm and composed, but out in the yard she perks right up, tail twitching the moment she spots a bug or a lizard. With its reed beds, wetlands, ponds, and even a protected habitat for the endangered Boreal Digging Frog, I couldn't help but imagine how wild she'd g...

The temperatures have noticeably cooled down this week, haven't they? The heat that dominated all summer finally seems to be easing off. On weather like this, instead of jumping into the water for a swim, I found myself thinking a slow ride on the cable car over the sea sounded even better — no getting wet, just the breeze and an unobstructed view of the water. Today I want to introduce the Songdo Sky Cable Car in Busan's Seo-gu district, along with a few nearby spots worth pairing it with. The Songdo Sky Cable Car connects Songdo Base Station at Songdo Beach with Songdo Sky Park near Amnam Park. It first opened in 1964 as Korea's first sea-crossing cable car, closed in 1988 due to aging equipment, and reopened at a new site in 2017. Today it's considered one of Songdo's four major attractions, alongside the Skywalk, coastal walking trail, and the Yonggung Cloud Bridge. Once you're up, you get a sweeping view of Songdo Beach, Yeongdo Bridge, Namhang Bridge, an...

There are moments with pets that stop your heart. Namu has always been a calm, well-behaved cat who never causes trouble — but there is one incident from about five years ago that still brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. Namu was around one year old at the time. I got a call saying Namu had collapsed, foaming at the mouth. I left work early and rushed to our usual vet by taxi — only to find a line so long it would have been over an hour's wait. When I finally arrived, Namu was sitting on Halbae's lap, completely drained of energy. Even for a naturally calm cat, seeing her that limp and lifeless was heartbreaking. I heard the full story then. The usual vet had too long a wait, so Halbae had run to another clinic 200 meters up the hill. Halmae suggested waiting for a taxi, but Halbae just started running. With Namu's carrier — Namu weighs over 5 kilos, plus the weight of the carrier — carried by a 75-year-old man, uphill. Halmae said she couldn't keep up even...

With daytime highs hitting 38°C — and 40°C in some areas — who wants to step outside these days? Add tropical nights on top of that, and the heat barely lets up even after dark. When even standing in the shade leaves you gasping, maybe the answer is to give up on daytime altogether and move when it's at least a little cooler. So today, I want to introduce a summer festival that proves walking at night can be its own kind of adventure: Busan Night Walk 42K . As the name suggests, this is an overnight walking festival with four course options — the full 42K, plus 24K, 16K, and a brand-new 8K added this year. It's not a race against the clock; the whole point is to walk at your own pace and take in Busan's nighttime atmosphere. Cool river breeze instead of blazing sun, quiet night views instead of daytime crowds — it's honestly a little surprising how special a night walk can turn out to be. Dates : Saturday, August 29 – Sunday, August 30, 2026 (overnight, two days) Lo...