Busan Tower 부산타워 (Yongdusan Park)

Busan Tower in Yongdusan Park is a very famous tourist attraction in Busan. 

At the top of Busan Tower there is an observatory where the entire city of Busan can be seen.

I would advise you to go at night where the whole city is brightly lit giving you some amazing views.

On the first floor of the tower there is a souvenir shop where you can find handcrafts to take home with gifts such as keys, chains, wallets, dolls,  pearl fans and alot more. The shop is very interesting and its definitely worth a look you can see all the traditional hand crafts on display.

You can also find several rest places in the tower as well as a musical instrument museum and a cultural exhibit hall.

Turning 21 ~The Korean age system

In Korea theres something called Korean age, which basically adds one or two

more years to your age.

 Many people don't know how to calculate their Korean

age, but it's pretty simple. 

So what's your Korean age???
Below ill show you how it works:

(This year - Your Birth year) + 1 = Your Korean age

Example:

(2014 - 1990) + 1 = 25

(2014 - 1983) + 1 = 32

On the day that you are born, you are experiencing the 1st year of

your life, therefore in Korea, you are 1 (year of age).

So, everybody is 1 year of age on the day that they are born.

1. If you were born this year, you are experiencing your 1st year in

life, so you are 1.

2. If you were born last year, you are experiencing your 2nd year in

life, so you are 2.

I celebrated my 31st Birthday yesturday so according to the

Korean age system I just turned 32

One year older than my international age.

" Personally age doesnt bother me as long as you stay young at heart you will forever be 21"

Nampo-dong

One of my favorite places in Busan has to be Nampo-dong .

Its known as one of the famous tourists attractions because of Busan

Tower, PIFF square and its also near by Jagalchi fish Market.

I particually loved wandering around PIFF square which stands for the

Pusan International Film Festival - one of the most significant Asian

film festivals in existence (imagine Cannes in Asia, and that's how

big a deal it is to Busan).

Even when there is no film festival happening, the area is active -

street vendors, movie theaters, bars, arcades, movie theaters, 

restaurants.

Gwanghak Street displays some beautiful holiday lights over the

Christmas and New Year period and it has a beautiful christmas

atomsophere.

You will also see a alot of market stalls selling everything from

socks to underwear to snacks to jewellery.

Cosmetic Surgery

Often I read about the increasingly high number of women undergoing plastic surgery in South Korea. For me I can never fully understand why so many women go to such lengths to change their appearance because personally I think Koreans have the most beautiful features with amazing bone structure and jaw lines.

I touched upon this subject many times with my friends so I just wanted to share a few things about what I have learnt in trying to understand why Korean women want to change their facial appearance. My friends often reply in the same way when I ask them this question and say....

 "In Korea, beauty means looking Western! Korean women want white skin and bigger eyes!!"  

My best friend often tells me she envy's me because she wants my big eyes and high nose and always states my skin is so beautifully white while referring to herself as being yellow?!?! Its so weird but even my male Korean friends say they are more attracted to women who have big eyes and white skin because it makes a woman look much more beautiful almost to the extent where a woman looks like a doll.

 Alot of Korean women undergo the "Double Eyelid" surgery in South Korea to make their eyes look rounder or bigger seeking a more western look. Some women spend endless amounts of money on skin whitening products and there is even a special eye glue you can buy to give yourself a double eyelid if you can't afford to go under the knife.

Recently I have also learnt of a new cosmetic procedure known as v-line surgery. It involves breaking and shaving the jawline to create a v-shaped face.

Standards in Korea are Extremely high when it comes to the way you look and there are even strict rules about how you should look in the workplace, it is said to be far harsher than western countries. I read that Job applicants are commonly required to submit head shots with their resume and employers scrutinise the looks of the applicants in search of their physical attractiveness in addition to their personal qualifications.

 I know that beauty if prized almost everywhere in the world but South Korea is a very competitive society and the pressure to conform to this western ideal beauty is becoming obsessive and common in people of all ages.

A Korean magazine I read last year advised their readers to spend 30% of their income on looking good stating the reason....

"You will end up with a better and richer husband"

.....apparently this is seen as a sensible investment!

Women of a marriageable age are also said to be under intense pressure to look their best at all times in order to find a good husband and highly consider plastic surgery.

Male cosmetic surgery is also on the rise and with this I can see equality both sexes are placed under similar beauty pressures. It goes to show that an increasing number of men are also prepared to take the risk and undergo cosmetic surgery in order to look their upmost best.

As Koreans embrace this possibility of transformation I guess it can also be seen as a natural progression for those raised in a culture with enormous pressure on citizens.

Gamcheon Culture Village Busan

High in the hills of Saha-Gu there is an art filled suburb Called Gamcheon.

This town emergerd from poverty and was once a place where refugees took shelter during the war

Today this place has became one of Busans most unique architectural and culture villages.

 Shanty homes were built up into 

brick and concrete lego houses that lay over the Gamcheon hills and has today become a famous tourist attraction in Busan.

If you go to the village cente you can purchase a copy of the village stamp map for 2000won and it also comes with a free post card to take home.

You need to explore the tiny alleyways to find the stamp posts in order to stamp your map. Every stamp post you visit holds a story about the village so you can gain more understanding as you continue your journey around.

The village takes about 2-3 hours to explore slowly giving you lots of time to take photos of the colourful houses and the beautiful scenery.

Be sure to wear something comfortable on your feet as there are alot of steep steps and slopes.

As you make your way around you should also rememeber there are actual people living in these houses so it is asked that you go quietly.

This is a completely unique area of Busan and far different from most tourist sites in the city. It gives you a real sense of history while experiencing a modern twist on the past.

Its a must see!