Korea Day 6: Gamcheon Culture Village, Huinnyeoul Culture Village, Cute Cafés and Sea Views in Busan

19 March 2026

Day 6 began just the way I wanted: waking up naturally, with no alarm and a beautiful view of Gwangalli Beach outside my window. Then it was time to head out for breakfast.

I woke up to this.

BRUNCH AT WORKING HOLIDAY

I went to Working Holiday, a spacious brunch café overlooking the beach. Despite the many seats, every one seemed to be taken when I arrived! I waited around for a little while and eventually managed to get a window seat. What a lovely start. Ordering was straightforward: place your order at the kiosk, then collect it from the counter when it’s ready.

I had the burrata pomodoro pasta, and oh my, it was so good. The pasta was springy with a pleasant chew, while the tomato sauce was tangy with a little heat. It was such an appetising combination, especially with the creamy burrata, which I love. I happily finished the entire plate. The strawberry smoothie was delicious too.

Burrata pomodoro pasta, a strawberry smoothie and a window seat overlooking Gwangalli Beach. Such a lovely start to the day at Working Holiday.

Good food, a window seat and Gwangalli Beach stretching out in front of me. Such a lovely, leisurely breakfast, and somewhere I’d happily recommend.

GAMCHEON CULTURE VILLAGE

After breakfast, I headed to Gamcheon Culture Village, somewhere I’d been looking forward to visiting because I’m a fan of The Little Prince. It was quite fun wandering around, with colourful buildings stacked across the hillside and little references to the story to spot along the way. The buildings made such a lovely backdrop, but it was those familiar characters that made the visit extra special for me.

A first glimpse of Gamcheon’s colourful hillside through its signs, wires and little streets.

A patchwork of pastel walls and blue rooftops stacked across the hillside.

Gamcheon’s colourful houses framed by a bright red heart.

Spotting the Little Prince and his fox beside a cheerful turquoise window.

Little houses following the curves of the hillside, with colours spilling down the slopes.

A mural taking shape before my eyes. A lovely little moment spotted while wandering.

Colourful painted fish decorating the wall along a winding village road.

The Little Prince, his fox and a sky full of stars. This mural made the fan in me very happy.

My favourite quote from The Little Prince.

The Little Prince and fox beneath beautiful stained-glass windows, with colours reflected across the floor.

Little words of wisdom from The Little Prince, in various languages, waiting to be taken along.

A familiar reminder from The Little Prince: what matters most cannot always be seen.

A little fox resting on the moon outside the Little Prince Shop. Even the windows were adorable.

A very wide-eyed cat in a background of bananas and a bright red postbox. Such a cheerful little corner!

A staircase of books, with Harry Potter and The Little Prince among the titles.

Colourful houses, blue rooftops and hills stretching into the distance. Try to spot The Little Prince Mural. So much to take in from up here.

The Little Prince and his fox among Gamcheon’s colourful rooftops, this time in mural form.

There was, however, one baffling encounter at the famous Little Prince and fox photo spot. There was a long queue to pose beside the statues, but I wasn’t planning to join them in the photo. I just wanted a shot of the Little Prince and fox overlooking the colourful village.

So I stood some distance away, off to the side of the road, and waited for a brief gap between visitors. I wasn’t blocking the road or stopping anyone from taking their turn. If someone was posing, I’d simply wait. Having a stranger in the frame would spoil my photo anyway!

But a security guard spotted me trying to take a photo and stopped me, insisting that I had to queue. I tried explaining what I wanted, but he repeated himself in a rather sharp tone, leaving me feeling as though I’d been trying to cut the line. So, fine, I queued. And some visitors took quite their time getting all their poses and photos just right, so it was quite a long wait. Once I was close enough, I took my quick photo of the statues and left without even taking a turn beside them. All that waiting for the same snap I could have taken during an empty moment!

The famous Little Prince and his fox, quietly looking out over Gamcheon. Finally got my photo, but the wire was unavoidable from where I was standing. I actually would have loved taking a photo with the statues. I had my tripod, but I think at this point, I was just feeling a little stubborn. It's during moments like this that I miss having a travel companion.

It was the first and only unpleasant encounter of my Korea trip. A small incident, but clearly a memorable one, because I’m still baffled by it even now.

MIFFY CAFÉ BUSAN

After that, I headed to Miffy Café Busan for a little break. I took a taxi there, and the driver was so cute. When we arrived, he cheerfully pointed me towards the café and told me to enjoy my visit. Such a sweet little interaction!

Hard to miss this bright orange building, with its shipping-container style. Time to explore Miffy’s world!

There weren’t many people, so it was a welcome escape from the crowds at Gamcheon Culture Village. It felt calm and relaxing, and just sitting there with my cute Miffy hot chocolate, surrounded by all the Miffy décor, made me happy. A lovely little mood-lifter after that baffling encounter!

Miffy welcoming me on the way up. Such cute little touches already.

Miffy on my hot chocolate, on the mug and on the wall. Cuteness everywhere!

My Miffy hot chocolate and a view over Busan’s rooftops towards the harbour.

Little moons, stars and Miffy decorations hanging through the café. So much to admire from my seat.

There was also a Miffy shop to browse, with Busan-exclusive merchandise. Of course, I couldn’t resist buying an exclusive Miffy charm to bring home.

A little shopping stop at the Miffy Store after my hot chocolate.

So many cute Miffy plushies!

Miffy in Busan exclusive bag charms.

More Miffy in Busan exclusive bag charms.

Even more miffy in Busan exclusive bag charms.

Miffy Café Busan

Address: 2, Wachi-ro 51beon-gil, Yeongdo-gu, Busan

Opening hours:

• Monday–Friday: 11 am–10 pm (last order 9 pm)

• Saturday–Sunday: 11 am–11 pm (last order 10 pm)

HAVING MOMENT CAFÉ

Then it was time for another café stop at Having Moment, which was right next to the entance of Huinnyeoul Culture Village. It was quite crowded inside, but I wanted somewhere to enjoy the sea view and the sunshine, so I kept making my way upstairs until I reached the rooftop. There was no one there! And wow, the view was beautiful. It wasn’t sunset yet, but the sunlight was already casting a warm golden glow over the water.

The view from the rooftop, with boats scattered across the water and the afternoon sun casting a golden glow over the sea.

I happily settled into a seat with a black sesame cream latte and a financier. Because the stairs up to the rooftop were rather steep, my drink was served in a plastic cup instead of a glass or mug. The financier was so good, and sitting there with my coffee, looking out at the shimmering sea, felt wonderfully calm and relaxing.

A latte, a half-eaten financier and golden sunlight sparkling on the sea. I was quite happy to linger here at Having Moment.

A quiet moment on the rooftop at Having Moment, enjoying the sea view and the warm afternoon light.

I ended up sitting at Having Moment for quite a while. When I checked the sunset timing, there was still some time to go, so I decided to explore Huinnyeoul Culture Village.

Having Moment (해빙모먼트)

Address: 196, Jeoryeong-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan

Opening hours: Daily, 9 am–8 pm (last order 7 pm)

HUINNYEOUL CULTURE VILLAGE

Huinnyeoul Culture Village wasn’t too crowded when I visited, and I loved its laid-back seaside atmosphere. Everything seemed to have a soft, pastel feel, from the little buildings to the colours of the sea and sky. There was something lovely about wandering through the little lanes, with the sea never far from view. I could take my time, stop whenever something caught my eye and simply enjoy being there. I actually preferred this place over Gamcheon Culture Village.

A giant ice cream cone marking a little Molly's Coffee & Waffle along the seaside lane. It was also a popular café offering a good seaview. However, it was a little too cold for ice cream, so I didn't get any.

Little houses on one side and the sea on the other. Such a lovely place for an unhurried stroll.

Following the blue mosaic waves along Huinnyeoul’s seaside lanes.

Even the stairs were painted in shades of the sea, with little bubbles underfoot.

A colourful little shop display filled with familiar faces and cute plush charms.

Lace curtains, woven baskets and little treasures, with the sea just outside the window. What a pretty and cosy shop. The shop is called Damagada.

Little aqua cubes capturing Busan’s seaside sights in miniature sold at Damagada. I bought the ones for the places that I visted.

The blue coastal path winding beside the rocks, with ships out at sea.

Turquoise stairs, sunny yellow walls and a little cat sign outside The Lazycat café.

Little seaside lanes, blue window frames and colourful love locks along the way.

Two little sailor ducks keeping each other company as the sun went down.

Someone had already found the perfect spot for a late afternoon nap.

Ships scattered across the sea as the light softened into evening.

Pastel corners and little shops catching the last of the warm sunlight.

As the sun began to set, a beautiful golden glow spread over the sea. Such a lovely time to be wandering around Huinnyeoul.

An orange sky, silhouettes of boats and a glowing trail across the water. So glad I stayed for sunset.

Sunset beside a colourful seaside café. Huinnyeoul was especially lovely at this hour.

The sun slipping towards the skyline.

Along the way, I spotted Footbath Café View, where people were soaking their feet while enjoying the sea view. It looked rather inviting, so I decided to give it a try. The seats were fully booked when I arrived, though, and I had to wait another 30 minutes. I ended up joining what seemed to be the last session of the day.

The experience was straightforward: a warm foot soak with bath salts, a neck-and-shoulder massager draped over your shoulders, and a drink. Each session lasts about 30 min. There were lockers for our belongings too. Nothing too elaborate, but it felt quite nice to rest my feet after all that walking, especially with such a beautiful view in front of me.

One tip from personal experience: keep your hair well away from the massager! Mine got tangled, so that was a lesson learnt. The tea was a little sweet, and since I’d already had several drinks that day, I didn’t finish it.

A warm foot soak, a drink and this sea view. Just what my tired feet needed after a day of exploring!

Window seats with individual footbaths, all facing the sea. Such a lovely setup for a relaxing break.

By the end of my session, it was dark outside and the café was glowing beneath a ceiling of fairy lights.

By the time the session ended, it was dark and the surrounding lanes had become rather deserted. A little too quiet for my liking as a solo traveller. I hadn't expected it to be so dark and quiet since it was still not too late. I’d felt comfortable travelling around Korea, but I still prefer to avoid finding myself alone in unfamiliar, quiet places after dark.

The bridge and waterfront lighting up as evening settled over Busan.

Ships glowing out at sea, their lights reflected across the quiet water.

If you’re planning to try the footbath café, I’d suggest stopping by first to arrange your preferred session time, then exploring the village while you wait. That way, you can enjoy the view and finish before it gets too late.

Footbath Café View (족욕카페 뷰)

Address: 2F, 152, Huinnyeoul-gil, Yeongdo-gu, Busan

Opening hours: Daily, 10 am–7:30 pm

SUBYEON CHOEGO DWAEJI GUKBAP

For dinner, I headed back to Gwangalli and went to Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap. I ordered the pork gukbap, which arrived bubbling away in a stone bowl, with pork slices and spring onions in a cloudy broth and rice served alongside. The soup was rich, hearty and so comforting. After a day of exploring and café-hopping, this was a very satisfying dinner.

Back in Gwangalli for dinner at Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap.

Bubbling pork gukbap with rice and side dishes. Rich, hearty and so comforting after a full day of exploring!

Subyeon Choego Dwaeji Gukbap, Gwangan branch (수변최고돼지국밥 광안점)

Address: 63, Gwangan-ro, Suyeong-gu, Busan

Opening hours: Open 24 hours daily

ENDING THE DAY...

I ended the day with another leisurely stroll along Gwangalli Beach, enjoying the sea breeze and the lights of Gwangan Bridge reflected on the water. Staying right by the sea made these little walks so easy: just step out of the hotel, cross the road, and there was the beach. It was a lovely way to wind down before heading back for the night.

One last stroll along Gwangalli Beach, with Gwangan Bridge lighting up the sea.

Pink and blue lights dancing across the water as the waves rolled onto the shore. Such a lovely way to end the day.

Tomorrow, I aim to wake a little earlier so that I can catch the sunrise. Tune in to see if I manage to~

Love,

Shu