Busan Itinerary Day 2 — Brunch, Culture, Rainy Cafés & Thai Dinner
Busan in May, Day 2: Brunch, Rainy Cafés, and a Thai Surprise
Day 2 in Busan had a slower rhythm. The rain softened, the sea air lingered, and our only goal was to eat well, wander a little, and let the city surprise us.
Jump to: Bokio Obanzai · Park Tae-joon Memorial Hall · Peak Café · Haeundae Drive-By · Huinnyeoul Culture Village · Piripiri Thai · Day 2 in a sentence
Getting Around: Why We Rented a Car
Busan’s public transport is excellent — subways, buses, and even coastal trains. But our resort, Ananti Cove , sits outside the centre in Gijang. After one day of juggling taxis, we realised renting a car made more sense.
Split between three friends, it was actually cheaper than constant taxis, and it gave us the freedom to hop between spots without worrying about schedules. That said — driving in Busan is not for the faint of heart:
The roads in the city centre can be hectic.
Parking near hot spots like Haeundae is tough.
One-way streets and endless traffic lights test your patience.
And yes, Busan drivers have a reputation for being… let’s call it assertive.
Still, for us, the car was the easiest way to string together a lazy brunch, a memorial hall, a cliffside café, and dinner across town.
Brunch at Bokio Obanzai (보키오반자이, IJE Hotel Gijang, Busan)
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Modern dining room at Bokio Obanzai (보키오반자이) inside
IJE Hotel
, with soft sea light. |
Booking this place was the smartest thing we did the night before. By the time we parked and walked in, many people were already waiting for a seat.
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| Reception area at IJE Hotel (Gijang) — follow the signs for Bokio Obanzai |
The star here isn’t steak or pancakes. It’s 솥밥 (stone-pot rice), made with freshly milled grains. We ordered the 전복 솥밥 (Abalone Pot Rice) and 삼치 돌솥밥 (Mackerel Stone Pot Rice) — beautifully de-boned so you can stir it straight into the steaming pot.
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Signature 솥밥 — simple, fragrant, perfectly cooked grains. |
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Abalone Pot Rice 전복 솥밥 — buttery abalone, clean flavors. |
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| Hot stone rice with table-served side-dish variations |
Side dishes arrived like a curated exhibition: grilled mackerel, tender chicken breast with 된장시금치 (Soybean Paste Spinach), glossy eggplant, crispy fried bites. And the secret weapon? A self-serve 반찬 (Banchan) corner that could keep any mom happily “just topping up once more.”
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| Refill zone: kimchi, greens, and seasonal sides — help yourself. |
“Obanzai” borrows from Kyoto’s home-style culture of small plates, but the restaurant name comes from the owner’s mother, Jeon Bok-hee — a sweet detail that makes the whole experience warmer.
- Location: Inside IJE Hotel, 70 Yeonhwa-gil, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan
- Menu: Four stone-pot rice sets (abalone, fish, beef, oyster) + seasonal sides
- Vibe: Modern hotel dining hall with sea views
- Tip: Reserve ahead for a window seat — walk-ins often wait long
- Highlight: Self-serve 반찬 corner + freshly milled rice
Park Tae-joon Memorial Hall (박태준 기념관)
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Raw concrete meets rain — calm, cinematic approach to the memorial hall. |
After brunch, we needed a walk — so we visited the Park Tae-joon Memorial Hall in Gijang. Designed by architect Cho Byung-soo, it mixes raw concrete with natural light in a way that feels almost spiritual. Windows frame mountains like paintings, while quiet corners make you pause and breathe.
Park Tae-joon is known as Korea’s “Iron King” — founder of POSCO, the steel giant that helped build modern Korea. In the rain, the building glistened and felt cinematic; outside, old hackberry and pine trees anchor the calm.
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| Framed mountain views and quiet light inside the memorial hall. |
- Location: 152 Imnang-ri, Jangan-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan (next to Park’s birthplace)
- Opened: 2021 (project period 2011–2021)
- Architect: Cho Byung-soo
- Why go: Architecture + history in one
- Time needed: 30–60 minutes
Peak Café (피크카페) — Coffee with a Cliffside View
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| Glass pavilion over the water — dramatic on a rainy day. |
By afternoon the rain turned steady, so we leaned into it and drove to Peak Café near Dalmaji Hill. A glass-walled “box” perched over the sea, it reminded me of Jeju’s Gongbaek Café (공백) — except warmer inside: stone walls, wood tones, soft lighting.
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Warm textures inside; stormy sea outside. |
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| Rainy-day sweets and coffee facing the sea. |
- Location: 864 Gijanghaean-ro, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan
- Vibe: Moody, glass-walled café overlooking the sea
- Menu: Specialty coffee + solid cakes
- Tip: Best on rainy or off-peak hours; weekends get crowded
A Drive-By Through Haeundae (해운대)
Naturally, we couldn’t resist driving through Haeundae Beach — Korea’s most famous stretch of sand, festival central, and forever busy. From our car, it was all neon, umbrellas, and endless people. Beautiful, but intense. We waved, circled once, and moved on.
- Parking: Tricky near the beach on weekends/holidays.
- Best time: Early morning or late evening for easier traffic.
- Alt plan: Park farther and stroll the beachfront promenade.
Mid-Afternoon Detour: Huinnyeoul Culture Village (흰여울 문화마을)
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| Cliffside village on Yeongdo — murals, cafés, narrow stairs and ocean air. |
Next, we headed to Huinnyeoul Culture Village on Yeongdo Island — a white-and-blue cliffside maze of cafés, murals, and sea views. Parking was almost impossible (bring patience), but once inside, narrow alleys opened to sunlit terraces and ocean paths. Instant mood reset.
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| White walls, blue trims, stairs — and the ocean around every corner. |
- Location: 1043 Yeongseon-dong 4(sa)-ga, Yeongdo-gu, Busan
- Vibe: Calm, photogenic, and artsy with cliffside walks.
- Tip: Use a nearby public lot and walk in; streets are narrow and one-way.
- Bonus: Cute cafés and plenty of photo spots overlooking the sea.
Dinner at Piripiri (피리피리) — Thai with a Busan Twist
Dinner was at Piripiri, a tiny Thai restaurant near Gwangalli Beach with a cult following. Michelin-listed, no reservations, and only a handful of tables — we queued an hour before opening (that’s how you get in).
The vibe? Dim lights, indie playlists, walls with character — more Bangkok backstreet than polished fine dining.
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| Small sign, big queue — arrive early. |
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Cozy counter seats and warm lighting. |
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Small space, quick turnover — first seating moves fast. |
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| Pad Thai, Som Tam, Tom Yum — sharp, balanced, addictive |
- Pad Thai — nutty and balanced
- Som Tam (green papaya salad) — sharp and addictive
- Tom Yum Goong — spicy-sour warmth
After-Dinner Stroll (Piripiri Area, Gwangalli)
Step outside Piripiri and you’re in a web of narrow side streets that feel made for lingering. Think: small-batch bakeries with window displays that stop you mid-walk, indie cafés doing proper espresso and pour-over, tiny select shops with ceramics and stationery you’ll convince yourself you “need,” and neighborhood bars where the cocktails lean fresh and citrusy.
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Low-rise lanes with cafés and boutiques — perfect post-dinner stroll. |
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| Soft neon, easy cocktails, and beach breezes. |
- Location: Busan, Suyeong-gu, Gwangan-dong, 94-3 1층
- Hours: Opens 6 PM (queue by 5 PM for first seating)
- Menu: Pad Thai, Som Tam, Tom Yum + rotating specials
- Tip: No reservations, small space — go early with patient friends
Day 2, in a Sentence
Stone-pot rice, concrete and rain, glass-box coffee, and Thai spice — Busan in the drizzle was unexpectedly perfect.
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