Busan has 2 festivals in May: Gwangalli Eobang Festival (expected May/Jun 2027) and Haeundae Sand Festival (expected May 2027). The Gwangalli Eobang Festival (광안리어방축제) is a three-day folk festival on Gwangalli Beach and at Suyeong Historic Park in Suyeong-gu, Busan, recreating the Joseon-era fishing village where naval sailors and fishermen worked the nets together.
Typical May weather in Busan: average high 22 °C (72 °F), low 15 °C (58 °F), 156 mm of rain (Busan station, about 15 km away, KMA 1991–2020 normals).
| Festival | Dates | Admission | Nearest station | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gwangalli Eobang Festival광안리어방축제 | Expected May/Jun 2027 | Free + paid activities | Gwangan Station, Exit 3 or 5 | Expected |
| Haeundae Sand Festival해운대 모래축제 | Expected May 2027 | Free entry | Haeundae Station, Exit 3 or 5 | Expected |
Dates marked “expected” follow the organizer's usual pattern and are replaced when the official announcement comes. Each festival page lists the sources.
| Festival town | Average high | Average low | Rain | Measured at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Busan | 22 °C 72 °F | 15 °C 58 °F | 156 mm | Busanabout 15 km away |
What to wear. Comfortable: light layers.
Monthly averages, not a forecast. Source: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, via the KMA-sourced climate tables for Busan. Where a festival town has no station with published normals, the nearest one is used and its distance shown.
The Gwangalli Eobang Festival (광안리어방축제) is a three-day folk festival on Gwangalli Beach and at Suyeong Historic Park in Suyeong-gu, Busan, recreating the Joseon-era fishing village where naval sailors and fishermen worked the nets together. The 24th edition ran 12–14 June 2026, a month later than the May dates of 2023–2025; the 2027 dates are not announced, and May or June is expected.
The Haeundae Sand Festival (해운대 모래축제) is Haeundae-gu's free sand-sculpture festival on Haeundae Beach in Busan, first held in 2005. The 21st edition ran 15–18 May 2026 (programmes 10:00–21:00), with 17 sculptures by 11 artists that stayed on the sand until 14 June.
Early May is a cluster of long public holidays, and several festivals are built around it: Boseong's tea fields and Damyang's bamboo forest hold their festivals over the first week, the Jeonju International Film Festival and the Namwon Chunhyang Festival run from the last days of April into early May, the Hampyeong Butterfly Festival closes on or just after Children's Day, and potters show and sell wood-fired tea bowls at the Mungyeong Chasabal Festival in the Mungyeong Saejae Open Set. The Gochang Green Barley Field Festival runs into early or mid May. The Yeon Deung Hoe lantern parade in Seoul lands in May in most years. In Busan, sand sculptures go up on Haeundae Beach in mid to late May, and the Gwangalli Eobang Festival recreates a Joseon fishing village on a weekend in May or June. From the fourth Sunday of the month, the Chuncheon Mime Festival fills Chuncheon with mime and street theatre for eight days. Gangneung's Danoje, Korea's oldest surviving festival, begins in late May or June depending on the lunar date.
Tip. Children's Day (5 May) and Buddha's Birthday can fall in the same week; expect full trains to the south-west.
Busan has 2 festivals in May: Gwangalli Eobang Festival (expected May/Jun 2027) and Haeundae Sand Festival (expected May 2027). The Gwangalli Eobang Festival (광안리어방축제) is a three-day folk festival on Gwangalli Beach and at Suyeong Historic Park in Suyeong-gu, Busan, recreating the Joseon-era fishing village where naval sailors and fishermen worked the nets together.
Expected May/Jun 2027. Expected. Free + paid activities. Nearest station: Gwangan Station, Exit 3 or 5. The organizer has not yet confirmed the dates; this page updates when they do.
Expected May 2027. Expected. Free entry. Nearest station: Haeundae Station, Exit 3 or 5. The organizer has not yet confirmed the dates; this page updates when they do.
Average high 22 °C (72 °F), low 15 °C (58 °F), 156 mm of rain (Busan station, about 15 km away, KMA 1991–2020 normals). Comfortable: light layers.
KTX from Seoul Station to Busan Station in about 2 h 30 m; Gimhae Airport is 20 minutes from Sasang Station by light rail.
20 festivals across Korea fall in May, including Boseong Green Tea Festival, Changdeokgung Moonlight Tour, Chuncheon Mime Festival. Children's Day (5 May) and Buddha's Birthday can fall in the same week; expect full trains to the south-west.