At a glance
| Days | SaturdaysAll year |
|---|---|
| Schedule | Two shows every Saturday evening, about 12 minutes each, with a new theme every week: 19:00 and 21:00 from October to February, 20:00 and 22:00 from March to September. Since 26 September 2026 the first and third Saturdays of each month add a laser show before and after the drones; other Saturdays are drones only. Some holidays get one larger show instead of the pair, such as Seollal (14 February 2026, 20:00), Chuseok (26 September 2026, 20:00, about 3,000 drones) and the New Year countdown at midnight on 31 December.October 2026 shows: 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 October at 19:00 and 21:00, with lasers on 3 and 17 October. The November line-up and the date of the 2026–27 New Year countdown show had not been published by 19 October 2026. UVify took over the show on 1 July 2026 under a contract to 30 June 2027, and regular laser nights began on 26 September 2026. |
| Not held | No shows on other days of the week. A show is cancelled or delayed for rain, strong wind, a typhoon or a signal problem, decided the day before or on the day. It is also dropped on nights when another event takes over the beach: 15 November 2025 (Busan Fireworks Festival) and 1 August 2026 (Busan Night Race). The 2026 fireworks festival is on Saturday 7 November. |
| Admission | Free; no tickets, seats or booking. |
| Venue | Gwangalli Beach부산광역시 수영구 광안해변로 219 (광안동) |
| Nearest station | Gwangan Station (광안역), Busan Metro Line 2, Exit 3About 10 minutes on foot south to the beachfront |
| From Seoul | about 2 h 40 min · KTX + SubwayLeave from Seoul Station · One-way fare from ₩54,400 · Back to Seoul the same nightFull route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Suyeong-gu Office, Busan (Tourism & Sports Division)부산광역시 수영구 |
| First held | 2022 |
| Last checked | 19 October 2026Checked against 31 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Suyeong-gu, the Busan district that runs Gwangalli Beach, started the M (for "Marvelous") Drone Light Show on 2 April 2022, and it was the first drone show in Korea put on by a local government on a fixed weekly schedule. Every Saturday night the drones lift off from the beach, climb over the water and draw pictures, characters and words to music for about 12 minutes, with the Gwangan Bridge lit up behind them. The fleet has grown from about 300 drones at the start to about 1,100 on regular nights, and holiday specials have used up to 3,000. The show costs about ₩2 billion a year, shared between Busan City and the district.
Each show has its own theme, and Suyeong-gu publishes the month's line-up at the start of the month; Busan City reposts it in English, Japanese and Chinese. The 2026 themes have mixed seasons and Korean heritage with tie-ins offered free by rights holders: Spider-Man in May, BTS and NAVER WEBTOON in June, SpongeBob SquarePants and Pokémon in July, the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) in September. On 26 September 2026 a Chuseok show with about 3,000 drones launched a regular laser programme: on the first and third Saturday of each month a laser show runs before and after the drones, and the bridge lighting is set to match each theme. Holidays get one bigger show instead of the usual pair, such as Seollal (14 February 2026, 20:00) and the New Year countdown, which flew 2,500 drones at midnight on 31 December 2025. Since 1 July 2026 the drone company UVify has operated the show under a one-year contract.
There are no tickets or seats: people watch from the sand and the promenade, with the best view from the middle of the beach, and Suyeong-gu streams the show live on its YouTube channel. Ordinary Saturdays are busy; the big tie-in nights drew between about 29,000 and 52,000 people by the district's count.
The honest caveats: each show is short, and rain, strong wind, typhoons or a signal problem can delay or cancel it at a day's notice or less. It is also dropped when another event takes over the beach, as on Busan Fireworks Festival night (15 November 2025) and during the Busan Night Race (1 August 2026). Check the official site on the day. In the first years some drones failed and crashed, sometimes injuring spectators; the district then moved the take-off and landing area, changed procedures so that failing drones come down in the water, and added safety fences and staff.
Highlights
- Two shows every Saturday, about 12 minutes each: 19:00 and 21:00 from October to February, 20:00 and 22:00 from March to September
- About 1,100 drones on regular nights, drawing pictures and words over the sea in front of the lit Gwangan Bridge
- Laser shows on the first and third Saturday of each month since 26 September 2026 (laser, then drones, then laser), with the bridge lighting matched to each theme
- Holiday specials with more drones: about 3,000 for Chuseok on 26 September 2026 and 2,500 for the New Year countdown at midnight on 31 December 2025
- A new theme every week, with 2026 tie-ins featuring Pokémon, SpongeBob SquarePants, NAVER WEBTOON, BTS and Spider-Man
- Free to watch from anywhere on the beach, and streamed live on Suyeong-gu's YouTube channel, Suyeong-gu TV
Who it suits. Anyone in Busan on a Saturday night: couples, families and photographers. It is free, short and easy to combine with dinner by the beach. It is not worth a trip from Seoul on its own, because each show lasts about 12 minutes and wind or rain can call it off on the day.
Getting there
From Seoul
KTX from Seoul Station to Busan Station (about 2 h 30 m, ₩54,400), then Busan Metro Line 1 to Seomyeon and Line 2 east to Gwangan Station; leave by Exit 3 and walk about 10 minutes down to the beach.
From Busan
Metro Line 2 to Gwangan Station, Exit 3 (about 10 minutes on foot), or Geumnyeonsan Station, Exit 3 (about 15 minutes); or city buses 38, 42, 49, 62, 83, 83-1 or 108 to the Gwangalli Beach stop. From Haeundae, take Line 2 west to Gwangan.
From Incheon Airport
Domestic flight to Gimhae Airport, then the Busan–Gimhae Light Rail to Sasang and Metro Line 2 east to Gwangan; or AREX to Seoul Station and KTX to Busan (about 3 h 30 m rail time in total).
Last leg from Gwangan Station
Busan Metro Line 2, Exit 3. About 10 minutes on foot south to the beachfront
Getting home
Each show is over about 12 minutes after it starts. Back to Seoul: in the October 2026 timetable the last KTX trains from Busan Station leave at 22:00 and 22:10 for Seoul Station (arriving 00:27 and 00:42) and 22:16 for Suseo (arriving 01:06); korail.com also showed a 23:00 KTX to Suseo. Allow at least an hour from Gwangalli to Busan Station (Line 2 to Seomyeon, then Line 1), so a same-day return works only after the first show (19:00 from October to February, 20:00 from March to September); after the second show, stay the night. For the New Year countdown on 1 January 2026, Busan Metro ran extended service at Gwangan Station.
Parking
Public car parks at Gwangalli Beach, Millak Waterside Park and Millak Beach Park fill fast on Saturday evenings; a 2025 blog put the beach car park at about ₩2,000 an hour. On special-show nights the beach road between the Gwangalli SUP Zone intersection and Millak Hoe Town is closed to traffic (19:00–21:00 on 26 September 2026), so come by subway.
How to switch Naver Map and Kakao Map to English
Google Maps shows train, subway and bus routes in Korea but not walking or driving directions yet, so for the walk from the station Naver Map or Kakao Map is more reliable.
Before you go
1330 · Travel hotline
The Korea Tourism Organization’s helpline answers in English, Japanese and Chinese around the clock, and in several other languages from 08:00 to 19:00. Dial 1330 from a Korean phone, or +82-2-1330 from a phone registered abroad.
112 / 119 · Emergencies
112 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance. Both are free from any phone. Police on 112 can add an English or Chinese interpreter to the call.
T-money card
Buy one at a convenience store such as GS25, CU or 7-Eleven and top it up there with cash. It pays for subways and buses in most cities, and for most taxis.
Maps
Use Naver Map or Kakao Map for walking and bus directions; Google Maps does not yet give walking directions in Korea. Both apps can be switched to English. Naver Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → Language (Japanese and Chinese also available). Kakao Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → App settings → Language. If the option is missing, change your phone’s language and reopen the app. Small shop names and some reviews stay in Korean.
Trains and buses
Book trains on Korail’s English site and express buses on Kobus. Holiday weekends sell out first.
Checked 18 October 2026.
Tickets, prices and practical details
- Booking
- No booking. Suyeong-gu posts each month's themes and times at the start of the month on the official site (gwangallimdrone.co.kr, in English and Korean), and Busan City reposts them on its English, Japanese and Chinese news pages. Cancellations are announced the day before or on the day. Enquiries: Suyeong-gu Office, 051-610-4882.
- English on site
- The official site has an English version (gwangallimdrone.co.kr/en/home), and Busan City posts the monthly line-up in English, Japanese and Chinese.
- Crowds
- Saturday evenings at Gwangalli are busy. Tie-in nights draw far more: by the district's count 52,050 people for the Pokémon show (July 2026), 46,635 for Spider-Man (May 2026) and 34,464 for BTS (June 2026).
- Best time to go
- Arrive about an hour early for a spot in the middle of the beach. The first show of the night (19:00 in winter, 20:00 in summer) leaves time for the last train to Seoul. Laser nights are the first and third Saturdays of the month.
- What to bring
- A warm layer for the sea wind after dark, a mat for the sand, and a charged phone. On special-show nights the public Wi-Fi along the beach is switched off for several hours (17:00–21:00 on 26 September 2026) to keep the drones' signal clear.
- Rain
- Shows are cancelled or delayed for rain, strong wind, typhoons or signal problems, announced the day before or on the day; check the official site before you set out. The drones flown since July 2026 are rated by their maker for winds up to 12 m/s. The New Year countdown at midnight on 1 January 2024 was called off after a communication failure.
- Toilets
- Public toilets along the beach.
Nearby
- Busan Fireworks Festival (부산불꽃축제). Busan's one-night fireworks show over the same beach and bridge, on Saturday 7 November 2026; the drone show was cancelled on the 2025 fireworks night.
- Haeundae Light Festival (해운대 빛축제). Haeundae-gu's free winter illumination along Gunam-ro and on Haeundae Beach, lit every evening through the winter; take Line 2 east to Haeundae Station.
- Gwangan Bridge (광안대교). The suspension bridge behind the drones; since September 2026 its lighting is set to match each show's theme.
- Millak Waterside Park (민락수변공원). Waterfront park at the north end of the beach with a side view of the show and the bridge, and a public car park.
- Igidae Coastal Walk (이기대 해안산책로). Cliff-top path across the bay with views back to the Gwangan Bridge and Haeundae.
Questions travelers ask
What day and time is the Gwangalli drone show?
Every Saturday, twice a night: 19:00 and 21:00 from October to February, 20:00 and 22:00 from March to September. In October 2026 the shows are on 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 October at 19:00 and 21:00. Some holidays have a single show instead, as on Chuseok, 26 September 2026, at 20:00.
How long does the drone show last?
About 12 minutes per show. Nights with a laser show run longer: the drone-and-laser shows on 22 November 2025 lasted about 20 minutes. Regular nights use about 1,100 drones; holiday specials have used up to 3,000.
Is the Gwangalli drone show free?
Yes. There are no tickets, seats or reserved areas; you just turn up and watch from the beach.
Where is the best place to watch on the beach?
The drones fly over the sea off the middle of Gwangalli Beach, with the Gwangan Bridge behind, so the central stretch of sand and the promenade give the straightest view. Millak Waterside Park at the north end gives a side view, and beachfront cafés look straight out at the bridge. Gwangan Station (Line 2, Exit 3) is about 10 minutes away on foot.
What if it is windy or rainy?
Rain, strong wind, a typhoon or a signal problem can delay or cancel a show. The decision is announced the day before or on the day itself, so check gwangallimdrone.co.kr or call Suyeong-gu Office (051-610-4882) before you set out.
Is there a drone show on Busan Fireworks Festival night?
Probably not. In 2025 the Saturday drone show was cancelled for the fireworks night (15 November). The 2026 fireworks festival is on Saturday 7 November; the November 2026 drone line-up had not been published by 19 October, so check the official site.
Are there special New Year or holiday shows?
Yes. A countdown show flies at midnight on New Year's Eve (2,500 drones on 31 December 2025), and Seollal and Chuseok get one larger show each (14 February 2026 at 20:00; 26 September 2026 at 20:00 with about 3,000 drones). The 2026–27 countdown had not been announced by 19 October 2026.
Can I get back to Seoul after the show?
After the first show, yes. Allow about an hour to Busan Station, where the last KTX trains to Seoul Station leave at 22:00 and 22:10 in the October 2026 timetable. After the second show (21:00 or 22:00) you will need to stay the night.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
19 October 2026, against the sources listed below.
This page is desk research from the sources below, not a firsthand report. Confidence in the current facts: high.
- KTO TourAPI listing 광안리 M(Marvelous) 드론 라이트쇼 (contentId 2786391)kto — Two shows every Saturday evening of about 12 minutes; Mar–Sep 20:00 and 22:00, Oct–Feb 19:00 and 21:00; free; held since 2022; 1,100 drones weekly, up to 3,000 for countdown, Seollal and Chuseok; viewable anywhere on the beach; address 광안해변로 219; coordinates 35.1538, 129.1185; organizer Suyeong-gu; tel 051-610-6518
- Busan City (English): Gwangalli M Drone Light Show — October schedule (2 Oct 2026)municipal — Every Saturday year-round, two shows; Oct–Feb 19:00 and 21:00, Mar–Sep 20:00 and 22:00; about 12 minutes; free; October 2026 shows 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 Oct with lasers on 3 and 17 Oct; cancellation for rain, strong wind, typhoon or communication problems announced the day before or on the day; tel 051-610-4882; official site in English and Korean
- Busan City (English): (Suyeong-gu) Gwangalli M Drone × Laser Show moves to recurring performances (22 Sep 2026)municipal — From the Chuseok show on Sat 26 Sep 2026: laser shows on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays plus Seollal, Chuseok and the countdown (laser–drone–laser); 2nd and 4th Saturdays drones only; Gwangan Bridge lighting matched to each show; Tourism & Sports Division 051-610-6516
- Busan City (Japanese): 「広安里Mドローン×レーザーショー」定期公演を実施 (22 Sep 2026)municipal — Japanese name 広安里Mドローンライトショー; laser schedule
- Busan City (Simplified Chinese): 推进广安里 M 无人机×激光秀常设表演 (22 Sep 2026)municipal — Simplified Chinese name 广安里M无人机灯光秀; laser schedule
- Busan City (Traditional Chinese): 「廣安里M無人機燈光秀」10月演出節目介紹 (2 Oct 2026)municipal — Traditional Chinese name 廣安里M無人機燈光秀; October 2026 shows at 19:00 and 21:00, up to 12 minutes, more than 1,000 drones
- Busan City (English): Chuseok drone light show, Sat 26 Sep 2026municipal — Single show at 20:00 with about 3,000 drones and lasers; traffic control 19:00–21:00 from the Gwangalli SUP Zone intersection to Millak Hoe Town; public Wi-Fi off 17:00–21:00; live on YouTube Suyeong-gu TV; tel 051-610-4882
- Busan City (English): Gwangalli M Drone Light Show — September schedule (2 Sep 2026)municipal — 5, 12 (2026 LCK with Gwangalli) and 19 Sep at 20:00 and 22:00; 26 Sep single 20:00 show with 3,000 drones
- Busan City (English): Gwangalli M Drone Light Show — August schedule (29 Jul 2026)municipal — 1 Aug 2026 show cancelled for the 2026 Busan Night Race at Gwangalli Beach; 8, 15, 22 (NAVER WEBTOON) and 29 Aug at 20:00 and 22:00
- Busan City (English): Gwangalli M Drone Light Show themes for July 2026 (9 Jul 2026)municipal — SpongeBob SquarePants (11 Jul) and Pokémon (25 Jul) themes, 20:00 and 22:00
- Busan City (English): Gwangalli M Drone Light Show — June schedule (5 Jun 2026)municipal — June 2026 themes including BTS THE CITY ARIRANG BUSAN and NAVER WEBTOON in Gwangalli; 27 Jun single 20:00 show
- Busan City (English): 'Best Cuts' special performance (25 Jun 2026)municipal — Sat 27 Jun 2026, 20:00, one show, 1,500 drones recreating eight scenes chosen by public vote
- Busan City (English): Gwangalli M Drone Light Show — February schedule (6 Feb 2026)municipal — Seollal show on 14 Feb 2026 at 20:00 only; other February Saturdays 19:00 and 21:00; tel 051-610-6518 / 6514
- Busan City (English): 2026 Countdown special performance (29 Dec 2025)municipal — 31 Dec 2025 at 24:00 (take-off 23:56), 2,500 drones; traffic control 23:00–01:00; Wi-Fi off 21:00–01:00; extended Gwangan Station metro service on 1 Jan 2026; live on Suyeong-gu TV
- Busan City (English): Gwangalli's Marvelous Drone Light Show in November 2025 (30 Oct 2025)municipal — 15 Nov 2025 show cancelled for the 2025 Busan Fireworks Festival; other November Saturdays 19:00 and 21:00
- Busan City (English): Gwangalli Drone × Laser Show, 22 Nov 2025 (20 Nov 2025)municipal — Two 20-minute drone-and-laser shows at 19:00 and 21:00 on 22 Nov 2025; maritime control for yachts and small boats
- Busan City (English) events: Gwangalli M Drone Light Showmunicipal — First held 2 Apr 2022; every Saturday; about 12 minutes; viewable from the beach; live on Suyeong-gu TV (YouTube); English site gwangallimdrone.co.kr/en/home; tel 051-610-4882
- Busan City (Traditional Chinese) events: 廣安里M無人機燈光秀municipal — Started 2 Apr 2022; over 1,000 drones on regular nights, about 2,500 for anniversary shows; under 12 minutes
- Sports Kyunghyang: UVify to run the 1,100-drone Gwangalli M Drone Light Show (3 Jul 2026)news — UVify operates the show 1 Jul 2026–30 Jun 2027; 1,100 drones; IFO drones rated for 12 m/s wind and 20+ minutes' flight; more than 100 shows a year; host Suyeong-gu
- Korea JoongAng Daily: Busan's Gwangalli drone show partners with Pokémon, BTS and Spider-Man for free (8 Sep 2026)news — Launched April 2022 as Korea's first regular local-government drone show; 300 to 1,100 drones; ₩2 billion a year split between city and district; 52,050 (Pokémon), 46,635 (Spider-Man), 34,464 (BTS), 28,845 (Pororo) viewers; tie-ins free of licence fees; safety changes after early crashes
- Twig24: 광안리 드론쇼 취소 아쉬움 (1 Jan 2024)news — Midnight 2024 New Year show (2,000 drones) cancelled at about 00:30 after a communication failure
- Twig24: 광안리해수욕장 드론·레이저쇼 첫선 (15 Jun 2025)news — First drone-and-laser night on 5 Jul 2025 at 20:00: 12-minute drone show then 18-minute laser show; lasers fired from the upper part of Gwangan Bridge
- dnublog: 광안리 드론쇼 일정, 관람 포인트, 교통편 (7 Sep 2025)blog — Best views from the centre of the beach, beachfront cafés and Millak Waterside Park; arrive at least an hour early; Gwangan Station about 10 minutes' walk, Geumnyeonsan Station Exit 3 about 15 minutes; beach car park about ₩2,000 an hour
- mom-mom.net: 매주 토요일밤 광안리 하늘을 수놓는 드론의 불빛 (updated 18 Apr 2025)blog — Drones fly from the middle of the beach, viewable anywhere on it; car parks at Gwangalli Beach, Millak Waterside Park and Millak Beach Park; toilets along the beach; Suyeong-gu Instagram link; schedule may change around big events such as the fireworks festival
- Busan Fireworks Festival — official English siteofficial — 21st edition, date 7 Nov 2026, venues, NOL World ticket channel and sales period, organizer contact
- Official location guide (English)official — Subway lines/exits and bus routes for Gwangalli, Igidae, Dongbaekseom; no-parking notice
- Busan → Seoul Station train timetable, 16–22 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — Same last trains on Fri 16, Sat 17 and Sun 18 Oct: 22:00 KTX 82 (arr 00:27) and 22:10 KTX 84 (arr 00:42); matches korail.com for 16 Oct
- Busan → Suseo train timetable, 16–19 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — Last listed departure 22:16 KTX-Sancheon 366 (arr 01:06) every day; KTX 368 at 23:00 that korail.com showed is missing here
- Korail press release: 코레일-에스알 9월 1일 하나로…안전 최우선, 더 편리한 고속철도의 시작 (31 Aug 2026)official — Integration and integrated running from 1 Sep 2026; KTX and SRT merged into KTX; average KTX fare cut about 10%; Suseo-axis seats up about 30%; 5% mileage; Korail+ app (Korail Talk + SRT app) launched 3 Aug
- Korail KTX fare table, effective 1 Sep 2026 (xls)official — Standard class: Seoul–Daejeon ₩21,600 (₩16,400 on Suwon-routed KTX); Seoul–Busan ₩54,400 (₩54,000 via Seodaegu, ₩49,300 via Gupo); Seoul–Cheonan-Asan ₩12,800; Seoul–Changwon Jungang ₩47,400 / ₩47,000 via Seodaegu; Seoul–Jinju ₩53,100 / ₩52,700; Seoul–Gangneung ₩27,600; Cheongnyangni–Andong ₩27,700 (KTX-Eum); Yongsan–Jeonju ₩31,600 / ₩31,000; Yongsan–Suncheon ₩42,300 / ₩41,800;
- Hankyung: 9월 1일부터 서울~부산 KTX 5만4400원…운임 평균 10% 인하 (31 Aug 2026)news — KTX and SRT run as KTX from 1 Sep; former SRT trainsets renamed KTX-Sancheon; Seoul–Busan ₩59,800→₩54,400, Yongsan–Gwangju Songjeong ₩46,800→₩42,000; Suseo seats +30%; booking unified in Korail+
What we could not confirm
- The official site (gwangallimdrone.co.kr) could not be opened from this environment; the schedule comes from Busan City's monthly English, Japanese and Chinese reposts of Suyeong-gu's notices (latest: October 2026) and the KTO listing.
- November 2026 line-up not published by 19 October, including whether the Saturday 7 November show is dropped for the Busan Fireworks Festival, as the 15 November 2025 show was.
- Time, drone count and laser plans for the 2026–27 New Year countdown, and whether a New Year's Day or Seollal 2027 special is planned.
- Which social channels post same-day cancellations: a third-party guide links Suyeong-gu's Instagram (@busan_suyeong), which was not checked; Suyeong-gu TV on YouTube carries the live stream.
- Length of each show on laser nights in the 2026 format (the 2025 drone-and-laser shows ran about 20–30 minutes).
- Regular drone count: 1,100 per KTO and the operator, 'about 1,000' or 'more than 1,000' on Busan City pages.
- Contact numbers differ by source: 051-610-4882 (Busan City notices), 051-610-6518 (KTO), 051-610-6516 (Tourism & Sports Division).
- Gwangan Station exit: Exit 3 per the fireworks festival guide and one blog; another guide gives Exit 5. Busan Metro Line 2 last-train times were not checked.
- Wheelchair access to the viewing areas, pet rules and car-park rates were not published by the organizer (the ₩2,000/hour rate is from a 2025 blog).
- Last-train times are from the October 2026 timetable as shown by a third-party mirror of the national timetable feed; a new KTX timetable starts on 1 November 2026.
Changes: 2026-10-19 — Added to the site: year-round programme (days and times, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-19 — Added a Wikimedia Commons photograph of Gwangan Bridge at night from Marine City (Jeena Paradies, Public domain). · 2026-10-20 — Noted the 23:00 KTX to Suseo that korail.com showed.
