At a glance
| Dates | Expected May 2027Not announced as of 19 October 2026. The last four editions each ran four days from a Friday to the following Monday in mid-to-late May (19–22 May 2023, 24–27 May 2024, 16–19 May 2025, 15–18 May 2026), with the sculptures left on the beach until between 6 and 14 June. Expect a Friday-to-Monday run in mid-to-late May 2027; the dates reached the news by 9 May 2024, 17 April 2025 and 27 April 2026. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Not announced as of 19 October 2026. The last four editions each ran four days from a Friday to the following Monday in mid-to-late May (19–22 May 2023, 24–27 May 2024, 16–19 May 2025, 15–18 May 2026), with the sculptures left on the beach until between 6 and 14 June. Expect a Friday-to-Monday run in mid-to-late May 2027; the dates reached the news by 9 May 2024, 17 April 2025 and 27 April 2026. |
| Weather | May average 22/15 °C (72/58 °F), 156 mm of rainComfortable: light layers. Monthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Busan station, about 15 km away. |
| Admission | Free. KTO lists the 2026 festival as free admission, with some hands-on programmes paid; the sculptures stand on the open beach. |
| Venue | Haeundae Beach and Haeundae Square (Gunam-ro)부산광역시 해운대구 해운대해변로 280 (중동) |
| Nearest station | Haeundae Station (해운대역), Busan Metro Line 2, Exit 3 or 5About 5 minutes on foot down Gunam-ro (Haeundae Square) to the beach |
| From Seoul | about 3 h 35 min · KTX + SubwayLeave from Seoul Station · One-way fare from ₩54,400Full route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Haeundae-gu Office, Busan, with the Haeundae Cultural Center부산광역시 해운대구청 · 해운대문화원 |
| Usual timing | Four days from a Friday to the following Monday in mid-to-late May: 19–22 May 2023, 24–27 May 2024, 16–19 May 2025 and 15–18 May 2026. The sculptures then stay on the beach for about three more weeks, to 6 June 2023, 9 June 2024, 8 June 2025 and 14 June 2026. The dates reached the news by 9 May 2024, 17 April 2025 and 27 April 2026. Browse May festivals. |
| First held | 2005 |
| Last checked | 19 October 2026Checked against 37 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Every May, Haeundae Beach in Busan becomes an open-air gallery made of its own sand. Haeundae-gu and the Haeundae Cultural Center invite Korean and overseas sand sculptors to build large works on the beach, packing the sand hard and using only water to hold it, so the pieces survive weeks of sea wind and rain. The festival started in 2005, the year Busan hosted the APEC summit, and Busan city counted the 2026 edition as the 21st.
The theme changes every year. In 2026 it was a journey through Busan's history: 17 works by 11 artists from Korea, Canada, China, France and Taiwan showed the Joseon envoys' missions, the city's time as the wartime capital, Busan Port, the film festival, baseball cheering, surfing and hot springs, around a panoramic main work of Haeundae with a 7 m sand observatory. In 2025 the theme was K-culture, with Gyeongbokgung, Dabotap and Admiral Yi Sun-sin on a main work 12 m high; in 2024 the artists recreated famous paintings from the world's museums.
The festival itself lasts four days, Friday to Monday, with programmes from 10:00 to 21:00 in 2026. Children ride boards down a sand dune, dig in a sand playground or carve with the artists in a short class; the beach stage has an opening concert and a K-pop dance contest; and after dark a media-façade show is projected onto the main sculpture. Gunam-ro, the pedestrian street from Haeundae Station to the sand, adds street performances and smaller zones.
After the closing day the sculptures stay on the beach for about three weeks (to 14 June in 2026), so anyone in Busan in late May or early June can still see them for free. The observatory and the night show run only during the four festival days. The site's winter event on the same beach, the Haeundae Light Festival, is a separate festival.
The honest caveats: there is almost no shade, the 2024 edition drew about 1.01 million visitors by the district's count, weekend roads and car parks near the beach are congested, and the times of night shows and stage events were not given in the English listings.
Highlights
- Large sand sculptures on a new theme each year: 17 works by 11 artists from Korea, Canada, China, France and Taiwan in 2026, tracing Busan from the Joseon envoys and the wartime capital to the film festival and baseball cheering
- A main work several storeys high: 12 m tall and 25 m wide in 2024 and 2025; in 2026 a panorama of Haeundae with a 7 m sand observatory overlooking the beach
- Night media-façade shows projected onto the main sculpture: '100 Years of Haeundae' every evening of the 2026 festival; 20:00–22:00 on 24–26 May in 2024
- Sand play for children: sandboarding down a dune, a sand playground and rest area, a sand treasure hunt and 'Challenge! I'm a sand sculptor' classes with the artists
- Free entry, with programmes 10:00–21:00 in 2026 (KTO); some hands-on activities charge
- Opening concert and weekend stage: Rumble Fish at 19:30 on 15 May 2026 and a K-pop dance contest at 13:00 on 16 May; fireworks over the sea opened the 2023 and 2024 editions
- The sculptures stay on the beach for about three weeks after the festival: to 8 June in 2025 and 14 June in 2026
Who it suits. Best for families with children (sandboarding and sand play), photographers and anyone in Busan in mid-May to early June, since the sculptures stay up for weeks after the festival; less suited to people who want shade, indoor sights or quiet weekends, or who need English-language stage programmes.
Getting there
From Seoul
KTX from Seoul Station to Busan Station, about 2 h 30 m (₩54,400 standard class on the fare table in force since the 1 September 2026 KTX–SRT merger). Then take Busan Metro Line 1 to Seomyeon and change to Line 2 for Haeundae Station, about an hour in all; leave by Exit 3 or 5 and walk about 5 minutes down Gunam-ro to the beach. Express buses 1001 and 1003 also run from Busan Station to Haeundae, about 40–50 minutes.
From Busan
Busan Metro Line 2 to Haeundae Station, Exit 3 or 5; Gunam-ro (Haeundae Square) leads to the beach in about 5 minutes on foot. From Busan Station, take Line 1 to Seomyeon and change to Line 2 (about an hour), or express bus 1001 or 1003 (about 40–50 minutes). City buses 38, 39, 40, 63, 141, 200, 1001 and 1003 stop at Haeundae Beach.
From Incheon Airport
Domestic flight from Incheon to Gimhae (Busan), then the Busan–Gimhae Light Rail to Sasang and Metro Line 2 east to Haeundae, about 1 h 20 m from the airport. Airport bus Line 1 also serves Haeundae. Or take AREX to Seoul Station and the KTX to Busan Station, then the metro via Seomyeon.
Last leg from Haeundae Station
Busan Metro Line 2, Exit 3 or 5. About 5 minutes on foot down Gunam-ro (Haeundae Square) to the beach
Getting home
Festival programmes ran until 21:00 in 2026. Allow about an hour from Haeundae to Busan Station on the metro (change at Seomyeon), then about 2 h 30 m on the KTX to Seoul Station. Check the last train in the Korail app (코레일+ / Korail+) or at the station before you book.
Parking
No festival car park was documented; news reports describe roads near the beach as congested and parking as limited, especially at weekends, and recommend public transport. In winter 2025 the Haeundae Plaza public car park charged ₩300 per 10 minutes on weekdays and ₩500 per 10 minutes at weekends (Telltrip); Busan city lists paid parking at the beach.
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
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | — | Free in 2026 (KTO); no change announced |
- Booking
- No booking or ticket is needed for the festival or the sculptures. Fees and sign-up rules for the hands-on programmes were not published in the sources opened. 2027 details will come from Haeundae-gu; recent dates reached the news between mid-April and early May.
- English on site
- Busan city and KTO list the festival in English, and KTO also in Japanese and Chinese. In 2026 the site had multilingual guidance and QR-code commentary on the works (WikiTree); no interpretation for stage events was documented. Haeundae-gu: 051-749-4064.
- Crowds
- About 1.01 million visitors in 2024 (Haeundae-gu's count from mobile-phone data). Weekends are the busiest, with congested roads and car parks near the beach.
- Best time to go
- A weekday morning for the sculptures in daylight with fewer people, then back after dark for the media-façade show, which with the 7 m observatory ran only during the four festival days in 2026 (Telltrip). If you miss the festival, the sculptures stayed on the beach until 14 June in 2026.
- What to bring
- A wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen (there is little shade), sandals, and a small towel; WikiTree suggests finding the beach's rinse taps before you start.
- Rain
- The sculptures are compacted sand and water with no glue, made to withstand wind and rain (WikiTree); no rain-day plan for the stage or night shows was published.
- Toilets
- Busan city lists public restrooms, showers and changing rooms at Haeundae Beach; in 2026 the festival added rest areas and nursing rooms (WikiTree).
- Step-free access
- The sculptures stand on soft sand; no wheelchair route or accessibility information was published in the sources opened.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Not announced as of 19 October 2026. The last four editions each ran four days from a Friday to the following Monday in mid-to-late May (19–22 May 2023, 24–27 May 2024, 16–19 May 2025, 15–18 May 2026), with the sculptures left on the beach until between 6 and 14 June. Expect a Friday-to-Monday run in mid-to-late May 2027; the dates reached the news by 9 May 2024, 17 April 2025 and 27 April 2026. | expected | No 2027 theme or programme found. Check Haeundae-gu's tourism site or call Haeundae-gu (051-749-4064) from April 2027. |
| 2026 | 15–18 May 2026 | ended | Haeundae Beach and Haeundae Square (Gunam-ro), about 120,000 m² in all (Telltrip). The sand observatory and the night show ran only during the four festival days. |
| 2025 | 16–19 May 2025 | ended | Haeundae Beach around Haeundae Square (Gunam-ro). |
| 2024 | 24–27 May 2024 | ended | Haeundae Beach and Haeundae Square (Gunam-ro). |
| 2023 | 19–22 May 2023 | ended | Haeundae Beach and Gunam-ro Haeundae Square. |
Nearby
- Haeundae Light Festival (해운대 빛축제) — Same beach and street, in winter. A separate winter event on the same beach and Gunam-ro: Haeundae-gu's free illumination, last run 29 November 2025–18 January 2026 and lit 18:00–23:00. See our Haeundae Light Festival page.
- Gwangalli M Drone Light Show (광안리 M 드론 라이트쇼) — Gwangan Station, Busan Metro Line 2, Exit 3. Free drone show over Gwangalli Beach every Saturday, at 20:00 and 22:00 from March to September, about 12 minutes each; easy to add to the Saturday of the sand festival. See our Gwangalli M Drone Light Show page.
- Busan International Film Festival (부산국제영화제) — Centum City Station, Busan Metro Line 2, Exit 12. BIFF, which one of the 2026 sculptures celebrated, is centred on the Busan Cinema Center in Centum City, also in Haeundae-gu; the 31st edition ran 6–15 October 2026. See our Busan International Film Festival page.
- Dongbaekseom (동백섬) — At the west end of Haeundae Beach. Wooded headland at the west end of Haeundae Beach with a coastal path and the Nurimaru APEC House, a reminder of the 2005 summit the festival began with.
- Haeundae Traditional Market (해운대시장) — Off Gunam-ro, between the station and the beach. Market street off Gunam-ro with street-food stalls; a good stop for snacks between the station and the sculptures.
Questions travelers ask
When is the Haeundae Sand Festival 2027?
Not announced as of 19 October 2026. The last four editions ran 19–22 May 2023, 24–27 May 2024, 16–19 May 2025 and 15–18 May 2026, each from a Friday to a Monday, so expect mid-to-late May 2027. The dates reached the news by 9 May 2024, 17 April 2025 and 27 April 2026.
Is the Haeundae Sand Festival free?
Yes. KTO lists the festival as free admission, with some hands-on programmes paid, and The Korea Herald reported most programmes as free in 2026. The sculptures stand on the open beach.
How long do the sand sculptures stay up?
About three weeks after the festival: until 6 June 2023, 9 June 2024, 8 June 2025 and 14 June 2026. The sand observatory and the night media-façade show run only during the four festival days (2026).
Which subway station is closest?
Haeundae Station on Busan Metro Line 2, Exit 3 or 5. Gunam-ro (Haeundae Square) runs from the exits to the beach, about 5 minutes on foot.
What is there for children?
Sandboarding down a sand dune, a sand playground and rest area, a sand treasure hunt and 'Challenge! I'm a sand sculptor' classes with the artists (2026). KTO notes that some hands-on programmes are paid.
When is the night show?
In 2026 the media-façade show '100 Years of Haeundae' was projected onto the main sculpture every evening of the festival (15–18 May), with laser art; exact times were not published in the sources opened. In 2024 the media façade ran 20:00–22:00 on 24–26 May.
Can I visit on a day trip from Seoul?
Yes, for the daytime programmes. The KTX to Busan Station takes about 2 h 30 m (₩54,400 standard class) and the metro to Haeundae about an hour more. Check the last train back from Busan Station in the Korail app (코레일+ / Korail+) or at the station before the festival day, and leave Haeundae at least an hour before it.
What is the weather like at Haeundae Sand Festival in May?
May 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). Comfortable: light layers.
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 of the 2027 edition. Confidence in the current facts: medium.
- Busan Metropolitan City — Calendar of Events: Haeundae Sand Festival (2026)municipal — Haeundae Sand Festival (해운대 모래 축제), 15 (Fri)–18 (Mon) May 2026; sand sculptures on display until 14 June 2026 (Sun); Haeundae Beach around Haeundae Square / 구남로 일원; theme 모래로 떠나는 부산 시간여행; hosted by Haeundae-gu Office with the Haeundae Cultural Center; contact 051-749-4064; link to the festival page on haeundae.go.kr
- Busan Metropolitan City — news: 2026 Haeundae Sand Festival (13 May 2026)municipal — 21st year, begun 2005 for the APEC summit; Haeundae-gu Office; 15–18 May 2026; display to 14 June; 17 works by 11 sculptors from Korea, Canada, China, France, Taiwan; Tongsinsa, wartime capital, Busan Port, BIFF, baseball cheering, surfing, hot springs, new airport, opera house; main work a Haeundae panorama, not a pyramid; media façade '100 Years of Haeundae' nightly; 051-749-4064
- Busan Metropolitan City — Simplified Chinese news: 海云台沙雕节 (13 May 2026)municipal — Simplified Chinese names 海云台沙雕节 (headline) and 海云台沙滩节 (event details); 第21届 (21st edition); first held 2005; 15–18 May; 17 works by 11 artists; on view until 14 June
- Busan Metropolitan City — Traditional Chinese news: 2026海雲臺沙雕節 (13 May 2026)municipal — Traditional Chinese name 海雲臺沙雕節; 15–18 May 2026; displays until 14 June 2026; 17 works by 11 artists; media façade show 海雲臺100年歷程
- Busan Metropolitan City — Chinese e-newsletter, May 2026municipal — 2026海云台沙滩节, 15–18 May 2026, 海云台海水浴场、海云台广场（龟南路文化广场）一带
- Busan Metropolitan City — Calendar of Events: Haeundae Sand Festival (2025)municipal — 2025 해운대모래축제, theme 모래로 만나는 K-컬처; 16 (Fri)–19 (Mon) May 2025; sculptures on display until 8 June 2025 (Sun); Haeundae Beach around Haeundae Square / Gunam-ro; Haeundae-gu Office; 051-749-4064
- KTO tourist data — 해운대 모래축제 (ktriptips mirror of KTO listing, contentId 566822)kto — 15–18 May 2026, works on view until 14 June; hours 10:00–21:00; free, some experience programmes paid; 해운대해변로 280 (중동); coordinates 35.1594965784, 129.1625766016; tel 051-749-4064; 주최 해운대구, 주관 해운대구·해운대문화원; programmes 도전! 나도 모래조각가, 날아라 샌드보드, 샌드전망대, 모래놀이터&쉼터; listing first registered 30 May 2008; 2024 listing 24–27 May 2024, theme 모래로 만나는 그랜드 미술관
- KTO English listing — Haeundae Sand Festival (ktriptips mirror)kto — English name Haeundae Sand Festival; 15–18 May 2026, exhibition through 14 June; 10:00–21:00; free, fees vary by programme; 280 Haeundaehaebyeon-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan; programmes incl. sand sculpture class, sand sledding, sand observatory, sand playground and rest area, sand sculpture contest; Haeundae-gu and Haeundae Cultural Center; +82-51-749-4064
- KTO Japanese listing — 海雲台砂祭り (ktriptips mirror)kto — Japanese name 海雲台砂祭り; 15–18 May 2026, sculptures until 14 June; 10:00–21:00; free (experience programmes paid); 海雲台海水浴場
- KTO Simplified Chinese listing — 海云台沙滩节 (ktriptips mirror)kto — Simplified Chinese name 海云台沙滩节; 15–18 May 2026, sculptures until 14 June; 10:00–21:00; free (varies by activity); 海云台海水浴场
- KTO Traditional Chinese listing — 海雲臺沙雕作品展 (ktriptips mirror)kto — Traditional Chinese title 海雲臺沙雕作品展 (sand sculpture exhibition); 15–18 May 2026, sculptures until 14 June; 10:00–21:00; free, some programmes paid
- Telltrip — 2026 해운대 모래축제 (8 May 2026)news — 15–18 May 2026, display to 14 June; about 120,000 m²; 17 sculptures (8 relief, 9 in the round) by 11 artists; 7 m observatory; 15 May 19:30 Rumble Fish opening set; 16 May 13:00 K-pop dance contest, then hip-hop and band; weekend beatbox and loop-station; evening media façade and lasers; Gunam-ro trick-art zone; sand board, treasure hunt; observatory and night show only in festival days
- Nocut News (English) — Haeundae Sand Festival opens (15 May 2026)news — Opened 15 May 2026 for four days at Haeundae Beach and Gunam-ro; 11 sand artists, 17 sculptures; Tongsinsa, wartime capital, Busan Port, baseball cheering; panoramic main work with a 7 m sand observatory and a video of 100 years of Haeundae; opening performance; beach stage with K-pop dance contest, hip-hop and band; display until 14 June
- Newsis — '모래로 떠나는 부산 시간여행' 2026 해운대 모래축제 (15 May 2026)news — Opened 15 May 2026, runs to 18 May; 17 sand works; on display until 14 June; theme 모래로 떠나는 부산 시간여행
- Stars and Stripes Korea (Haps Magazine) — Busan Haeundae Sand Festival (27 Apr 2026)news — 15–18 May 2026 at Haeundae Beach; 17 large sculptures; 11 artists from Korea, Canada, China, France and Taiwan; panoramic Haeundae installation; 7 m sand observatory overlooking the beach; night media façade and lighting; sandboarding, sand playgrounds, sculpture-making and stage performances
- The Korea Herald — Festivals, sights across Korea (15 May 2026)news — Haeundae Sand Festival through Monday at Haeundae Beach, described as the country's largest sand festival; sculptures on display through 14 June; sandboarding, observatory, play and rest areas, performances, media art; most programmes free
- WikiTree — 15일 개막…해운대 모래 축제 부산 시간여행 한 달간 전시 이어진다 (May 2026)news — 15–18 May 2026, display to 14 June; Haeundae-gu and Haeundae Cultural Center; Haeundae Square as the pedestrian street from Haeundae Station (Line 2) to the beach; Gunam-ro VR history hall and street performances; sand boarding at the centre of the beach; sand compaction to withstand wind and rain; multilingual guidance, QR-code commentary, rest areas and nursing rooms; night media façade
- WikiTree — 올해도 시작됐다… 전 국민 사랑받는 여름 휴가지에 열린 '이 축제' (17 May 2026)news — Sculptures of sand and water only, no adhesive; sand board down a 10 m dune; Haeundae Station Exit 3 or 5, about 5 minutes on foot; express buses 1001 and 1003 from Busan Station about 40–50 minutes; roads congested and parking limited; little shade: hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, sandals; find rinse facilities in advance
- TWIG24 — 해운대 모래로 만든 경복궁·다보탑 볼래 (17 Apr 2025)news — 2025: 16–19 May; 20 years since 2005; 20+ works by 14 artists (Korea, US, Canada, China); main work 12 m high, 25 m wide: Gyeongbokgung, Dabotap, Cheomseongdae, Yi Sun-sin; Dangun, Hangul, Train to Busan, APT., Baby Shark; anniversary zone; sand board, playground, sculptor class, treasure fishing, hanbok; 16 May opening, Just Jerk; 17–18 May Random Play Dance; to 8 June; 1.01 million in 2024
- Newsis via Daum — 해운대 모래축제 준비 분주…오는 16일부터 19일까지 행사 개최 (6 May 2025)news — 2025 festival 16–19 May, hosted by Haeundae-gu; 20th year; theme 모래로 만나는 K-컬처; about 20 works
- Ajunews — 해운대 모래축제, 세계 유명 미술작품 모래조각으로 '탄생' (9 May 2024)news — 2024: 24–27 May; 20 works by 12 artists (3 Korean, 9 from US, Canada, China, Russia); main work 25 m long, 12 m high; opening 19:00 24 May, drawing show, Ulala Session, fireworks; media façade 20:00–22:00 24–26 May; kids' film 20:00 25–26 May; 7 m observatory; AR stamp tour 24 May–9 June, draw 10 June; Gunam-ro dance 18:00 25 May, 19:00 26 May; flea market; to 9 June
- Segye Ilbo — '세계 미술관' 주제 20개 작품 선봬 (13 May 2024)news — 2024 festival 24–27 May, theme 세계 미술관 여행; 20 works, 6 more than the 14 of 2023; main work 12 m high, 25 m × 25 m with the Sistine ceiling and The Starry Night against the Vatican Museums, Musée d'Orsay and Louvre; The Last Supper, Guernica, Kim Hong-do's Ssireum, The Scream; 7 m sand observatory in front of the Paradise Hotel; opening 19:00 on 24 May
- Segye Ilbo — 2024 해운대 모래축제 visitors (10 Jul 2024)news — 2024 festival 24–27 May; 1,010,000 visitors from mobile-phone location big data; survey of 509 visitors; average spending ₩74,000; overall satisfaction 4.4 out of 5; AR stamp tour, media façade, Gunam-ro dance contest, flea market
- Seoul Shinmun — [포토] 해운대는 모래작품 세상 (19 May 2023)news — 2023 festival 19–22 May at Haeundae Beach and Gunam-ro Haeundae Square; theme 2030미래를 향한 엑스포 모래바다; 14 works by 11 artists (8 foreign incl. US, Canada, China; 3 Korean); exhibition until 6 June; BTS sculpture; 19 May yacht parade, musical opening, Yuk Jung-wan Band, fireworks over the sea; 20–21 May flyboard show, college song contest, street dance; speed sand-sculpture contest
- Busan Metropolitan City — Haeundae Beach (beaches guide)municipal — Haeundae Station on Metro Line 2, Exit 3 or 5, about 5 minutes' walk to the beach; paid parking; tourist information centre, restrooms, showers and changing rooms; 264 Haeundaehaebyeon-ro; free; (051) 749-7612
- Telltrip — '해운대 빛축제'… 11월 29일부터 51일간 해수욕장 180m 구간에서 즐기는 우주 테마 빛 조형물 (2025)news — Haeundae Plaza public car park ₩300 per 10 minutes on weekdays and ₩500 at weekends (winter 2025); buses 38, 39, 40, 63, 141, 200, 1001, 1003 to Haeundae Beach; from Busan Station Line 1 then Line 2
- IBS NTSE 2024 conference (Busan, 1–7 Dec 2024) — transportation pageother — Busan Station to Haeundae by subway about 1 h (Line 1 10 min to Seomyeon, Line 2 30 min); Gimhae Airport to Haeundae about 1 h 20 min (light rail 7 min to Sasang, Line 2 45 min)
- Busan Metropolitan City — Renovated airport bus operations commence on July 31 (2025)municipal — Airport bus Line 2 (Seomyeon·Bujeon) every 60 minutes, from the airport 07:00–22:00, adults ₩7,500, card or transit card only; Line 1 serves Haeundae·Gijang
- Korail KTX fare table, effective 1 Sep 2026 (xls)official — Standard class Seoul–Busan ₩54,400 (₩54,000 via Seodaegu, ₩49,300 via Gupo); checked for the site's Busan Fireworks Festival record
- Hankyung — 9월 1일부터 서울~부산 KTX 5만4400원…운임 평균 10% 인하 (31 Aug 2026)news — KTX and SRT run as KTX from 1 Sep 2026; Seoul–Busan ₩59,800 to ₩54,400; former SRT trains from Suseo renamed KTX-Sancheon
- Busan → Seoul Station train timetable, 16–22 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed)other — Last trains 22:00 KTX 82 (arr 00:27) and 22:10 KTX 84 (arr 00:42), about 2 h 30 m; checked for the site's Busan Fireworks Festival record
- Korail — 열차운임/시간표 (official timetable and fare downloads)official — Index of current Korail timetables, including KTX timetable editions of 15 May 2026 and 1 Nov 2026
- Busan Metropolitan City — Calendar of Events: 12th Haeundae Light Festival (2025)municipal — 제12회 해운대 빛축제, 29 Nov 2025–18 Jan 2026, lighting 18:00–23:00, around Haeundae Beach and Gunam-ro Haeundae Square, free admission, Haeundae-gu Office
- 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
- Busan Fireworks Festival — official location guide (English)official — Gwangan Station (Line 2) Exit 3 for Gwangalli Beach
- Busan Metropolitan City notice — 제31회 부산국제영화제 (30 Sep 2026)municipal — 31st BIFF 6–15 Oct 2026, 10 days, Busan Cinema Center and venues across Busan
- BIFF official English site (home page)official — 31st BIFF 6–15 October 2026; office at BIFF HILL 3F, Busan Cinema Center, 120 Suyeonggangbyeon-daero; Centum City Station (Line 2) Exit 12 as used in the site's BIFF record
What we could not confirm
- 2027 dates, theme and programme had not been announced as of 19 October 2026; recent dates reached the news by 9 May 2024, 17 April 2025 and 27 April 2026.
- Haeundae-gu's own festival page (haeundae.go.kr, linked from Busan city's event listing) could not be opened from this environment, so the organizer's notices were not read; dates rely on Busan city, KTO listings and news, and programme times on Telltrip, Nocut News and Ajunews.
- 2026 media-façade show times, the stage schedule after 16 May, and fees and sign-up rules for the sandboard and sculpture class were not found.
- Daily hours for 2023–2025 were not found (KTO gives 10:00–21:00 for 2026); whether the sculptures can be viewed outside programme hours during the display weeks was not confirmed.
- Edition count: Busan city calls 2026 the 21st edition and the festival began in 2005, so one year appears to have been skipped (probably during COVID); 2020–2021 were not checked.
- No visitor totals were found for 2025 or 2026; the 2024 figure (about 1.01 million) is Haeundae-gu's count from mobile-phone data.
- Names: ja 海雲台砂祭り and zhHans 海云台沙滩节 come from KTO listings read through the ktriptips mirror. zhHant 海雲臺沙雕節 comes from Busan city's Traditional Chinese news, because KTO's Traditional Chinese listing is titled 海雲臺沙雕作品展 (sand sculpture exhibition); Busan city's Simplified Chinese news uses 海云台沙雕节.
- The festival is not in the site's TourAPI snapshot of 18 Oct 2026; the KTO Korean contentId 566822 is taken from the ktriptips mirror URL.
- The 2024 theme is reported as 세계 미술관 여행 in the news and as 모래로 만나는 그랜드 미술관 in KTO's archived listing.
- Rail fare and last trains were carried over from the site's Busan Fireworks and Haeundae Light Festival records (Korail fare table of 1 Sep 2026; October 2026 timetable mirror); the May 2027 timetable will differ. The parking rates are from a winter 2025 report and were not checked for May.
- Accessibility, pet rules and foreign-card acceptance for paid programmes were not checked.
- The web search budget (12 searches) was used up; Kookje Shinmun, Busan Ilbo and Yonhap reports and Visit Busan were not opened.
- Last train back from Busan Station to Seoul on the festival dates under the timetable in force that day.
Changes: 2026-10-19 — Added to the site: fact-first record (dates, hours, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-19 — Added a Wikimedia Commons photograph of a Sungnyemun sand sculpture at the 2012 festival (문원, CC0). · 2026-10-21 — Transport: removed last-train and last-bus clock times taken from the October 2026 timetable (next edition months away); the page now gives journey times and says to check the last train in the Korail app or at the station or terminal.
