things to do in Yangsan

From Volleyball Player to Korea’s National Tenor — Inside a Hidden Free Museum in Yangsan, Near Busan

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Exterior view of Ssangbyeokru Art Hall in Yangsan, a modern building inspired by a Joseon-era pavilion, located beside Yangsancheon Stream

I’d passed this building a few times while walking along Yangsancheon Stream in Yangsan, a small city just north of Busan. Each time, I wondered what was inside. Ssangbyeokru Art Hall in Yangsan turned out to hold a 250-seat concert venue on its ground floor — but the real find was on the second floor: … Read more

Gold Bird Legs, a Pensive Bodhisattva, and Zero Tourists — Inside Yangsan City Museum

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Gilt-bronze Pensive Bodhisattva excavated from Yusan-dong, displayed at the Yangsan City Museum

Most people who visit Yangsan head straight to Tongdosa Temple and leave. I almost did the same thing. But a local told me to check out the Yangsan City Museum — free admission, four floors of artifacts, and almost no international visitors. I went in expecting a quiet municipal museum and walked out genuinely surprised … Read more