The Busan Fireworks Festival is held in autumn around Gwangalli Beach and the Gwangandaegyo Bridge (광안대교). This guide gathers what the festival’s official website and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) confirm for 2026: the date, the venues, the seat ticket prices and how to get to Gwangalli.
We checked everything on 2 October 2026. Where we could not confirm a detail, such as the exact start time of the main show, we say so rather than guess.
The Date and the Venues
The official festival website, run by the Busan Festival Organizing Committee, shows the 21st Busan Fireworks Festival on Saturday 7 November 2026. It names the venue area as Gwangalli Beach, Igidae and Dongbaek Island (광안리해수욕장, 이기대, 동백섬 일원). KTO’s listing gives the same date, but names Gwangalli Beach, Haeundae and Igidae. Both name Gwangalli and Igidae, so plan around Gwangalli, and check the official site for which other viewing areas apply.
KTO describes the festival as a sea-based multimedia fireworks show using Gwangandaegyo Bridge’s lighting, and says it began with a fireworks show for the 2005 APEC summit. KTO also says this is its 21st year.
The Program
KTO lists the opening hours as 13:00 to 20:00. It splits the day into two parts:
- Pre-events: a Republic of Korea Air Force Black Eagles performance, hands-on activities such as scratch books, chalk art and photo zones, and street performances.
- Main program: an invited overseas fireworks show and a Busan multi-fireworks show.
We did not find an official timetable that gives the start time of the main show. We found no official start time, so we give none. The official site has a program page and a traffic-control page, which we could not read in full, so check them before you go.
Seat Tickets
KTO marks the festival as paid, and lists these seat prices:
| Seat | Price listed by KTO | |—|—| | Early-bird S seat | 56,000 won | | Regular R seat (table and chair) | 100,000 won | | Regular S seat (chair) | 70,000 won |
The official site carries a notice that regular tickets are on sale from 4 September 2026 at 14:00 until 6 November at 17:00, through NOL Ticket. We do not know whether the early-bird price is still available, or what the seat map looks like.
We also could not confirm whether you need a ticket to watch from the beach or the streets, so we make no claim either way. The official site has a seat-map page for this question, and the committee’s phone line is +82-51-713-5000, open 09:00 to 18:00 according to the site.
How to Get to Gwangalli
Visit Busan’s page on Gwangalli Beach gives these routes (checked 1 October 2026):
- Metro: Busan Metro Line 2 to Gwangan Station (광안역), Exit 5, then a 13-minute walk.
- Bus: buses 42 or 62 to Gwangalli Beach.
- Busan City Tour Bus: the Red Line from Busan Station to Gwangalli Beach Station.
Visit Busan lists the beach as free and open at all times. It does not say anything about festival-day crowds or road closures, so we do not know how these routes behave on 7 November. The festival site has a traffic-control section, which is the place to look. For metro payment, see our guide to the Busan Metro and transport cards.
A simple plan (our suggestion)
- Decide whether you want a reserved seat, and book early if you do.
- Read the official traffic-control and program pages a few days before.
- Arrive well before the evening show. We have no data on crowd sizes, so this is general advice.
- Plan your way home in advance, as many people leave at once.
- Keep the metro’s last-train time in mind: Visit Busan says the Busan Metro runs 05:00 to 23:59, with times varying by station.
First-Timer Tips
- Book early if you want a seat. The official site shows sales running until 6 November, but we do not know when seats sell out.
- Do not rely on unofficial times. We could only confirm the date and the 13:00 to 20:00 hours listed by KTO.
- Dress warm. The festival is in November, by the sea. This is general advice.
- Check weather plans. We did not find an official postponement rule.
FAQ
When is the Busan Fireworks Festival in 2026?
Saturday 7 November 2026, according to the official site and KTO.
Where is it held?
Around Gwangalli Beach, with Igidae and either Dongbaek Island (official site) or Haeundae (KTO) also named.
How much are seats?
KTO lists 56,000 won (early-bird S), 70,000 won (regular S) and 100,000 won (regular R). Check the official site for the current price.
What time do the fireworks start?
We could not confirm an official start time. KTO lists the festival hours as 13:00 to 20:00.
How do I get to Gwangalli by metro?
Line 2 to Gwangan Station Exit 5, then a 13-minute walk, per Visit Busan.
What We Could Not Confirm
- The start time of the main fireworks show.
- Whether early-bird seats remain and the seat map.
- Whether viewing outside the seating areas is free and where it is allowed.
- Road closures and bus changes on the day.
- A rain or wind postponement rule.
- Whether KTO’s venue list (Haeundae) or the official one (Dongbaek Island) is right.
Related guides
- Millak Waterfront Park and Gwangalli
- Oryukdo Skywalk and Igidae Trail
- Dongbaekseom and Nurimaru APEC House
- Busan City Tour Bus
We post short first-timer guides on Instagram too: @rolo.koreaguide.
Sources
Checked on 2 Oct 2026.
- Busan Fireworks Festival official website (Busan Festival Organizing Committee, Korean): https://busanfireworks.com/ . Date, venue and ticket-sale notice read on 2 Oct 2026.
- Korea Tourism Organization, TourAPI (Korean service): Busan Fireworks Festival (content ID 235076). Photographs: KTO, KOGL Type 3, used unaltered.
- Visit Busan, Gwangalli Beach (routes): https://www.visitbusan.net/en/index.do?menuCd=DOM_000000301001001000&uc_seq=377&lang_cd=en . Checked 1 Oct 2026.
- Visit Busan, Preparing for a Trip (metro hours): https://www.visitbusan.net/en/index.do?menuCd=DOM_000000303012002000 . Checked 2 Oct 2026.
