Busanjin-gu is the district around Seomyeon, one of the busiest metro hubs in Busan. Most visitors know it for shopping and food, but the same district also reaches up to the slopes of Baegyangsan Mountain, where a temple called Seonamsa (선암사) sits among the trees. This guide builds one day from that starting point: a temple in the morning, a duck lunch beside a small park, a stop at a traditional market, and a lit walking path after dark.
We checked every source on 3 October 2026, and we have not visited these places ourselves. Where two sources disagree, we show both. Distances marked as estimates are straight lines between listed coordinates, not walking routes, and they say nothing about how long a trip takes.
Where to Go: Seonamsa (선암사)
The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) says Seonamsa is a branch temple of Beomeosa in the Jogye Order and that the monk Wonhyo founded it in 675. At first it was called Gyeongangsa, according to KTO, and it was repaired several times in later centuries. Visit Busan, the city’s official tourism site, describes it as a temple more than 1,000 years old in the middle of the Baegyangsan forest.
KTO lists a main hall (대웅전) with Geungnakjeon, Gwaneumjeon, Myeongbujeon and other halls, plus Chilseonggak (칠성각), Sansingak (산신각) and a bell tower. It also mentions camellia trees growing above the stone walls and a stone bridge named Geungnakgyo (극락교) over the stream that runs through the grounds. A small waterfall, Seonampokpo (선암폭포), is listed behind the Yongwangdan altar. We did not find a bloom season for the camellias, so we cannot say whether they flower in October.
Visit Busan adds the Beomjonggak (범종각) pavilion, which houses a Buddhist bell, and a three-story pagoda of which only a roof stone remains. It says people naturally lower their voices in the quiet temple.
KTO also says the temple runs a rest-type temple stay, along with programs such as a Buddhist college, a choir, volunteer work and pottery. We did not find prices or booking rules for any of these.
Hours, cost and getting there
Visit Busan lists Seonamsa as free, open all year and open every day. KTO does not give opening hours: it says to call for details, at +82-51-803-7573. Because the two sources differ in detail, we suggest calling before you go, especially if you plan to arrive early or late. Parking is listed by both sources.
Visit Busan gives this route: take Busan Metro Line 1 to Seomyeon Station (서면역), leave by Exit 9, and transfer to bus 17 or 23 at the stop opposite Lotte Hotel & Department Store. Get off at Seonamsa and walk. The Seonamsa page says the walk is 18 minutes. A second Visit Busan page, about the Baegyangsan trails, gives the same bus route and says 14 minutes. We cannot tell which is right, so allow 14 to 18 minutes. We did not find the bus ride time, the frequency, or the last bus. For card basics, see our Busan metro and T-money guide.
If you want a forest walk on the same mountain, our Children’s Grand Park guide covers the paths around a reservoir at the foot of Baegyangsan.
What to Eat: Duck at Gongwonjip (공원집)
Gongwonjip is a restaurant in Gaya-dong, Busanjin-gu. KTO lists duck bulgogi (오리불고기) as its first menu item and also lists duck boiled whole (오리백숙), native chicken boiled whole (토종닭백숙) and smoked duck (유황오리훈제). KTO’s description mentions a valley stream, outdoor tables and indoor seats, and says many people visit in summer. We found nothing about autumn crowds.
To order, say the dish name and then 주세요 (juseyo), which means “please give me”. KTO lists these side dishes: pickled radish for wrapping, seasoned greens, a salad, wrap vegetables, macaroni, chive salad and cucumber cold soup.
KTO lists hours of 10:00 to 21:30, no closing days, card payment and parking, and the phone number 051-893-0629. It lists no break time, but we could not check that with the restaurant. We found no prices and no portion sizes that we could confirm. A menu board is visible in one KTO photo, but the photo is blurry and its date is unknown, so we do not quote it. If you are a group of two or more, ask staff how many people a dish feeds. The KTO photos show seating and the building, not the food, so we cannot tell you what the dishes look like.
We found no source on allergens, halal or vegetarian options. Duck and chicken are the main ingredients, so ask staff about the ingredients before you order.
A quick look at Gaya Park (가야공원)
Gongwonjip is about 0.32 km from Gaya Park in a straight line (our estimate). KTO lists the park as open at all times with no closing days and describes walking paths, exercise equipment and benches. It also lists a memorial stone for General Yi Jong-mu’s Tsushima expedition, set up in 2001. KTO lists no parking at the park, and the number for Busanjin-gu Office is 051-605-4000. We did not find a walking time or the length of the paths, so we treat the park as a short extra stop and not as a destination of its own.
Plan Your Visit: Seomyeon as a Base
Visit Busan’s pages show Seomyeon Station on both Line 1 and Line 2 of the Busan Metro. That makes it a convenient place to sleep or to start a day, but we did not check transfer times or the last trains.
Here is our own order for a full day. It is a suggestion, not a sourced route.
- Morning: Seomyeon Station, Line 1, Exit 9, then bus 17 or 23 to Seonamsa.
- Lunch: Gongwonjip, which is about 3.5 km from Seonamsa in a straight line (our estimate). We did not find a bus link between them, so check a map app.
- Afternoon: Busan Jungang Market (부산 중앙시장).
- After sunset: the Busanjin Starlight Path (부산진 별빛산책길).
Busan Jungang Market
KTO’s English page gives the address as 34-3 Jungangbeonyeong-ro 20beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, with hours of 07:00 to 19:00 and closed days on the first and third Sunday of every month, and it adds that these vary by store. KTO’s Korean listing says only that hours and closed days differ by shop. Parking is listed, and the phone number is +82-51-631-8490.
The two KTO descriptions call it a market known for flowers, with a building that runs from the first basement to the third floor and includes restaurants, shops and a wholesale flower section. They also mention food vendors selling tteokbokki, sundae and fried chicken. However, the KTO photos we checked show an outdoor street market with a meat counter, fruit and clothes, and no flowers. We could not match the photos to the flower building, so check what you will find when you arrive. We also found no metro route to the market.
Busanjin Starlight Path
KTO lists the path as about 400 meters long, with four zones for flowers, stars, sea waves and green leaves. It says the path is lit after sunset and is open all year. A 2023 Busan Ilbo news article places it near the south gate of Busan Citizens Park in Beomjeon-dong. KTO lists no parking at the path and points to a nearby public lot. The inquiry number is 051-605-4522.
The path is about 2.4 km from the market in a straight line (our estimate), and about 2.8 km from Seonamsa. We did not check the sunset time, how to reach the path from Seomyeon, or whether the lights run on a schedule. The KTO photos show bare trees and were taken on dates we do not know, so the path may look different in October. Citizens Park itself is covered in our Citizens Park and Samgwangsa guide.
First-Timer Tips
These are our suggestions, not sourced facts.
- Do the temple first in daylight and the lights last. Both are easier to plan that way.
- Call Seonamsa before you leave, because KTO gives no opening hours.
- Keep the market stop before 19:00, and treat that time as an upper limit, since hours vary by store.
- Check each leg in a map app. We could only confirm the bus route from Seomyeon to the temple.
FAQ
Is Seonamsa free? Visit Busan lists the fee as free.
How do I get to Seonamsa from Seomyeon? Visit Busan says to take Line 1 to Exit 9, then bus 17 or 23, and walk 14 to 18 minutes, depending on the page.
Is the Starlight Path lit all day? No. KTO lists the hours as after sunset.
Does the duck restaurant take cards? KTO lists card payment as possible.
Is the market open on Sundays? KTO’s English page lists closures on the first and third Sunday of each month, varying by store. Check before you go.
What We Could Not Confirm
- Opening hours at Seonamsa, and any dress or photo rules.
- Bus 17 and 23 ride times, frequency and last departures.
- Prices and portion sizes at Gongwonjip, and its dishes’ appearance.
- How to travel between Seonamsa, Gongwonjip, the market and the Starlight Path.
- The sunset time and any schedule for the Starlight Path lights.
- Whether the market’s flower hall is the place shown in the KTO photos.
Related guides
- Busan Children’s Grand Park Walking Guide
- Busan Citizens Park and Samgwangsa: Day Plan
- Bujeon Market and Jeonpo Cafe Street Guide
- Busan Metro Guide: Tickets, Hanaro, T-money
We post short first-timer guides on Instagram too: @rolo.koreaguide.
Sources
Checked on 3 Oct 2026.
- Korea Tourism Organization, TourAPI (Korean service): Seonamsa (content ID 128053), Gongwonjip (2869241), Gaya Park (2788410), Busanjin Starlight Path (3093625), Busan Jungang Market (132572). Photographs from 128053 (KOGL Type 1) and from 2869241, 3093625 and 132572 (KOGL Type 3), used unaltered.
- Visit Busan (official Busan tourism site), Seonamsa Temple: https://visitbusan.net/index.do?lang_cd=en&menuCd=DOM_000000301001001000&uc_seq=458 ; Baegyangsan: https://visitbusan.net/index.do?lang_cd=en&menuCd=DOM_000000301001001000&uc_seq=426 ; Seomyeon Light Festival page (Seomyeon Station on Line 2): https://www.visitbusan.net/index.do?menuCd=DOM_000000301005001000&uc_seq=2136&lang_cd=en .
- Visit Korea (KTO English site), Busan Jungang Market: https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/svc/contents/contentsView.do?vcontsId=189741 .
- Busan Ilbo, 22 Nov 2023, article on the Starlight Path (a news report, not an official tourism page): https://www.busan.com/view/busan/view.php?code=2023112210401854981 .
- Distances: straight-line calculations from the KTO listing coordinates, not walking routes.
