Busan Fireworks Festival 2025

Experience the Magic of the Busan Fireworks Festival 2025

There are plenty of reasons to fall in love with Busan.

The endless coastline, the neon nightlife, the mountains that seem to spill straight into the sea. But if there’s one night that captures everything this city stands for, it’s the Busan Fireworks Festival.

It all started back in 2005, when Busan hosted the APEC Summit. To mark the occasion, the city lit up the sky over Gwangan Bridge with a fireworks show unlike anything people had ever seen here. What was supposed to be a one-time spectacle quickly became a tradition, and now, every November, over a million people flock to the beach to watch the skyline ignite.

What I love about this festival is that it’s not just about the fireworks. Sure, the pyrotechnics are jaw-dropping—synchronized with music, bursting into shapes and colors you didn’t even know existed—but the atmosphere on the ground is just as unforgettable. The whole neighborhood around Gwangalli turns electric. Restaurants, cafés, and convenience stores are packed, and people come hours early with bags of fried chicken, kimbap, or drinks to claim a spot on the sand. By the time the first firework shoots into the sky, the entire beach has already transformed into one huge open-air gathering.

Busan always had this energy—a mix of laid-back seaside charm and full-throttle city life—and the fireworks festival feels like its most vibrant expression. One moment you’re sitting on the sand with a cold beer and fried chicken, the next you’re craning your neck as the sky erupts in gold.

And while Gwangalli Beach is the main stage, the locals know the secret spots. Hike up a hillside, wander into a quieter park, or head over to Marine City and you’ll catch the show with a little more breathing room and a fresh perspective.

If you’re planning a trip to Korea, timing it with the Busan Fireworks Festival is a no-brainer. It’s not just an event; it’s an experience that leaves you with the kind of memories you carry long after the smoke clears. Busan doesn’t just host fireworks—it puts its heart on display, and invites the whole world to watch it shine.