Some say that Busan’s Gamcheon Culture Village is like Greece’s Santorini, simply because their wooden houses are painted in bright, vibrant colors—one with colorful wooden houses, the other with pure white wooden houses against blue skies and white clouds, each with its own charm. Before I went, I shared the same view as others. But once I visited Gamcheon Culture Village and listened to explanations from a Korean guide, I realized my initial impression was wrong.
This colorful cultural village has a painful history behind it. During the 1950s Korean War, refugees who lost their homes due to the war flocked to Busan and settled here, forming this village. Since then, this area has become Busan’s slum, and even today, the residents of Gamcheon Culture Village are still relatively poor families. Taking the bus up the mountain, the living environment is completely different from that of the flatlands—a tiny house crammed with at least four or more family members. It’s easy to imagine that the living conditions are far from ideal, but people endure it just to get by. The entire area is filled with an “unpleasant” smell. The guide explained that because public toilets are too far away, people just relieve themselves “on the spot.” Despite the inconvenient transportation, residents have to carry their daily necessities up and down long staircases (there were no buses in the past), but because of poverty, they don’t complain much.
Although no large sums of money were spent, in 2009, through repairs, painting, and maintenance efforts by the government and civilian groups, the original appearance of Gamcheon Culture Village was preserved, keeping its historical traces intact. Artists were also invited to paint murals, infusing the area with artistic elements, turning it into a tourist attraction.
For us travelers, this cultural village is just a scenic spot, a place for taking photos. But for the people of Busan, the history preserved in Gamcheon Culture Village—the difficult period—is something they will never forget. Despite the hardships, the people of Busan continue to strive upward, hoping that one day they can live in Haeundae (the affluent area of Busan), much like the “Lion Rock Spirit” of Hong Kong in the 1970s and 1980s—self-reliance and perseverance, a perfect alignment.
Coming from a science background, I had always been disconnected from the humanities and history. Unexpectedly, through travel, I gradually reconnected with history. Out of curiosity about the origins of this place, I looked up information online—not for writing, but to learn more for myself. When I actually visited the site, I experienced it firsthand, rather than just treating it as a “checkmark on the list.” It turns out that travel is also a form of learning. Exploring the slopes of Gamcheon Culture Village and immersing myself in its culture and murals taught me the meaning of “knowing contentment.” But how many people truly understand that?
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