Busan and Song Eun Hyung at Haeundae Beach

The flight from Jeju to Busan was short and easy. Busan was a a big change from the easy going attitude of Jeju. The city huge and it sits right on the sea. Ships in the harbor, traffic rolling through its hills, skyscrapers sitting right on the beach.

That afternoon, I dropped my bags at my hotel room and went to the rooftop pool to enjoy the sunset and take in the view of the city and surrounding landscape. The beach, a gentle crescent that bent towards the hotel edged with rocky outcrops had a beautiful lighter sand and a smooth sea. The beach was lined with Korean costal pines, sculptures, decorative rock, and a boardwalk filled with runnners and walkers during the day. The city sits right on the beach with a line of skyscrapers overlooking the water. This beautiful place is a combination of new and shiny and this feeling of something that has been here for a long time. The artistic use of nature throughout the city helps to ground this busy place.

I stepped out for dinner that night looking for something unique. Around the hotel, there were several fancy Korean beef restaurants. I decided to give one of these a try. The menu was filled with pictures of beef, marbled and from select cows. The waitress brought a tray of banchan to the table that included Ice Kimchi, a delicately flavored kimchi, a crab covered in gochujang, anchovies covered in sesame oil, and a wonderful broth based soup with greens and tofu. When she came out to light the grill she was carrying a tray of beef, king oyster mushrooms that had been branded, and some veggies. She lit the grill in the center of the table and grilled it all to perfection right in front of me. The meal was huge, filling, and delicious. The beef was the star of the show. The sides that surrounded it created this meal that was diverse and nutritious. Each item having a unique flavor but complimenting each other and allowing the pallet to reset.

After dinner I took a long walk through the late night district filled with restaurants, karaoke, and stores. This wide street was filled with people enjoying the beautiful night. It ran several blocks and dead ends into the beach. I continued to make my way back to the hotel along the beach. The nighttime beach was different. It was still filled with runners and walkers, but now had more people hanging out in groups picnicking or just enjoying conversation, couples walking hand in hand, and buskers playing at different stations along the beach.

I spent the next morning on the beach. It was time to practice Song Eun Hyung outside with space to move. This is the master-level form of Han Mu Do is the final form created by Dojunim He-Young Kimm. He introduced the form at a seminar in Baton Rouge, LA and a short time later I was in Suwanee, Georgia, visiting with the Kimms in their home and I had a chance to learn and work with him on this master level form.

Before dinner, we headed down stairs to his private Dojang. The floor taped with the shape of the Chinese character 木 (mù), meaning “tree.” He explained that the form represented the pine tree, Song Eun, his pen name. He opened the door to the outside and showed me the tall pine growing outside his house in Georgia that had given him inspiration.

Song Eun Hyung on the beach was a challenge I started by drawing out the form pattern in the sand, a road map for me to work on stances and the movements. The sand shifted with every step, forcing me to slow down, to ground my stances, and to find my balance. I worked on the physical part of the form, thinking through the movements and stances being able to expand beyond my hotel room. As I started to smooth out the movements the timing of my breath followed and I was able to start developing a rhythm to this beautiful form.

Practicing martial arts forms in public places like a beach can be a little bit daunting but it is very good for you as a martial artist. Two things happened as I moved. First, the physical lesson. Sand challenges everything. There’s no faking the stances; every imbalance, every hesitation, shows itself.

Second, the mental one. Practicing in public meant releasing ego. To move freely, to breathe fully, I had to stop worrying about what others might think and allow my brain to relax and focus on me.

The Oceans connect the world and being on the beach made me feel a little closer to home. The waves rolled in and out beside me and the morning salty breeze was refreshing and comforting. The pine trees lining the beach giving this beautiful and inspiring place to work on this advanced form. It was a dialogue between me, Han Mu Do, and nature itself. In Korea, the pine tree isn’t just a symbol of strength, it’s a symbol of endurance, balance, and grace through all seasons. It bends, but it doesn’t break. It survives wind, snow, heat, and drought always standing evergreen.

Haedong Yonggung Temple

I made my way to Haedong Yonggung Temple, one of Korea’s most beautiful coastal temples. Built on the cliffs of Gijang-gun, the temple overlooks the sea, with long stone steps winding up the hillside and colorful lanterns strung between statues and pines. It’s said to have been built in 1376. There is a constant sound of waves crashing against the rocks below mixed with the sounds of visitors exploring the temple, a jangle of coins tossed into wishing fountains, and a rustling of colorful paper decorations blowing in the costal breeze.

This temple is beautiful. There is a winding hilly path through the forrest lined with statues that lead you towards this temple on the sea. As you work your way though the temple it is filled with statues large and small, beautiful brightly colored buildings filled with art, and a timeless feel and setting that allows you to feel connected to something deeper if you let it.

Skyline Luge

After I was done exploring the temple I strolled through the shops outside the temple and made my way to the Busan Skyline Luge, a winding downhill mountain coaster overlooking one of the Lotte Theme parks with a view of the sea and the surrounding area. A ski lift carried me up to the top to get a quick safety briefing and off I was on a cart down the track. With 4 different runs this was a fun stop and a nice break from site seeing. It felt like an important moment to just enjoy myself.

Swedish Meatballs

Afterward, I spotted an IKEA just down the road. I walked in hungry, and went straight for the cafeteria.

A plate of Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, peas, cranberry sauce, and gravy was delicious. After nearly ten days of rice, kimchi, noodles, and temple food, this simple Western comfort food. It wasn’t all about the food, I do enjoy Korean food, it was about the familiar.

That evening, I walked a long loop around the city and up the beach. It was dark and Pine trees stood silhouetted along the coast. I enjoyed Busan. It is a huge bustling city with lots to explore and I had really just gotten started when it was time to move on to my next adventure. I woke up the next morning to the pouring rain that had moved in. I visited the first Starbucks in Korea, right on Haeyundai Beach, got myself some coffee and breakfast, and I was off in a cab to Busan Station to head north for my next temple stay.