PUSAN / BUSAN -- area code (82-51)

The population of Pusan is nearing 4 million (that's more than 150,000 Utopians).
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• Pusan / Busan Gay Scene Updates

The updated and expanded 2nd Edition of the Utopia Guide to South Korea offers a remarkable insider's glimpse at the gay and lesbian scene in 7 cities including Seoul, Pusan, Taegu and Taejon. Listings include organizations, bars, discos, accommodations, spas, restaurants, and more. A special section highlights venues that are especially welcoming for women. Enjoy savvy comments and recommendations from local Utopians and gay travelers. Click here to order

To get to the main gay area of Pusan, take the subway to Beomildong (two stops from the city center, Seomyeon). Come out of the subway and you'll see Hyundai Department Store. As you face Hyundai, you'll see a road alongside the stores on your left. Go down this road for 20m or so, and then take the first street on your left. This is the gay area. The first bar you'll see is Zip (on your right). 200m further down is another bar called Someone. Across from Someone is the rustic gay restaurant known as Oasis (even though it's actually next door to Oasis). The clientele here are somewhat older. If you stay on this side of the street and walk back a short distance in the direction of Zip, you'll find the new and very popular One Bar. There is a soju bar named Agit (no longer gay) in the street that runs parallel to this main gay one. G-Men is just around the corner from Agit. There are also a few gay karaoke bars in this area, but be aware that you'll be expected to purchase expensive side dishes with your drinks. The area is perfectly safe, and you'll see many gay men walking around, often in pairs.
• Banana Bar
  Opposite G-Men. No name outside, just the picture of a banana. Friendly and helpful barman. They sometimes turn down the lights for a bit when the young, local guys want to dance. they give a free banana with every drink. Nice touch!
• Campus
  441-7032. Karaoke anju bar near the train station, to the extreme right (the road closest to and parallel to the train tracks) as you walk out of the station, about 5 minutes walk. Male hosts and expensive snacks. The owner speaks minimal English. The Tourist booth across from the train station can give you the phone number.
• Club One
  Beomildong, 631-8559. A great place to hang out. It's small but always busy, especially Fri and Sat nights. The bartender/owner is cute. Even though the owner doesn't speak English, foreigners are still welcome and do come here. Prices of the drinks are reasonable and free snacks are always provided. Attractively designed, with both table and bar seating in a relaxing environment. Young local crowd.
• G-Men
  Beomildon, around the corner from Agit. A tiny, intimate bar with counter seating only.
• Mong
  For directions, call 051-638-7958. Shot bar. The owner can speak English well and the customers are friendly.
• Rock
  Beomildong, 633-6694, 011-9772-6694, email. Call for directions. The former owner of Zip opened this cocktail bar. A cozy, homey cocktail bar featuring Wi-Fi. Nice interior and good place to hang out. No singing and no table charge. English and Japanese are spoken. Friendly tourists and locals of all ages.
• Zip
  Beomildong (a few hundred feet south of Hyundai Department Store), 645-3625, email. Zip is one of the most established gay cocktail bars and an ideal starting point for the single visitor to the gay area. Newly redecorated and, although somewhat smoky, it's got a nice ambience with soft lighting and candles on the tables. Prices are reasonable (with free snacks provided). The bar features free Internet access and gay magazines are available for reading. Popular with Koreans and foreigners alike. Zip's owner goes out of his way to make people feel welcome. While his English is minimal (he does speak some Japanese and his bar is popular with Japanese tourists), there is usually someone on hand to help the occasional bewildered Westerner.

• Park in the center of town on a hill is a popular cruising spot.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "There are two DVD theaters in the Beomildong area. Bada DVD is just opposite the KT Bld on 2/F. There are movie billboards in the front. Near Bohemian sauna. Beomildong DVD is aside the main office of Busan Bank. " -- bill18062000, Jul 27, 2010

• Dong-Kyong
  From Somyeon Subway Exit 8 go straight ahead (east), on the north side of the street of the Somyon Rotary, and turn left at the first corner, then turn right on next corner. On the right side you will see two trees in big pots beside the entrance (the sign is in Korean). It's on 2/F. Open 24-hours, but especially popular in the afternoons, from 2-6pm, especially Sat. There is play in the dark sleeping room. Mature crowd and those who fancy them. Closed Sun.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "I recently went here on two Sun afternoons. I did not think it was possible to find a sauna more run-down than Mun-Hwa in Seoul, but this is it. The crowd is mature (40-70+), though I did meet a handsome 35-year-old there who is now a friend. The clerks are very friendly and loved me for visiting (even hugging me!). The customers will love you, too, especially if you are decent-looking and smile. Condoms and lube provided. Easy to find: Somyeon Station exit 8, walk past Starbucks about 30 feet, take first left street then first right street and look for the two potted trees on the right about 50 feet. It's on 2/F. There is a cheap hotel right above on 3/F with old, but clean, rooms for only W$20,000 if you stay after subway service or want to stay with a new friend from the sauna." -- ernst, Aug 14, 2010

  "Dong-Kyong Sauna is 100% gay. It's very old and not clean, but it's the only place where you can meet mature (40-70yo) Korean men available for almost everything. You go in, you pay W$6, you leave your shoes with a smile, you get your key, you take off your clothes, you take a shower and after you can wear a bathrobe or just a towel. There are two dark rooms where you can do what you want. Try to be discreet as visitors are welcome here if we respect discretion. It's far from the western standard of gay saunas, but it's better than nothing. Enjoy." -- busandream, Jun 23, 2010

• Double
  4/F of the Ceramic Tile (sae-rah-mik) Bld in Beomildong (opposite Sahmil Cinema). New owners here at the former "EX" have cleaned up the place. Leave Jwacheon-dong station at Exit 7 and south from the station for a few minutes. At the big intersection, you will see train tracks on right, turn that way and walk west, past the train tracks, until you reach the big main avenue where you will see a gray building. Taxi drivers are also familiar with the place, just mention the Sahmil Geuk-Jang (cinema). This jjimjilbang attracts a younger clientele than most other sleeping rooms in Busan. Gay DVDs and the Internet are available, and its rooms are clean and attractive. Customers simply slip into the 'night attire' provided, choose a room to their liking, and then rest (or not). A very nice, intimate atmosphere pervades. Safety supplies on hand (bravo!). Open 24 hours and welcoming to foreigners. Some English spoken. Jam packed on weekends.
• Ho Chim Song
  Dong Nae. Not gay, but a must-see. A huge, well-known bathing complex with pools, caves, birds and completely nude -- sports teams hang out, lounging around, rough-housing, exercising, whatever. Obviously, this place is popular with gays.
• K
  Beomildong, 642-7715. Take Exit 3 from Jwacheon-dong Subway Station. When you reach the street level look for the narrow alley to your left. K is halfway up the alley. You can't miss their big orange sign with black letter K. The facility is not fancy, but clean, with numerous sleeping rooms, TV room, gay video room and showers. Private rooms also. Welcomes foreigners. Very busy on Fri and Sat nights. Young to middle-aged crowd.
• Otoko
  633-6566. To get here you must exit from the farthest entrance at the north in Beomildong and walk all the way to the last street on your left. When you get to this street, walk up to the end and the building will be to your left. There is a sign above the entrance of the building. Otoko is on 4/F of the corner building (on 1/F is a small supermarket and on 2/F and 3/F is a private academy). Sleeping Room for gays. Nice private rooms, computers, a big movie room, etc. The staff are nice to everyone. Very active on Fri and Sat nights.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "Take Subway Line 1 and get off at Jwacheondong Station. If you're coming from Seomyeon area, take any exit on your right, but if youre coming from Busan Station take exits left (I think exits 5 and 3 are the nearest), then look for the overpass in Jwacheondong (there's only one overpass there). When you reach the overpass, walk thru your left about 50m and look for the small supermarket. Otoko in on 4/F. Hope this helps." -- crossroad, Jun 1, 2010

  "The guys were are EXTEREMLY feminine...eye liner and overall style...some of them look borderline transexual. If this is your style go for it, but they sort of spightlight foreigners and aren't really that cute. Just my opinion." -- brizner, May 14, 2010

• SPACE
  666-2 Jeonpo-Dong, Busanjin-Gu, Seo-Syeon, 643-0405, email. Find the Migliore shopping center in Seo-Myeon. Their building is behind Toyoko-Inn Hotel, opposite the Migliore. Gay-managed jjimjilbang. Clean, comfortable and quiet place. Many sleeping rooms and private rooms, a big movie room, feee PCs. Crowd is 20-30s.

  Comments from Utopians:

  "Very clean and comfortable place, but almost empty on Sat night (only three guys watching TV)." -- bill18062000, Jul 17, 2010

  "SPACE was completely dead when I went on a Fri night. The video collection is decent but I ended up being the ONLY person in the whole establishment all night." -- brizner, May 11, 2010

  Comments from Utopians:

  "Busan Olympic Sauna, 466-3011, is mostly gay. Take Busan Station Exit 4 and walk out to the left towards the movie theater and go down the alley. You'll see a car service and Teh-Yang Motel. The sauna is on your left. You'll see a barber pole. Leave your shoes, take a shower, and go up to 2/F. Very friendly to foreigners. Sleeping cubicles, giant TV room, massage parlor, exercise room. Very active place!" -- brizner, Aug 19, 2010

  "I recently went to Bohemian on a Fri night and had a nice time with a Chinese college student, but the crowd was very young and twinky. It's a very small jjimjilbang with mats on the floor and not much else, not at all suitable for crashing if you are looking for a place to sleep. If you want fun with very skinny twinks for a few hours, this place is for you!" -- ernst, Aug 14, 2010

  "Bohemian was pretty dead the last two Fri. Mostly 40+ men and chubs. The very few young guys refused to go near a foreigner." -- dlsex, Feb 6, 2010

  "I went to Bohemian sauna tonight and it was GREAT! It actually had a young crowd there. My experience at the other saunas have mostly been with older men. If you are looking for cute youger guys in their 20s-30s, come here. Also, everyone seems to be really nice to foriegners. It's across the side street from KT Plaza in Beomildong. There is a white sign with pink letters. You can't miss it. They also have themed nights light underware and mask nights. Have fun." -- busanboy, Feb 5, 2010

  "Bohemian 'sleeping room' is just opposite the KT Building - 1/2 way down a very narrow alley (small white sign with pink writing hanging over the door). Sat night, 1-4am, lots of young guys. Friendly, fun bunch." -- baby_alibaba, Jan 17, 2010