[Nationwide — Wikitree Senior Reporter Choi Hak-bong] Busan’s Haeundae District is staging the Haeundae Sand Festival, themed "A Busan Time Travel by Sand," from May 15–18 at Haeundae Beach and along Gumnam-ro. Organizers are extending the world-class sand sculpture exhibition for an extra month, keeping the displays open through June 14 so visitors can fully savor the art.
Co-hosted by Haeundae District and the Haeundae Cultural Center, this is South Korea’s largest sand-focused cultural event. After the four-day highlight period ends, the artworks remain on the beach for roughly a month, giving people plenty of time to visit. From Haeundae Square (the pedestrian corridor leading from Haeundae Station on Busan Metro Line 2 to the sand) across the entire shoreline, the area will be transformed into a sweeping arena of sand art.
The 2026 theme, Busan Time Travel, spotlights the city’s dynamic evolution. Sculptures are grouped into three zones. The Past zone evokes Busan Port during the opening-to-trade era and the city’s role as a wartime refuge amid modernization. The Present zone captures the buzz of a global tourist hub, featuring Haeundae’s skyline and the iconic Gwangan Bridge. The Future zone imagines a cutting-edge maritime capital where artificial intelligence and floating-city technologies converge — all sculpted from sand.
International masters from the U.S., Canada, China and beyond are among the invited sand artists. Organizers used precise sand-compaction techniques — carefully balancing sand and water to harden and stabilize the forms — so the sculptures can withstand strong coastal winds and storms. Visitors can watch sculptors carve intricate details into massive sand mounds right on the beach.
Hands-on programming is tailored for all ages. A large sand-boarding area (sand boarding: riding a board down man-made sand dunes) will sit at the heart of the beach for families. Along Gumnam-ro, a virtual reality (VR) history pavilion and frequent street performances let visitors immerse themselves in Busan’s past. At night, media-facade shows will project light and motion onto the sand sculptures, delivering a completely different visual experience from the daytime exhibits.
The festival emphasizes boosting local businesses and strengthening Busan’s tourism brand. Nearby hotels and food-and-beverage establishments completed hygiene and service checks to prepare for an influx of visitors. Haeundae District has deployed professional security and guides and optimized viewing routes between Gumnam-ro and the beach to ensure a safe, smooth visitor flow. Multilingual information and a mobile QR-code commentary service will be available for international guests. The event also aims to raise awareness about conserving sand as a vital marine resource for the nation.
After the festival, the sand used in the sculptures will be returned to the beach to restore the shoreline, honoring natural-cycle principles. The Haeundae Sand Festival, which draws millions of visitors annually, is expected to play a central role in projecting Busan’s identity to the world in 2026. More than a visual spectacle, the festival offers a tactile way to experience Busan’s history through sand. Haeundae District has also planned weather-based facility management and will expand rest areas and nursing rooms to make the festival more comfortable for attendees.
