Gyeongsang-do is Korea's second major region, with a high concentration of modern big cities and important historic sites. Koreans often describe people from this region as strong and direct, but also passionate and warm-hearted.
Northern Gyeongsang (Gyeongsangbuk-do) is rich in historic sites. Gyeongju is known for preserving a thousand years of Silla history (57 BCE–935 CE). Andong is home to Hahoe Village (14th–15th centuries), a UNESCO World Heritage ↗ hanok village in a river bend where residents still live. The city also hosts an annual autumn Maskdance Festival ↗.
Southern Gyeongsang (Gyeongsangnam-do), together with Busan and Ulsan, forms a highly urbanized coastal belt with a mix of city life and natural landscapes.
Selected spots to get a feel for the region
Photo source: © Korea Tourism Organization (한국관광공사)
Approximate positions, drawn from KTO coordinates
City History
Where to stay and work in the region
~3.2M people
South Korea's second-largest city, with beaches and plenty of coastal walks right in the city. Every fall it hosts the 10-day Busan International Film Festival ↗.
Where to work
Busaness coworking · coliving
Main hub plus a dozen sub-workspaces and partners
24F, Asti Hotel, 7-8, Jungang-daero 214beon-gil, Dong-gu, Busan
Chains
Getting around: Seoul 2.5–3h train
~2.4M people
One of Korea's five largest cities, with developed urban infrastructure and a well-known coffee culture. With fewer tourists, it offers a more local urban experience. Mind that the city is surrounded by mountains and is known as one of Korea's hottest cities in summer, earning it the nickname "Daefrica."
Where to work
Getting around: Donghwa Temple 1h busBiseulsan Recreational Forest 1h carBusan 50 min train
~1.1M people
Best known as a shipbuilding and heavy-industry city, with Hyundai factories based here. It is also a less touristy coastal city than Busan, with several nature escapes nearby.
Where to work
Getting around: Daewangam Park 1h busYeongnam Alps 40 min carBusan 20 min train
~260K people
Former capital of the Silla kingdom, often described as a "museum without walls". The royal tombs are right in the city center, and ancient Bulguksa Temple nearby. It attracts visitors from Korea and abroad and gets especially crowded during the autumn foliage season.
Where to work
Getting around: Andong Hahoe Village 1.5h train+busBulguksa Temple 40–60 min busBusan 30 min trainSeoul 2h train
Population data for 2025. Source: KOSIS(Ministry of Data and Statistics, Population Census) ↗, 2026-09-24. Values rounded to two significant figures.
Study-café data is a manual editorial estimate, last updated in October 2026. Live data currently unavailable.
Study-café data is a live qualitative estimate based on Kakao® Local API ↗ results.
The prices shown are for decent furnished stays available to foreigners, without a large upfront deposit or long-term contract.
In this region, both Busan and Daegu have a good number of listings across foreigner-friendly platforms. Ulsan is more local-oriented, with more options on the 33m2 platform, and Gyeongju month-long stay options tend to be more family-oriented with larger floor space and higher rents.
Ongoing now, and what's coming up
Source: © Korea Tourism Organization (한국관광공사).
What to explore in the region
Source: © Korea Tourism Organization (한국관광공사).
A few handpicked representative dishes, each associated with a city known for them
Busan
Slow-cooked pork bone broth with rice and slices of pork. Be sure to eat it with seasonings, otherwise it might be too bland.
Where to eat it ↗
Busan
Wheat noodles served in a cold broth made with beef, pork or chicken bones, topped with chili paste (spicy). Also available in a broth-free version.
Busan
Spicy grilled sea eel, a popular food with alcohol.
Daegu
Grilled pork intestines. Has spicy variations.
Gyeongju
Gyeongju specialty: small bun filled with savory red bean paste.
Where to eat it ↗
Andong
Braised chicken cut into pieces with vegetables and noodles. 2+ people meal.
Where to eat it ↗spicy ingredient can usually be left out or served separately.
Source: © Korea Tourism Organization (한국관광공사). Daegumakchanggui: Daegu Metropolitan City (대구광역시) / CC BY 4.0 ↗.
