In Korea, real estate is considered the base of all human activities. It takes a very prominent place in the economic life of the nation. As towns and cities in the country grow continuously, the real estate market also continues to grow rapidly, making its impact more substantial every day. The importance assigned to real estate business is comparatively new in Korea and is against traditional practices. Real estate transactions were conducted under the table until recently, owing to social perceptions and taxation issues.

Because land is the basis for all human enterprises, real estate business demands various kinds of expert knowledge. Many real estate agents and professional appraisers in the country did not care to work in an organized and systematic manner in the past.

However, as the country became an information based society with the advent of the Internet, an increasing number of people began to realize the changes in the business environment. These people demanded that real estate agencies become more professional and informed. The adoption of international standards has largely helped to bring about these welcome changes.

Living in Korea can be a thrilling experience if it is your first tryst with an Asian culture.
To cater to the needs of the wide range of people living in Korea, there are many different types of accommodations including bachelor suites and studio apartments as well as apartments and other kinds of housing. If you have come to Korea without a family to work there as a teacher or instructor, you will probably live in a typical studio apartment or bachelor suite that caters to the busy lifestyle of a single person.

These apartments may not be very spacious but are quite adequate for a single person to spend his/her days comfortably off. Fortunately, most of these apartments are very clean and kept in good condition. If you are expecting a luxurious housing unit, you will be disappointed.

Most of the apartments have modern and western style bathroom facilities such as toilet, sink and shower. Bathtubs are found very rarely in single housing accommodations in Korea. Most people working alone in the country will have a housing called ‘villa’ or ‘officetel.’ Most single housing in the country belongs to either of these two structures that are spread throughout the city.

The smaller buildings are called ‘villas.’ A majority of the villas are situated in the residential areas of the city. They are more affordable because of the low maintenance costs. These buildings generally house an owner who resides in the building itself and plays the role of the caretaker. The tall buildings that house both residential and light commercial accommodations are referred to as ‘officetels. They are all relatively new, indicating that they are an outcome of updated technology.

Most of the officetel suites have a keyless entry and other excellent features, depending on the location and other things. The costs of the officetels may be higher than the villas owing to the costs involved in the building maintenance.

One of the advantages of living in an officetel is that you enjoy close proximity to shops, clinics and other services, which are often housed in the building itself.

Busan Metropolitan City, also spelled as Pusan, is the largest port city in South Korea. Busan has a population of 3.65 million and is South Korea’s second largest metropolis, after Seoul. As the nation’s major as well as the largest sea port, Busan has a plethora of sea routes that serve as gateways to Japan as well as to the other prominent parts of the world. Hence, it is not a wonder why Busan is sometimes referred to as ‘the San Francisco of Korea.’

From towers, forts, and shrines to scenic attractions covering hot springs, Busan presents a host of attractions for people touring the place. In other words, sightseeing in Busan has been categorized into such as seashore sightseeing and interior land sightseeing.

Included in the seashore sightseeing are incredible islands and beaches such as Haeundae, Songjeong, and Gwangalli Beach. All of these beaches are a haven for enjoying a number of water sport activities such as jet skiing, boating, diving, banana boat rides, and much more. When comes to the interior land sightseeing, it covers downtown Busan, interesting museums, ancient shrines, historical monuments as well as ruins, stadiums, and cultural centers.

Some of the most popular museums in the area are Fisheries Museum, which is the first of its kind in the museum; Busan Marine Natural History Museum – the country’s largest marine natural history museum; Busan Museum of Modern Art, which has on display artworks done by artists of Busan as well as Yungnam areas; Korean Tea Museum, exhibiting more than 100 varieties of teas; and Suyeong Historical Relics Folk Art Center, which contains such cultural displays as Suyoung Nonchong-nori and Jwasuyoungbang-nori.

If you are a spiritual traveler, then your trip to Busan would not be complete without taking a tour to such shrines in the area as SamGwang Temple, which is one of the most remarkable Buddhist shrines in the area; Tongdosa Temple, which is probably the prominent of all Buddhist temples in the country; and Beomeosa Temple Complex, with a Buddhist nunnery. Equally fabulous is the historical sites in the country such as Kumjongsanong, which is the country’s largest walled mountain fortress. A segment of a park, the fortress is attached with a Buddhist Temple, apart from several pavilions and botanical gardens.

Further, your visit to Busan would be incomplete without taking a visit to some of its beautiful parks and gardens such as Busan Aquarium – a marine park featuring more than 250 species of marine animals; Yongdusan Park, which is one of the most scenic areas in the city with more than 70 species of trees; Olympic Park, which is a treasure trove of several magnificent sculptures.

Geumgang Botanical Garden, one of the largest botanical gardens in the country; and UN Memorial Park, which commemorates the soldiers of more than 15 countries who sacrificed their lives in the Korean War. For those looking for fun-filled vacation, Busan comes with a number of amusement parks like APEC Theme Park; Amusement Garden in Grand Children’s Park; Taejongdae Amusement Park; and Jayu Land.

Other not to miss attractions in Busan are the Busan Tower, which is about 118 meters high and located within Yongdusan Park; Jalgalchi Fish Market, a must-visit spot in the city; Tongnae Hot Springs, boasting of two huge pools, of which one is hot spring water and another with cold water; Dongbaek Island, an ancient island which is home to camellias as well as pine trees; and Dalmaji Hill, a picturesque area located to the southeast of Haeundae Beach. Above all, Busan hosts a variety of festivals and events including sea festivals, fishing festivals, polar bear swimming festival, tourism festival, and film festival.

In a word, Busan has everything for an enjoyable vacation. The reason why in order to cater to the growing number of tourists, Busan boasts of a number of accommodation options, many of the top notch hotels and resorts in the area allow tourists to select from a variety of rooms such as standard, deluxe, apartment style, and suits.