Overseas Report: Busan’s Ocean-View Workation Center — A Business Base That Shows the City’s Potential Beyond Tourism (Location, Facilities, and User Feedback)

Busan is South Korea’s second-largest city. From Japan it’s an easy trip by air or ferry, which makes it a popular overseas destination. Yet its role as a stage for business is less well known. Our editorial team visited a workation center in Busan—a place you can use as a first step for doing business—and conducted on-site interviews. This article presents what we found. (Reported on April 15, 2025)

Busan, the growth engine of southern Korea

Busan has a population of about 3.29 million, with more than 4 million in the metropolitan area. Including surrounding regions, it accounts for roughly 90% of South Korea’s shipbuilding and over 40% of its automobile manufacturing, making it a key production hub. It is the country’s largest port city and is well served by infrastructure such as KTX high-speed rail and air links. Historically, Busan grew as a vital gateway connecting Japan and the Korean Peninsula. Many refugees fled here during the Korean War, later helping to drive South Korea’s postwar development. A commercial city where MICE is active, Busan offers many faces—from the old quarter of Nampo-dong to the resort beaches of Haeundae—and is blessed with scenery that ranges from sea to mountains.

A panoramic workation center on the 24th floor by Busan Station

About a five-minute walk from Busan Station, the Busan Workation Central Center occupies the 24th floor of the ASTI Hotel. It functions as a coworking space aimed at businesspeople from outside the city and at companies considering expansion into Busan, with sweeping views of the harbor and urban skyline.

Who this is perfect for

• Those looking to start a new business in Busan
• Digital nomads seeking a new home base
• Anyone who wants to balance sightseeing, work, and everyday living on a workation
• People moving to Busan who need a reliable place to work

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“Every seat has a view”: a spectacular location

From the 24th floor you get a sweeping panorama of Busan—ocean, ships, and mountains. The sightlines take in Busan Port as redevelopment advances, the Nampo-dong district, and the historic Choryang Ibagu-gil area. It’s a vista unique to this spot.

What catches the eye is the dense hillside housing. There aren’t many places where you can see this kind of streetscape from such height. In spring, pale cherry blossoms tint the slopes, surprising many with how plentiful sakura are in Korea. The view changes character with the seasons.

Weekly “W-Day”: build your network in Busan

If you’re looking for a place to grow your network or exchange information in Busan, check out W-Day, held every Wednesday. From the afternoon, the center hosts mixers and pitch sessions where you can hear directly from founders of local brands and business leaders in cutting-edge IT. It’s well suited to those preparing to launch or already running a company.

Because Lotte Group is a partner, the center can support matching between companies and users upon request by tapping into that network. If you’ve just arrived in Busan and don’t know anyone yet, this can ease that anxiety quickly. Even being introduced to the right people has real value.

Calm, spacious, and thoughtfully designed

The interior stands out: a white base palette accented with greenery creates a unified, refined space. On one floor you’ll find meeting and event areas, individual workstations, and phone booths—spaces you can choose based on your needs.

I tried working here myself. Every seat felt roomy. There was roughly a meter of space between neighboring seats, so it was easy to focus without worrying about others. It was very quiet, with unobtrusive background music. If only my own room were this conducive to concentration.

Windows wrap around the floor, so every seat has a view of Busan. No fighting over window seats. You can choose ocean or city vistas while staying in work mode and still take in the harbor and skyline. Seating is unassigned—just pick any open spot.

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Spaces and amenities

Co-working Ocean View (11 private seats, 7 lounge seats)

A panoramic space overlooking Busan Port. Large two-person sofas make it easy to hold quick meetings while keeping things relaxed.

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Co-working City View (4 private seats, 10 open seats)

A calm zone where you can work while looking out over the city’s historic neighborhoods.

Event Lounge (18 private seats)

Ideal for events, seminars, and meetups from a few people up to around 30. Four height-adjustable desks help keep long work sessions comfortable.

Meeting Rooms (2 rooms, 10 people each)

Full-wall whiteboards make these rooms perfect for brainstorming and presentations. Each room has a large monitor with simple HDMI hookup. The view of the Busan Port redevelopment area is excellent, and you can close the blinds when you need focus.

The surrounding district is still under redevelopment—curious to see how the skyline will evolve.

Phone Booths (4 rooms, 1–2 people)

Soundproof booths for calls or video meetings. Each glass-partitioned booth includes a chair and a charging station.

Terrace Lounge

When you need a reset, step out to the terrace lounge. On our visit, tables and chairs weren’t set out, but they can be installed. On sunny days, it’s great for open-air work or a breather. With a coffee and a deep breath, the stress slips away—and you can imagine how spectacular the night view will be.

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Mini Bar

A self-serve counter with coffee, tea (tea bags), chilled water, and a kettle. There’s also a microwave and refrigerator, plus lockers. The microwave is a lifesaver for warming up takeout.

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How to use the center: advance application required

Staff are on duty at reception, so you can ask for help on the spot. Support is primarily in Korean, but a translation app will usually do the trick.

The center is available to companies and individuals based outside Busan. Whether you are a corporation or a freelancer, you can use the facility once your advance application is approved. Allow roughly two to three days from application to approval, and plan your reservation or inquiry with some buffer.

Usage modes

• Workspace only: applications accepted even for a single weekday.
• Business space (for more full-fledged use): apply for a stay of three or more weekdays (weekends excluded).

Support programs: relocation incentives and workation perks

Beyond location and facilities, the policy support is a major draw.

Corporate relocation/expansion support (City of Busan)

For companies considering relocation, new establishment, or expansion into Busan, support of up to KRW 700 million (approx. JPY 70.5 million) may be available.

Support menu:

• Occupancy assistance: subsidies toward office rent and related costs
• Facility/equipment assistance: help introducing equipment and infrastructure needed for operations or production
• Employment assistance: support tied to newly hired employees

Workation participant benefits

For all workation participants:

• Complimentary use of dedicated workation spaces
• Access to W-Day, networking, and other community touchpoints

For participants staying three or more weeknights:

• KRW 50,000 per night (up to 10 nights per year)
• A tourism voucher worth KRW 50,000
• Welcome kit for workationers
• Partner-center benefits, including gift cards

You can also use these satellite centers (free of charge)

• The Hyuil X Desker Workation Center (THE HYUIL×DESKER)
• See Sea with BOOK
• PATHFINDER Nampo
• LAVALSE Hotel (Orchestra Lounge)
• Grab the Ocean Songdo Workation Satellite Center

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Location: Busan Workation Central Center

The standout feature is access. It’s a five-minute walk from Busan Station and about fifteen minutes on foot from the Busan Port International Passenger Terminal—so you can head straight over after arriving by ferry from Japan. It’s also convenient for travelers coming from Seoul by KTX.

From Busan Station you can see the ASTI Hotel building that houses the center, making it easy to find without getting lost.

User interview: Ms. Nakamura

Ms. Nakamura is a freelancer based in Busan with contracts at four Japanese companies. She has been using the center for one month.

Impressions of the center

“The facilities are complete and comfortable. I tried a few other workspaces, but this one is the easiest to use. Having meeting booths is a big help. The complimentary drinks and lockers are convenient, too. Above all, the view is incredible. When I’m tired, I step out onto the terrace deck to reset. I’d love to live near here.”

Background and current work

She first visited Busan on a trip ten years ago and didn’t have particular ties to the city. Her husband is currently in Busan, which prompted her return. She now works remotely as an online assistant for Japanese companies.

“I’ve worked at Korean firms before. Compared with Japan, the pace felt faster and reporting lines more clearly defined. Japanese work suited me better, so I looked for a way to work online. With this style I can work from anywhere—and I can use the Busan Workation Central Center—so it’s very convenient. I could work from home, but staying in all the time is tiring.”

On living in Busan

“People in Busan are friendly. Some speak Japanese. If you look lost, someone will speak up, and there are people who like Japan. There are many Japanese living and working here. Services for foreigners are excellent—cultural centers offer language and cooking classes, so you can study and also meet other Japanese residents.

“In Busan, some companies have flowed out to other regions, so there are fewer than before. I’d be happy if I could help build a bridge between Japan and Busan.”

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“Work like you live here”: start your busaness in Busan

Do you feel that “if I go to Korea, I have to work for a Korean or global company”? In fact, as our user interviews showed, you can keep doing work for Japanese companies in Busan just as you do in Japan.

Why not start by simply going to Busan? If you need a place to work, the Busan Workation Central Center is an easy recommendation. Work during the day; in the mornings and evenings, enjoy sightseeing and meals; at night, relax while taking in the view. That’s how you can “work while living like a local.”

It’s about two hours by plane from Tokyo and about an hour and a half from Osaka. Ferries are another option from cities like Osaka and Fukuoka. On this trip we took the PanStar Cruise from Osaka—finish work on Friday night, arrive in Busan on Saturday morning, enjoy the weekend to the fullest, and return on Sunday. Even with just one night and two days, you can weave a new style of working into everyday life. That’s the advantage of being so close to Busan.

More than a place to work, the Busan Workation Central Center is a place to encounter new ways of thinking. Working across borders can be freer and more natural. Your “busaness” can start right away.