Start Driving in UlsanUlsan, South Korea’s industrial powerhouse on the southeast coast, sprawls along the Taehwa River and the Sea of Japan as a bustling metropolis of over 1.1 million residents whose shipyard‑and‑refinery skyline glows under 29°C humid summers and 1°C frost‑edged winters since its 1960s transformation into Korea’s petrochemical and automotive heartland. Must‑sees include the colossal Hyundai Heavy Industries shipyard where gargantuan vessels rise from dry docks like steel islands, the tranquil Taehwa River National Garden blooming with lotus ponds and willow‑lined paths, the hilltop Ulsan Grand Park with its sweeping city views and reservoir, the colourful Gongeum‑sa and Ganjeolgot Sunrise Observatory perfect for watching the first rays of the year, and the nearby Jangsaeng‑po Whale Museum preserving the city’s whaling past in a coastal plaza. Culture balances modern factory‑town grit with leisurely seaside rhythms, expressed in lantern festivals along the river, local seafood markets bustling with abalone and octopus, industry‑centric museums celebrating Korea’s shipbuilding and automotive rise, and the city’s role as a quiet sports hub drawing marathon runners and football fans to its modern stadium complexes. Cuisine tempts with briny grilled anglerfish, succulent abalone stew simmered in soy‑tinged broth, tender grilled octopus coated in sesame oil, spicy seafood pajeon pancakes crackling on street‑grills, and cold naengmyeon noodles perfect for steamy summer evenings, often paired with frothy local beer or crisp soju at harbour‑side restaurants and industrial‑district pubs.
