Busan Cinema Center

A multimedia cultural complex hosting the Busan International Film Festival's opening and closing ceremonies — this is Busan Cinema Center.

Since opening in 2011, it has earned UNESCO's top rating as a Creative City of Film, became the first cinema certified for excellent indoor air quality, and established itself as one of Korea's leading arts institutions. Its signature "Big Roof," a massive canopy that appears to float without columns, is a cantilever structure ranked among the largest of its kind in the world.

Centered on a 4,000-seat outdoor theater where the festival's opening and closing ceremonies are held, the complex also includes the Sky Theater, mid-size and small theaters, a cinematheque, Indie Plus, and a film library.

After dark, LED lighting installed beneath the Big Roof puts on a striking night display, drawing plenty of visitors even if they're not there to watch a film.

Honestly, though, outside festival season your visit mostly means admiring the building and outdoor theater, and actual screenings and exhibitions vary between free and paid depending on the program, so it's worth checking the schedule online before you go.

Being inside Centum City makes it easy to pair with Busan Museum of Art and Shinsegae Centum City; parking is free for the first 30 minutes, then ₩1,000 per 30 minutes after.