Haeundae Beach to become sand art museum in late May

Spectators enjoy sandmade art works displayed in Haeundae Sand Festival in 2019 (Korea Tourism Organization)

South Korea’s famous Haeundae Beach in Busan is set to bring wonder to tourists' eyes with stunning sand art, starting May 24 until May 27.

The annual Haeundae Sand Festival, started in 2005, displays a wide range of sand art pieces at the country’s popular summer getaway spot and entertains visitors with sand art-related programs.

This year, under the theme of “World’s Famous Museums Trip,” the upcoming sand festival will feature sand art versions of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s “The Creation of Adam” and Vincent van Gogh’s “The Starry Night" with sand-made replicas of the Vatican Museum, Orsay Museum and the Louvre Museum as the unique backdrop.

The popular Korean piece “Portrait of a Beauty” -- drawn by the country’s eighteenth-century master painter Shin Yun-bok -- Sandro Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus,” Jean Millet’s “The Gleaners” and other famous paintings are set to be featured in the sand art festival as well.

A total of 20 sand art sculptures by 12 sand artists from different countries, including South Korea, the US, Canada, China and Russia, will be presented to the public throughout the four-day festival.

According to Haeundae-gu, one of the must-see artworks will be the 12-meter-tall giant sand art piece made through the collaboration of multiple artists. But, detailed information about the work is yet to be revealed.

The opening ceremony will take place with special fireworks and a performance from the popular band Ulala Session at 7 p.m. on May 24.