( CNN ) The first-time visitor quickly notices the pretty pastel houses and curious sculptures placed at intervals throughout the town -- but the quaint facades and works of modern art signal merely the tip of the fascinating story behind a little known hillside labyrinth in Busan known as Gamcheon village . Not on any standard travel itinerary , the village offers a stark contrast from the glitzy skyscrapers of `` new Busan '' or even the bustling markets of `` old Busan . '' Instead , the eerily quiet village is a destination for a different type of traveler -- one that 's not driven by foodie discovery or lazing on the beach , the primary reasons Koreans vacation in Busan . Instead , Gamcheon lures travelers with an interest in art and history . Religious roots . The village has an unusual origin story . Many accounts say Gamcheon began as a slum town in the 1950s filled with refugees from the aftermath of the Korean War , but the village actually owes its beginnings to an ascetic religious community called Taegeukdo , an obscure religion birthed during political upheavals in Korea in the early 1900s . Although relatively scarce today , members of the Taegeukdo religion believe that the meaning of the universe can be found through a philosophy of `` great polarity , '' which incorporates the concepts of yin and yang . The swirling blue and red Taegeuk symbol has been important throughout Korea 's history -- it 's the symbol in the center of today 's South Korean flag . In 1955 , during the rebuilding phase that followed the Korean War , the city of Busan ordered some 800 families of the religious movement to move into designated area on a nearby hillside . The religion 's headquarters also moved . It remains the preeminent landmark of the village today . Meaningful layout , artistic rebirth . Unlike other area villages that sprang up in ad hoc fashion , Gamcheon 's multi-tiered communal layout was meticulously planned . `` By building the houses in tiers so that no house blocks any house behind it , the architectural layout of the village adheres to the Taegeukdo teaching of allowing others to prosper , '' says Kim Kye-young , a local representative of the Taegeukdo religion . Gamcheon 's art-themed makeover began in 2009 , when it hosted a public art project and invited art students and artists to `` decorate '' the village . While the villagers had for decades painted their own homes in pastel hues , artists added dozens of colorful touches throughout town , attaching nicknames such as `` Korea 's Machu Picchu '' ( bizarre choice ) and `` Korea 's Santorini '' ( closer ) . While the view is best from a high vantage point called `` Sky Garden , '' where the village information center is located ( only Korean brochures and guides are available ) , the real delight lies in getting lost in the village 's maze of alleyways . Each alley leads to a different surprise , from bird sculptures on roofs to Murakami-like playful installations in abandoned houses . The quirkiest surprise is `` The Little Prince , '' from the French novel of the same name , sitting atop a fence , staring forlornly out at the Busan Harbor alongside his fox . Getting around . It 's almost impossible not to get lost . Each alley leads to three or four others . One way to maintain your bearings is to `` follow the fish '' -- painted schools that `` swim '' throughout the streets . Look closely and you 'll spot tiny people sitting on top of the fish , or kicking them in the eye . `` Photographers come and fall head over heels in love with the village , '' says In Sik Kim , a local tour guide . `` But the villagers do n't like the fact that so many people are traipsing through their houses , and many of them are moving away . The houses do n't sell though , so they just abandon them . '' More than 300 local houses are estimated to be empty . Artists are stepping in to turn many of them into exhibition spaces . Some have been transformed into cafes and restaurants run by the town . Profits go back to the villagers . Small , quiet and mostly hidden from the tourist path , Gamcheon is n't ready for a flood of visitors . It prefers the occasional trickle that it has today . `` I do n't think fat foreigners can fit through these alleyways , '' says another guide when asked about tours for foreigners . `` They 'll have to watch their heads every step , too . It 'll be very uncomfortable . '' How to get there . In Busan , take the subway to Toseong-dong Station or Goejeong Station , then take a taxi to Busan Gamjeong Elementary School ( taxi will cost approximately $ 2.50 ) . Tour company Jane Tour & DMC offers day tours in English from $ 300 ; +82 70 7393 2428 . Gamcheon Culture Village , 10-13 Gamcheon-2-dong , Saha-gu , Busan , South Korea ; +82 70 4219 5556 ; Sky Garden village information center open daily , 9 a.m.-6 p.m. See more on CNNGo TV .
Unusual art pops up in unexpected places throughout Busan 's Gamcheon village . The city of Busan is home to a number of unusual and unique sights, including the world's largest statue of an octopus. Pastel homes and public buildings have historic roots . Village is the headquarters of the Taegeukdo religion .