Ulsan's Ilsan Beach reopens with new coastal promenade

Ilsan Beach in Dong-gu, Ulsan — one of the city's most popular beaches — marked its seasonal opening Tuesday with a lighting ceremony to celebrate the completion of a new coastal promenade.

The beach now features a promenade and performance facilities, allowing visitors to swim and stroll along the shoreline. Ulsan's Dong-gu district completed the promenade construction project at a cost of 2.36 billion won ($1.52 million), the second phase of a broader initiative to develop Ilsan Beach into a cultural and leisure destination.

The project involved a major overhaul of the walkway running between the sandy beach and the road. The existing 3-meter sidewalk was extended 2 meters toward the water, creating a 5-meter-wide coastal promenade.

Four ramps — both straight and curved — were added to improve access, along with a 30-meter deck photo zone that lets visitors take in the beachfront scenery without stepping onto the sand, making the shoreline accessible to people with disabilities and others with limited mobility. Supporting facilities include three small outdoor performance stages and three curved design benches along the walkway. Party lights strung from pine-tree posts, dandelion-shaped lamps and various indirect lighting fixtures were also installed to create a nighttime atmosphere.

"We have thoroughly renovated the beach so that residents and tourists can enjoy the beautiful shoreline during the day and a distinctive nighttime landscape after dark," a Dong-gu district official said, expressing hope that many people would visit.