Reflections in the Glass: The "Ghost Tunnel" of Hwangnyeongsan, Busan
It was the final day of my business trip to Busan. There was no rain, but the air was thick and heavy—the kind of humidity that makes your shirt cling to your back the second you step outside.
I had planned to grab a quick meal before catching my evening train, but a conversation with the hotel front desk clerk changed my itinerary. We started talking about the night view from Hwangnyeongsan Mountain, which naturally led to the mention of a specific tunnel. Online, it’s rarely called by its official name anymore. Most people simply know it as the “Ghost Tunnel.”
Long before the internet made it a viral hotspot, stories about this road circulated among Busan’s taxi drivers. It’s a place that locals have avoided after dark for decades. The legends are remarkably consistent, focusing almost entirely on what is seen—or not seen—in the mirrors.
The Woman in the Rearview: Stories of a woman in white who isn't visible in the tunnel's headlights but appears clearly in the rearview mirror, standing against the wall.
The Vanishing Pedestrian:Drivers swear they passed someone walking along the narrow shoulder, but when they check their mirrors a second later, the road behind them is completely empt