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About the Publication
Magazine B is an ad-free monthly publication that dedicates each issue to one well-balanced brand unearthed from around the globe. The magazine introduces the brands hidden stories, as well as its sensibility and culture, and is an easy but also serious read for anyone with an interest in brands.
About the Issue
Welcome to the 96th issue of B.
Back in 2018, when B revisited Seoul, the capital city of Korea, to put out a second edition, we talked about what city would be the best for the city issue besides Seoul. Many of our editors—including me—thought of Busan, the second largest city in Korea, and Jejudo Island for its breathtaking natural landscapes. Five years later, we wound up doing an issue that features Busan. Of course, we were drawn to Jejudo Island because it embodies the idea of rest and relaxation, but truthfully, we were more curious about Busans many faces beyond the beaches and tourism. I myself visit the coastal city every year and always feel like moving there whenever I go, so it is obvious that the port city 400 km south of Seoul has some kind of magnetic allure.
Each time I arrive at Busan Station and taxi to Haeundae to get settled in—Ive done this so many times I dont dare to even try to count—I find myself mesmerized by the landscape of the piers as I look out the car window. Not until rows of shipping containersand towering cranes catch my eyes do I feel like, Ah! Finally, Im in Busan. It feels like passing through immigration. Maybe because of the unique layout of port cities, I have always assumed that Busan was bigger than Seoul. Maybe it is the impression that you can only get from the second- or the third-largest cities. Apparently, it is the norm that the nations largest city—the capital city in an administrative and economic sense—naturally chases ideas like global standards and cosmopolitanism. Despite the never-ending changes inarchitecture, culture, and commercial districts that seem to pop up overnight, capital cities always feel rather mediocre when all things are said and done. That might explain why I have recently heard globe-trotters grumbling that there is nothing special out there. Everything is already in Seoul.
But Busan has staved off this rather imminent phenomenon of standardization. Of course, the city boasts a good number of flagship stores by globalbrands, inventive and fancy restaurants, and uniform- like styles that hipsters wear, but these elements
do not shape the visitors impression of the city. Rather, Busans cultural elements—embedded in the clothing, food, and architecture—forge a distinctive locality in its raw state, emerging through the cracks between the well-developed infrastructure that is essential for a big city to survive. The essence of Busan that B captured for this issue also centers on the people, the products, and the companies that add contemporary twists to local tradition. From Momos Coffees Jooyeon Jeon, who triumphantly sprang up from the local specialty coffee scene and on to the global stage; and Balansa, a fashion brand whose contemporary chicness is no less superb than Seoul- born rivals; to Gentz Bakery, which strives to retaina sense of Koreanness. All these players generated cultlike followings locally and received offers to expand to Seoul. (Usually, it happens the other way around.) In a city where not even one of Koreas top 100 companies has its headquarters, it is a feat thatlocally grown creativity translates to business acumen, resulting in phenomenal success.
The potential of Busan, I opine, lies with innovative small business owners, though they are wildly outnumbered by their counterparts in Seoul. Indeed, the Busanites B met say that the citys potential isin the hands of the people who grew up in Busan,far from Seoul and close to the door to the outside world. Busan has constantly grappled with internal and external forces due to its geographical position and historical events, like outsiders coming and going, refugees from the Korean War rushing in. Even still, it seems that Busan has the most fertile soil to cultivate new contemporary ideas. This may be why I as a land dweller, born and raised in Seoul, always envy people who live near water—and where they come together, in Busan.
Eunsung Park
Editor in Chief
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Table of contents
02 Intro
09 Editors Letter
12 At the Airport
Travelers encountered at the Suvarnabhumi Airport
20 Greeting
Unique Bangkok hotels with unwavering tastes and distinctive colors
30 Report
The aggressive growth and expansion of Bangkoks hotel industry
34 Down to Earth
Commercial spaces in Bangkok that propose healthy lifestyle solutions
46 Interview
Ou Baholyodhin, chief creative officer at Sansiri Public Company Limited, and Tyler Brûlé, editor-in-chief of Monocle, discuss future cities and new forms of residential environment
50 Hub
TCDC, the hub of designers and creative minds in Thailand
54 Bangkokian
Bangkok creators who express their identities with Thailand as their base
64 Space
Galleries and community spaces nested in Bangkok and its Old City area
74 City Navigation
Sociocultural characteristics and figures that shed light on Bangkok
82 Skyline
The historical, architectural, and economic significance of Bangkoks skyscrapers
86 Districts
Walking routes in each Bangkok district that showcase the citys various charms
96 On the Street
Daytime and nighttime food chats with people on the streets
100 Dine and Bar
Bangkoks dining scene and nightlife attractions reflecting Thai tradition and culture
108 Coffee Break
A wide spectrum of coffee and dessert shops found in Bangkok
116 Made in Thailand
Thai brands that emanate authentic style and attitude
122 Communication
Thailands commercial design scene seen through Bangkoks prominent agencies and their work
126 Objects
Bangkok lovers share the citys aesthetics and their treasured collectibles from Bangkok
134 Discover
Places worth visiting in Bangkok categorized by interest
141 Outro