Yangjae Art Salon

🗓️ 2026.10.02 ~ 2026.10.25

Running from October 2 to October 25, 2026, Yangjae Art Salon is a multi-program cultural festival set along Yangjaecheon Stream in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Across 24 days, the stream-side venue hosts performances, markets, workshops, and dining under a changing autumn landscape, with a new theme shaping the program each week. The festival is built around five zones: a waterside stage, a handicraft market along the stream path, a grass plaza, a food truck area beneath Yeongdong 1st Bridge, and a weekly special program lineup. It is designed as a place where small business owners, local residents, and visitors mingle around art and relaxation in nature — for guests, that means a 24-day open-air event with free admission, from live busking to handmade goods.

Sunset Stage

The Sunset Stage is the festival’s waterside performance venue. It hosts busking acts across a range of genres, as well as special stage performances, and the program also includes Yangjaecheon Karaoke. With the stream as a backdrop, the stage becomes the natural focal point for the event’s evening hours.

Yangjae Atelier

Yangjae Atelier runs along Yangjaecheon-gil as the festival’s handicraft hub. Its core is a flea market featuring a total of 55 teams, accompanied by hands-on art experiences. This is the zone for meeting independent makers, watching them work, and buying handmade pieces. Because the market shifts with each weekly concept, returning visitors will find a different set of participants and products from one week to the next.

Healing Lounge

Healing Lounge is a grass plaza where the festival’s more relaxed activities are gathered. Special programs and photo zones fill the space, and the air balloon photo zone ‘Yangjae-rong’ stands as its main attraction. The name makes the purpose clear: this is the area for staying a while, sitting on the lawn, and taking in the atmosphere without an itinerary.

Bridge Dining

Bridge Dining is set beneath Yeongdong 1st Bridge, where eight food truck teams and a food & beverage area serve a variety of food. The zone lets visitors eat without leaving the festival grounds, and its location along the stream makes it easy to eat with a view of the water.

Special Programs

The weekly concepts structure the festival’s special programs. The lineup is subject to change depending on the week, so checking the schedule before a visit is recommended.

• Garden WEEK: Gardening on Wheels & Flower Arrangement Salon
• Glocal WEEK: Yangjaecheon Coffee Run, Glocal Booths
• One-Stitch WEEK: Death Stitching Club X Special Market, Workshops & Citizen Participation Flea Market
• Local WEEK: Closing Ceremony

Practical Information

• 📍 Address: Yangjae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul
• 🛏️ Accommodations near the event
• 💰 Fee: Free (excluding flea market products)
• 📞 Inquiry: 02-6951-0291
• ⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salon_in_yangjaecheon/
• 🖥️ Homepage: https://yangjaeartsalon.co.kr/

Yangjaecheon Stream

Yangjaecheon Stream runs through southern Seoul, from the foothills of Gyeonggi Province down to the Han River. It was restored as an ecological waterway rather than left as a concrete drainage channel, and today its banks are lined with willows, grass, and walking and cycling paths. There is no entrance gate or ticketed area; the stream is simply part of the city. Joggers use the paths in the morning, families picnic on the banks in the afternoon, and in the evenings people sit by the water or cross the bridges on their way home. In spring the cherry trees draw large crowds; in summer the tree cover provides shade.

The stream also works as a public venue. Its banks are wide and flat enough for markets, festivals, and performances. This is why the Yangjae Art Salon 2026 is being held there. The event will place installations and stages along the stream, so visitors move from one work to the next without a hard separation between art and daily life. The space is not transformed into an immersive dreamscape; it remains a working stream with people jogging past the art, vendors selling food, and the usual sounds of the city in the background. For the duration of the salon, the stream will simply be where the event happens—and, for its regular users, where it has always been.

Sancheong Oriental Medicine Herb Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.02 ~ 2026.10.11

The 26th Sancheong Oriental Medicine & Herbal Medicine Festival is an oriental medicine and wellness festival built around the values of the Dongui Bogam, a UNESCO Memory of the World, and the pristine natural environment of Jirisan Mountain. Taking place around Dongui Bogam Village, the festival introduces the history and culture of traditional Korean medicine and runs health- and healing-themed experiences, exhibitions, and performances.

Visitors can experience anti-aging and healthy lifestyle culture directly through thematic programs such as Sancheong Hyeminseo, the “My Body’s Herbal Medicine” Experience, and the Oriental Medicine Wellness Pavilion. The festival also features local food, cultural performances, and family-friendly activities for a range of age groups, while serving as a platform to introduce Sancheong’s oriental medicine and herbal resources, the anti-aging industry, and health-and-healing tourism resources to domestic and international audiences.

The festival aims to promote Sancheong’s oriental medicine culture globally by expanding content for foreign tourists and strengthening overseas promotion, with the goal of growing beyond Korea into a global festival visited by people from around the world.

Event Programs

Official Events

• Opening Ceremony
• Closing Ceremony

Thematic Events

• Sancheong Hyeminseo
• “My Body’s Herbal Medicine” Experience
• Oriental Medicine Wellness Pavilion

Performance Events

• Sancheong Wellness Retreat Parade
• K-Hallyu Festival
• World Culture Festival
• Street Herbal Medicine Vendors
• Keundeul Madanggeuk (traditional outdoor play) performances
• Other linked events by stage

Experience Events

• K-Herb Demon Hunters Stamp Tour
• Children’s Oriental Medicine School
• Eup/Myeon Local Experience Zones
• Sancheong Herbal Treasure Hunt
• Crown Haitai Snack Imagination Playground
• Silent Yoga
• etc.

Exhibition Events

• (Permanent Exhibitions)
  • Expo Theme Pavilion
  • Sancheong Oriental Medicine Museum
  • Sancheong Herbal Medicine Pavilion

Sales Events

• Agricultural and Special Product Market
• Herbal Medicine Market
• Handicraft Exhibition and Sales Market
• etc.

Other Events

• Wellness Retreat Business Round Table

Visitor Information

📍 Address: 45-6, Dongui Bogam-ro 555beon-gil, Geumseo-myeon, Sancheong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do

🛏️ Accommodations near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 055-970-6670~1

⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scherbfest/

🖥️ Website: http://scherb.or.kr/

Sancheong County is in the southern part of South Korea, along the western slopes of Jirisan. The name means “pure mountain,” and the county’s identity is closely tied to the mountain and to the plants that grow there. For generations, local farmers and herbalists have cultivated ginseng, bellflower root, and other medicinal plants in the area’s highland soil. Traditional Korean medicine is not a historical curiosity here; it remains part of the local economy and daily practice.

The Oriental Medicine Herb Festival, held annually in Sancheong, draws on this background. Visitors can see how herbs are harvested and processed, watch practitioners prepare treatments, and buy dried herbs and other products directly from growers. There are also guided walks and talks that explain how the plants are used. The festival is less a themed event than an extension of what the county already does. It gives outsiders a straightforward view of a place where mountain agriculture and medicine have been connected for centuries.

Geumsan World Ginseng Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.02 ~ 2026.10.11

Located in Geumsan, Chungnam—a region boasting a storied ginseng heritage that spans over 1,500 years—the Geumsan World Ginseng Festival offers visitors a comprehensive exploration of one of Korea’s most revered medicinal plants. By blending industrial trade with cultural heritage, the event provides a variety of experiences designed to appeal to diverse demographics. Visitors can engage in tactile activities such as ginseng digging experiences or indulge in wellness treatments, including red ginseng pack massages and red ginseng foot baths. For those interested in the commercial side of the industry, the International Ginseng Trade Fair showcases the global reach of this crop, while other dedicated segments focus on traditional ginseng culture and budget-friendly shopping opportunities.

Throughout the festival venue, the sensory experience is heightened by the availability of healthy foods and culinary creations that utilize both ginseng and various medicinal herbs. This is not a nascent event; it has been held annually since 1981 and has secured a reputation as a premier industrial festival in Korea. Its prestige is evidenced by the fact that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has designated it as one of the top 10 best festivals nationwide on ten separate occasions. Furthermore, the festival’s international standing was solidified in 2024 when it was selected as an IFEA World Asia Specialty Product Festival, marking its evolution into a global celebration shared with an international audience.

Event Programming

The festival is structured into several tiers of engagement to ensure there is a point of interest for every visitor:

• Main Programs: These core attractions focus on the direct interaction with the plant and its benefits, highlighted by the ginseng digging experience trip and the red ginseng foot bath experience.
• Side Programs: For those seeking entertainment and spectacle, the event hosts the Ginseng King Contest, the Ginseng Festival, and a Night Drone Lighting Show.
• Consumer Participation Programs: These activities encourage a deeper dive into the local lifestyle and art, featuring the Geumsan Ginseng Art Experience, the Geumsan Ginseng Folk Village, and Family Traditional Game Experiences.

Visitor Information

📍 Address: 30 Insamgwangjang-ro, Geumsan-eup, Geumsan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do

💰 Fee: Admission to the festival is free, although certain paid activities require a fee ranging from 2,000 won to 5,000 won.

📞 Inquiry: 041-750-2316

🛏️ Accommodations near the event

⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geumsan_travel/

🖥️ Homepage: www.insamfestival.co.kr

What is Geumsan?

Geumsan is a county in South Chungcheong Province, central South Korea. It has been a center of Korean ginseng cultivation, processing, and trade for more than 1,500 years. The local climate and soil are well suited to growing insam (Korean ginseng), and the area hosts one of Asia’s largest ginseng markets. Growers, wholesalers, and traditional medicine practitioners use this market throughout the year. Ginseng farming in Geumsan is also a family tradition, with methods passed down across generations, and the crop remains central to local economic and daily life. The Geumsan World Ginseng Festival draws on this history, offering visitors a look at ginseng production, traditional uses, and rural customs in the region.

Perfect fit Namsadang Bawudeugi Festival

The Anseongmachum Namsadang Baudeogi Festival is a comprehensive celebration based on Namsadangnori, a traditional performing art that has earned its place as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. By inheriting and developing the artistic spirit of Baudeogi—who served as the first female Kkokdusoe (leader) during the Joseon Dynasty—and the distinct style of the Anseong Namsadang troupe, the festival offers a curated variety of programs accessible to visitors of all ages.

What sets this event apart is its ability to harmonize tradition with modernity, allowing visitors to encounter the essence of tightrope walking and Namsadangnori in a vivid, close-up setting. The festival effectively combines history, culture, performance, and tourism to establish itself as a representative traditional culture festival of the Republic of Korea, attracting both domestic and international tourists.

One of the most immersive aspects of the event is the Anseong Old Market, which reproduces the abundance and atmosphere of one of the three largest markets in the country during the Joseon Dynasty. Beyond this historical recreation, guests can engage with traditional culture experiences, domestic and international traditional art performances, and overseas folk performances.

Event Programming

The festival is structured across several distinct categories to ensure a multifaceted experience:

1. Official Events
The formal progression of the festival is marked by the Memorial Ceremony, the Eve Festival, the Market Opening Ceremony, and the official Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

2. Experiences
Visitors can explore the Baudeogi Theme Park, participate in the Baudeogi Culture Tour, or wander through the Anseong Old Market and the Anseong Culture Market.

3. Exhibition & Promotion
The event features a dedicated Anseong Livestock Grilled Meat Zone and various agricultural and livestock product sales. Educational and visual highlights include the Anseong Master Exhibition, the Baudeogi Light Festival, and the Global Studio.

4. Performances
The core of the festival’s artistic offering includes Namsadangnori, Traditional Wedding reenactments, Geuknori (traditional play), and the World Heritage Masterclass.

5. Citizen Stage
Community involvement is highlighted through THE NEXT Baudeogi Competition, the Citizen Choir Festival, a 100-person Saxophone performance, and the Citizen Art Stage.

Essential Visitor Information

🗓️ 2026.10.02 ~ 2026.10.05

📍 Address: 198 Namsadang-ro, Bogae-myeon, Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 031-678-5414

⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/baudeogi26/

🖥️ Website: https://www.anseong.go.kr/

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

What is Namsadang?

Namsadang refers to the itinerant all-male entertainment troupes that traveled across Korea during the Joseon dynasty (1392–1897). The name means “wandering male shows,” and the troupes did exactly that: they moved from village to town with instruments, props, and costumes, performing for commoners at local markets, festivals, and rural gatherings.

A Namsadang performance was not a single act but a full program combining music, acrobatics, comedy, dance, and storytelling. The traditional lineup had six parts: pungmul (percussion and dance), beona (plate spinning and balancing tricks), salpan (acrobatics and tumbling), deotboegi (masked dance-comedy), deolmi (a puppet play), and jultagi (tightrope walking). Every role required sustained training, and troupes were organized with clear hierarchies and specialized duties, much like small communities.

In Joseon society, Namsadang performers were largely landless wanderers, placed outside the accepted social order. Their status was marginal, but their art reached a wide audience. The performances were loud, comic, and technically demanding. Through satire and parody, they could mock the ruling class, acknowledge the difficulties of ordinary life, and keep folk culture active in a period when official institutions offered it little support.

Certain troupes were tied to particular regions. One of the most important bases was Anseong, and it was there in the 19th century that a performer named Baudeogi became the first documented woman to lead a Namsadang troupe. In a tradition that had been exclusively male, her position was remarkable, and accounts of her skill and leadership have survived in local memory. Anseong now honors her through the Anseongmachum Namsadang Baudeogi Festival, where Namsadang arts are staged alongside other folk practices.

The festival continues to draw on a performance tradition that has been passed down through generations. Namsadang remains distinct from more formal, court-centered Korean performance arts, and its modern presentations preserve an approach to entertainment that was built around direct contact with village audiences. Seeing it today means encountering not a relic but a living practice, shaped by centuries of wandering performers and their audiences.

Cheongwon Life Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.02 ~ 2026.10.11

The Cheongwon Life Festival has been a representative festival themed around eco-friendliness since 2008. At its heart is the Cheongwon Life brand, a line of luxury agricultural products that derives its value from the purity of the natural environment in which it is grown. The festival translates that focus into a ten-day event—running from October 2 to October 11, 2026—that pairs themed exhibitions with experiential programs and cultural performances.

The festival’s ambitions, however, extend beyond spectacle. It serves as an educational venue where students can experience the present and future of agriculture alongside a range of cultural traditions. Through direct exchanges between local farmers and consumers, it promotes the excellence of local agricultural products and the principles of eco-friendly farming. For family visitors, the program mix offers both entertainment and insight into healthy food and sustainable agriculture. In doing so, the festival spreads the public value of agriculture while establishing itself as Cheongju City’s representative festival, contributing to the revitalization of the local economy and the development of rural culture.

1. Official Programs

The festival’s official schedule is built around an opening ceremony, an opening event, and celebratory performances, all bookended by a closing ceremony at the end of the ten-day run. These anchor the program and give each visit a defined sense of occasion, whether visitors arrive on the first day or the last.

2. Performance Programs

The performance lineup is led by a super concert, the festival’s largest musical draw, complemented by a laser show that adds a visual centerpiece to the evening hours. Local art groups and busking performers share the stage as well, giving the entertainment schedule a balance of large-scale production and grassroots local talent.

3. Participation Programs

For visitors who prefer to take part rather than watch, the participation programs offer the festival’s most hands-on experiences. Citizen harmony orienteering sends teams across the festival grounds in a test of navigation and teamwork. The retro DJ box brings a nostalgic sound to the event, while the sweet potato harvesting experience and traditional agricultural culture experience introduce families to farming practices directly. Children & family experiences round out the lineup for younger visitors.

These activities double as the festival’s educational core, giving school-age visitors a tangible sense of agriculture’s history and future without resorting to a classroom format.

4. Sales Programs

The sales area is where the festival’s agricultural mission becomes tangible. Agricultural and livestock products are available directly from local farms, alongside goods produced by social enterprises and youth startup companies. The arrangement allows consumers to meet producers face-to-face, reinforcing the values of transparency and sustainability that the Cheongwon Life brand represents.

5. Food Programs

Food is treated with the same commitment to local production. The bonfire grilling zone lets visitors cook their own ingredients over open flames, a fitting activity for an eco-friendly festival. The Cheongju gourmet zone showcases regional specialties, while the Cheongwon-gol Makgeolli tavern serves traditional rice wine in a dedicated setting. Food trucks add convenient options for those moving between programs.

Visitor Information

• 📍 Address: 99 Mirae-jiro, Ochang-eup, Cheongwon-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do
• 🛏️ Accommodation near the event
• 💰 Fee: Paid (₩5,000)
  ※ Free admission for children, adolescents, pregnant women, and the elderly
• 📞 Inquiry: 043-201-0254

Cheongwon is a rural district in Cheongju, a city in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It surrounds the more urbanized center of Cheongju and consists largely of farmland, orchards, and small farming villages. The name suggests open countryside, and the landscape matches: rice paddies, vegetable fields, and fruit trees spread across gently rolling land.

Administratively, Cheongwon was a separate county until 2014, when it was merged into Cheongju. It now functions as a district of the city, but its character remains predominantly agricultural. Much of the produce sold in Cheongju’s markets is grown here: rice, peppers, apples, grapes, and other seasonal crops. The area is marked by small family farms, country roads shaded with persimmon trees, and village community centers that continue to serve as gathering places for residents.

For visitors, what is most visible is simply that farming is an active part of daily life. You can walk past working fields, watch farmers preparing land or harvesting crops, and notice how the calendar shapes local routines. The Cheongwon Life Festival makes direct use of this setting, with events held in and around farmlands and village spaces. Its focus is on agricultural practice, local food, and rural culture—without needing to dress them up as something more exotic than they are.

Uiryeong Rich Rich Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.02 ~ 2026.10.05

The Uiryeong Rich Rich Festival is an autumn event centered on the “wealth energy” of Sotbawi (Pot Rock), one of Uiryeong’s most recognizable landmarks. Sotbawi stands in the middle of the Namgang River, and a legend passed down for generations holds that “a great wealthy person will be born within a radius of 20 ri centered around Sotbawi.” That story carries unusual weight in this region: the founders of Samsung, LG, and Hyosung were all born here, lending the legend a historical track record.

Uiryeong-gun has hosted the festival since 2022 to introduce these local stories to more people and share Sotbawi’s positive energy with tourists. The 2026 edition marks the 5th anniversary of the event. Across four days in early October, visitors can enjoy experiences, performances, and family programs built around the landmark’s wealth energy.

Programs

Main Programs

• Rich Golden Time Concert — the festival’s headline performance
• Rich Rich Money Play — a hands-on, money-themed experience
• Rich Perfume Class — a session for creating your own fragrance

Side Programs

• Rich KidZania Job Experience Exhibition — a job experience program for children
• Rich Arcade — arcade games
• Rich Athletic Meet — a friendly sports competition
• Rich Boating — a boating experience
• Rich Waterway Tour — a tour along the waterways
• Teenieping Sing-along Show — a sing-along performance for young children

Consumer Participation Program

• Rich Lottery

Visitor Information

📍 Address: 44 Uibyeong-ro 8-gil, Uiryeong-eup, Uiryeong-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Fee: Free (Some programs are paid)

📞 Inquiry: 055-570-2510

⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/here_ur_tour

🖥️ Website: https://www.richrichfestival.com/

What is Sotbawi?

Sotbawi is a cow-shaped granite rock formation in Uiryeong, and in 2026 it is the main site of the Uiryeong Rich Rich Festival. The name is straightforward: in Korean, so means “cow” and bawi means “rock.” Combined, they mean “Cow Rock.” The formation has been known locally for a long time, and the reason has less to do with its shape than with the story attached to it.

The most common version of that story involves a heavenly cow that came down to help a village whose harvests were failing. The cow worked with the farmers in the fields, and over time the village became prosperous. When it was time for the cow to return to the heavens, it left its form behind as the rock that now sits in Uiryeong. After that, the rock was treated as a reminder of that intervention. Residents have visited it to pray for good harvests, financial luck, and the safety of their families.

Sotbawi plays a direct role in the 2026 festival. A path leads up to the rock, and visitors can walk it, make a wish, and take part in the rituals that have accumulated around the site. It is not a display piece or an opening act; it is the reason the festival has a location. For a first-time visitor, starting there makes sense because the rest of the festival draws on the same story: a cow worked, the land produced, and the rock remains as a reminder of both.

Yeoncheon Korean Ginseng Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.02 ~ 2026.10.04

The Yeoncheon Korean Ginseng Festival promotes the excellence of Goryeo ginseng produced in Yeoncheon-gun and supports the revitalization of local agriculture and the consumption of agricultural products. Yeoncheon is located at 38 degrees north latitude, a position that, alongside its climate and soil, creates a natural environment conducive to ginseng growth. The region is evaluated as an optimal location for cultivating 6-year-old ginseng. In particular, the Goryeo ginseng of the Gaeseong ginseng lineage grown here is known as a high-quality local specialty.

Drawing on the historical significance and commercial value of Yeoncheon ginseng, the festival operates a range of programs including exhibitions, sales, hands-on experiences, and food offerings. It also functions as a venue for direct communication and exchange, where local farmers meet consumers for the direct trading of Yeoncheon agricultural products. As a representative agricultural specialty festival, it aims to inform both the public and the world about the competitiveness and value of Yeoncheon agriculture.

Programs at a Glance

1. Main Programs: Promotion and experience of ginseng efficacy, direct trading markets for ginseng research associations of each township and village, and more.
2. Side Programs: Direct trading markets for local agricultural and specialty products, ginseng tasting events, food markets, and more.
3. Consumer Participation Programs: Various experience programs utilizing ginseng, allowing visitors to explore its uses firsthand.
4. Other Details: Singing contests, special celebratory singer performances, local cultural performances, and an open stage for visitors.

Event Information

📍 Address: 275 Yeoncheon-ro, Yeoncheon-eup, Yeoncheon-gun, Gyeonggi-do

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 031-839-2314

🖥️ Website: www.yeoncheon.go.kr

What is Goryeo ginseng?

Goryeo ginseng is the name given to Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) cultivated on the Korean Peninsula. The term comes from the Goryeo kingdom, whose name also gave rise to “Korea.” In practice, Goryeo ginseng refers to a specific agricultural product with a long history in the region.

The root is valued mainly for ginsenosides, a class of active compounds found almost exclusively in ginseng. These compounds are the subject of most research on ginseng’s effects on energy, immune function, and general health. Korean ginseng is not unique in containing ginsenosides, but the variety grown in Korea is considered distinct because of how it is cultivated. The climate, terrain, and soil composition in Korea produce roots that grow slowly for four to six years before harvest. That growing period yields a dense, firm root with a relatively high saponin content, the category of compounds to which ginsenosides belong.

For much of Korean history, ginseng was scarce enough to be used as tribute to royalty and as a trade item along international routes. It was also an ingredient in traditional Korean medicine, with records of use going back centuries. It remains a notable agricultural export today. The 2026 Yeoncheon Korean Ginseng Festival will include opportunities to see how the root is grown and processed, and to taste products made from it. For visitors who want to understand what Goryeo ginseng is, the festival is a practical place to start.

Anheung Steamed Bun Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.02 ~ 2026.10.04

The 18th Anheung Steamed Bun Festival returns for a three-day run filled with sweet, steaming, and heartwarming experiences for visitors of all ages. The program combines cultural performances, local food, and goblin folklore in a lineup that is both exotic and exciting. At the center of this year’s event is the Steamed Bun & Goblin Festival, now in its third year as the festival’s signature main event, which pairs the appeal of Anheung’s steamed buns with goblins from local legends.

Main Stage

The main stage offers the festival’s largest gatherings, starting with an opening ceremony and celebration performance on Day 1. Day 2 brings the 90s Song Festival “Saturday, Saturday is a Singer” (ToToGa), a retro-style stage that has received enthusiastic responses and now reaches its third season, crossing generational lines with energetic performances and 90s masterpieces. On the final day, the Townspeople Singing Contest takes place as a highly anticipated grand finale where local residents and tourists come together in a shared, high-energy celebration.

Steamed Bun Free Tasting and Sales Zone

No trip to the Anheung Steamed Bun Festival would be complete without the festival’s namesake. The free tasting and sales zone lets visitors sample freshly steamed buns before buying more to take home.

Play Zone

The play zone is designed for families and hands-on fun. The Experience & Game Zone includes:

• Event ball pit
• Air bounce
• Goblin Expedition
• Anheung Steamed Bun History Stamp Tour
• Today’s Fortune granted by the Goblin

The Goblin Expedition, a roving performance that moves through the festival grounds, adds energy to the festival and runs continuously alongside these participatory activities.

Events

Throughout the festival, visitors can join a variety of playful events:

• Goblin and steamed bun cosplay event competition
• Guessing the weight of a steamed bun
• OX quiz
• Finding the steamed bun without red beans
• and more

Local Produce and Food

The festival also supports local producers with a sales zone for agricultural specialty products, plus food courts and food trucks for those who want to keep exploring the area’s flavors throughout the day.

With free admission and a packed program of tastings, performances, and goblin-themed activities, the 18th Anheung Steamed Bun Festival is a good reason to gather with family and friends.

Practical Information

📍 Address: 1868 Jucheongang-ro, Anheung-myeon, Hoengseong-gun, Gangwon State

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 033-340-2746

🖥️ Website: https://www.hsg.go.kr/tour/contents.do?key=1372&

What is Anheung?

Anheung is a small market town in Hoengseong County, Gangwon Province, South Korea. It sits in the central mountains along a route that has long connected inland regions. The town developed around its traditional market, which still opens each day and draws people from surrounding villages. The morning market is known for local produce, meat, and the steamed buns that have become Anheung’s most recognized product. These buns are made by hand, filled with seasoned pork, kimchi, or vegetables, and cooked over wood fires. They were originally sold as a quick meal for travelers passing through; the market’s position on the road made it a natural rest stop.

The town has kept many of its older buildings and narrow streets. Vendors work from low storefronts, and the steam from the bun sellers mixes with the mountain air. Anheung also appears in local folklore, particularly stories about dokkaebi, goblins said to have played tricks on travelers in the nearby hills. The tales are told less as warnings than as reminders of the area’s reputation for mischief. The annual Anheung Steamed Bun Festival maintains this link: visitors eat buns, take part in folk games, and spend time in a setting that has not changed much over several decades.

Seorak Cultural Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.02 ~ 2026.10.04

The Seorak Cultural Festival is Sokcho’s representative local cultural festival, one that has continued since the 1st Seorak Festival in 1966. Over the decades, it has come to embody the history and culture that formed around Seoraksan Mountain, as well as the lives and stories of Sokcho’s citizens. This year’s 61st edition, held under the theme “Seorak, Coloring Together,” looks in both directions at once. It reflects on the tradition and history accumulated over the past 60 years, while taking a further step toward becoming a festival in which citizens and tourists participate side by side to create new stories. Inheriting the identity built over that long run, the program places citizens at the center — as protagonists who shape the festival and enjoy it directly.

The festival also returns to its ritual roots. “Seorak Sosa (雪嶽小祀),” the ceremony that has served as the festival’s central rite since the first edition, is being revisited with commentary and storytelling so that participants can understand and connect with it more easily. The “Seorak Climbing Competition” carries forward the mountain culture that accompanied the festival’s beginnings. This year, it involves a Seoraksan climbing competition along a non-open trail of Dalmabong Peak, paired with a Seoraksan concert — an invitation to take in the full autumn landscape of the mountain.

The “Street Parade,” the festival’s signature program, takes the form of a citizen-harmony parade in which local residents, clubs, schools, and cultural arts organizations participate directly. Using Seorak Rodeo Street as its stage, the parade gathers citizens of all generations and regions, embodying the festival’s move beyond a spectacle to be watched toward one that is created and performed by its participants. Sokcho Expo Grass Square will host a concurrent program of citizen harmony events, including the “Sokcho! Cheerful Athletics Meet,” local arts organization performances, fringe performances, and club festivals. Family offerings such as a local culture experience zone and a children’s playground will run alongside these, linked with the “Seorak Rodeo Street Commercial Area Activation Project” and the “Sokcho Cultural City Gourmet Week” to extend the festival’s reach. After 61 years, the Seorak Cultural Festival begins a new time and story.

1. Main Programs

• Opening Ceremony and Congratulatory Performances — A grand declaration of the festival’s opening, followed by celebratory live stages featuring veteran vocalist Yoon Soo-il and singer Yeom Yuri.
• Seorak Sosa (小祀) Traditional Ritual — A modernized presentation of a long-standing local ritual praying for the well-being of the nation and region, comprising Sansinje, Samsinhapdongje, Jojeonje, and Songsinje.
• Representative Local Traditional Performances — Invited demonstrations of Sokcho’s unique intangible heritages: the Sokcho Lion Dance, Domun Nongyo, Dondollari, and Sokcho Arirang.
• Seorak Rodeo Street Parade — A large-scale street march with street performances at each hub, uniting professional art groups from across the country with youth, multicultural teams, and residents from all 8 dongs.
• Closing Ceremony and Fireworks Show — A fireworks finale to crown the festival, along with a closing concert featuring Gummy, Solji, and trot singer Shin Seung-tae.

2. Participation and Competition Programs

• National Song and Dance Competition 〈Seo(樂) Rock Star!〉 — An enthusiastic vocal and dance final featuring 12 teams from across the country that advanced through the preliminaries.
• Sokcho Survival Quiz Show 〈Seorak Golden Bell〉 — A scholarship quiz for adults and youth, with questions themed around Sokcho and the Seorak Cultural Festival.
• Sokcho Citizen Harmony Plaza 〈Cheerful Athletics Meet〉 — A competition among residents of the 8 dongs, with traditional and modern sports events open to any on-site visitor.
• Sokcho Citizen Harmony 〈Hangung Competition〉 — A tournament for the 8 dongs using target boards, alongside a traditional lifestyle sports competition for citizen participation.
• Passionate Stage Go! 〈Club Festival〉 — Relay stages performed by citizen clubs representing the 8 dongs of Sokcho City.

3. Planned and Outdoor Performances

• Our Stage Go! — Special invited performances by 7 middle and high school youth clubs, K-pop boy group YOUNITE, and fusion gugak group Dodri.
• Seorak Fringe Festival — Street art performances such as busking, mime, and magic, held in close proximity to the audience.
• Special Performance for the Whole Family 〈Balloon Magic Show〉 — A balloon and magic performance geared toward children and family visitors.

4. Experience and Side Events

• Local Culture Experience Zone (around 25 booths) — Craft, traditional culture, and art experience booths suitable for visitors of all ages and genders.
• Dream Tree Playground & Mom’s Lounge — An air-bounce playground exclusively for children, along with a shelter and nursing room for families with infants and toddlers.
• Seorak Cultural Festival 61st Anniversary History Promotion Hall — An exhibition of 61 years of historical records, plus an official goods zone.
• Gourmet Linkage — Coordinated operation with the food zone of the 2026 Sokcho Food Festival 〈Masupda! Sokcho〉.

5. Pre-events

• Seoraksan Climbing Competition 〈Dalma! Ridgeline Walking〉 — A 500-person walk along the autumn Seorak ridgeline from Seolhyang Park, over Dalmabong Peak (635m), to the Small Park (Sogongwon).
• Seoraksan Forest Concert — A folk healing concert unfolding in the embrace of Seorak, held in connection with the climbing competition and featuring Shin Hyun-dae.

📍 Address: 72 Expo-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do (Joyang-dong)

🛏️ Accommodations near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 033-636-0670

⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sokchocf/

🖥️ Website: http://sokchofestival.or.kr/srcf

Seoraksan is a mountain range in Gangwon Province, near Sokcho. Its most prominent feature is Ulsanbawi, a granite formation that stands out clearly from the surrounding ridges. The range is sometimes called the “roof of South Korea” because of its elevation and the early snows that dust the peaks; the name Seoraksan means “Snowy Crags Mountain.” In autumn the forested slopes change color, and the park becomes a popular destination for foliage viewing.

The area is a designated national park and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It supports several rare species, including the Siberian musk deer, and contains areas of old-growth pine. The annual Seorak Cultural Festival includes rituals connected to the mountain and its local history. For visitors, the park offers a range of routes: waterfalls, hermitages, and a cable car that provides access to the higher ridges without a long climb.

The mountain is also a practical part of the region’s identity. It provides protected habitat, draws travelers to Sokcho, and hosts traditions that have been maintained over time. Hikers, temple visitors, and autumn sightseers can experience it directly, and it does not need to be described as anything more than what it is.

Hug Dream Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.02 ~ 2026.10.03

Since its inception in 2021, the Hug Dream Festival—organized by Gyeongsangbuk-do—has grown into the largest safety experience event in the Gyeongbuk region. The festival provides residents with a comprehensive environment where they can engage in various safety experiences, exhibitions, and performances through direct participation. For the 2026 iteration, the organizers have collaborated with approximately 40 institutions and organizations to operate about 70 high-quality safety experience programs.

What distinguishes this event from standard safety drills is the integration of entertainment and real-world equipment. While children can enjoy magic shows and bubble shows, other attendees can witness the precision of search-and-rescue dog training demonstrations and drone events. The festival also offers a tangible look at emergency response through exhibitions of actual fire trucks, firefighting equipment, and unmanned water spray vehicles used in the field.

Specialized activities have been curated for all age groups: infants and toddlers can participate in safety gymnastics with Daekyo TniTni and enjoy air bounces, while other residents can engage in side events such as stamp tours, treasure hunts, fire brigade parades, the ‘Hug Dream Fire Academy’, and the ‘Safety UP Physical Fitness Festival’.

1. Main Programs

The festival features a diverse lineup of activities designed to educate and entertain, including:

• Stamp tours, Safety Promise Challenges, and Safety OX Quizzes.
• Entertainment such as magic shows, bubble shows, and the Hero Parade.
• Professional demonstrations including fire brigade band performances, search-and-rescue dog training, and simultaneous water discharge from fire trucks.
• TniTni safety gymnastics for young children.

2. Experience Programs

With around 60 programs divided into five distinct fields, the festival ensures a comprehensive approach to public safety:

• Fire Safety: Practical training with water extinguishers and indoor fire hydrants, fire evacuation drills, and the use of descending life lines (완강기).
• Traffic Safety: Instruction on the proper use of seatbelts, navigating crosswalks, and personal mobility device safety.
• Disaster Safety: Simulations for ship safety, crossing valleys, earthquakes, wind and flood damage, and general weather-related experiences.
• Life Safety: Guidance on water and leisure safety, mountain safety, electrical and gas safety, and missing child prevention.
• Emergency Safety: Critical life-saving techniques including CPR, the Heimlich maneuver, various first aid methods, and responses to food poisoning.

📍 Address: Galjeon-ri, Pungcheon-myeon, Andong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do

🛏️ Accommodations near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 010-8266-7331

⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hug.dream_festival/

The Hug Dream Festival is an annual safety event held in Gyeongsangbuk-do. It focuses on practical training in emergency response through demonstrations and supervised practice. Visitors can learn CPR, practice using an automated external defibrillator, and take part in scenarios that simulate fires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. First-aid instruction covers basic wound care and bandaging. Instructors and emergency personnel are available throughout the event to guide participants and answer questions.

The activities are designed for people with no prior training, and the festival is open to all ages. Visitors move through different stations at their own pace, spending as much time as they need on each skill. The event does not rely on lectures; instead, participants practice the steps themselves, with feedback from instructors. The goal is straightforward: to let people rehearse what to do in a crisis before they actually face one. The festival is held annually and draws attendees from across the region.