Jinju Nam River Floating Lantern Festival

Also known as the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival.

🗓️ 2026.10.03 ~ 2026.10.18

Yudeung (floating lanterns) originated during the Battle of Jinju Castle, one of the three major victories of the Imjin War. Lanterns were floated on the Namgang River as military signals to communicate with righteous army soldiers outside the fortress and as a means of communication for family members to send greetings during the battle. Jinju citizens carried this tradition through the Yudeung Contest, a program of the Gaecheon Arts Festival, which has been held since 1949 and is the pioneer of Korea’s local comprehensive arts festivals. Since 2000, the event has been held independently as the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival.

Yudeung has been sublimated into a festival wishing for peace, love, happiness, and the fulfillment of desires. It has grown into a global festival that shares the value of peace with people around the world. Every autumn in Jinju, the City of Light and Peace, the Namgang River and the Jinju Fortress area become the setting for a landscape of floating lanterns, where visitors can reflect on the historical meaning embedded in the scenery.

Main Programs

• Floating lantern exhibition – The core display, covering the Namgang River with floating lanterns.
• Land lantern exhibition – Lantern installations throughout the Jinju Fortress area.
• Drone light show – A coordinated drone display above the festival.
• Water fireworks display – Fireworks staged over the water.

Side Programs

• Night parade – A parade held after dark through the festival area.
• Gaecheon Arts Festival – Accompanying festival running 10.9.–10.18.
• Korea Drama Festival – Accompanying festival running 10.9.–10.18.

Consumer Participation Programs

• Hanging wish lanterns – Write wishes and hang lanterns as part of the display.
• Floating lanterns – Send your own lantern onto the Namgang River.
• Crossing the floating bridge – Walk across the floating bridge for a closer view of the river lanterns.

Other Details

• Cruise ship experience – View the illuminated river from a cruise ship.

Practical Information

📍 Address: 626 Namgang-ro, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do (Bonseong-dong)

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 055-761-9111, 055-755-9111

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

🖥️ Website: https://yudeung.com/

The association between floating lanterns and Jinju’s Namgang River begins with the Imjin War (1592–1598). In 1592, during the first Siege of Jinju, the fortress commander General Kim Si-min ordered lanterns to be launched on the river as a defensive measure. The Namgang ran along the southern side of the fortress and was the most likely approach for a night attack. Hundreds of lit lanterns were placed on the water, making the river visible and exposing anyone trying to cross. The lights also served as a signaling system. Different arrangements and movements of lanterns allowed units stationed along the river and inside the fortress to communicate without sending runners or raising an alarm.

The tactic worked well enough that it became one of the memorable features of the battle. After the war, the military use of lanterns developed into a commemorative custom. The people of Jinju released lanterns on the Namgang to honor the defenders who had died in the siege, and the practice later came to include expressions of personal hope or remembrance. It was not an unbroken ritual from 1592, but the memory of the wartime origin is what gave the later custom its meaning.

The Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival is the modern continuation of that history. Held each autumn, it reconstructs the scene of lanterns drifting on the river. Visitors are invited to launch their own lanterns, and the festival’s main program is designed around this act. What links the contemporary event to the original is not sentimentality but the continuity of a practical technique: a method of lighting a river at night, first used as defense, later becoming a way of marking what was lost and what was hoped for.

Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.03 ~ 2026.10.11

Ginseng has long been one of Korea’s most recognized health foods, valued for restoring energy and supporting immunity. Every year in early October, as the root’s nutrients reach their seasonal peak, Yeongju — one of the country’s leading ginseng production areas — hosts the Punggi Ginseng Festival for nine days. The event is structured around ginseng as a symbol of health, with exhibitions and experiences designed for visitors of all ages.

What sets this festival apart from a conventional harvest market is its emphasis on local heritage. The program includes the Gaesamteo Goyuje, a ritual performed at the site where ginseng was first discovered in the region, along with a reenactment of Governor Ju Se-bung’s procession and the Ginseng Grand Festival. Beyond the ceremonies, attendees can taste dishes made with nutritious Punggi ginseng, take part in hands-on activities such as ginseng peeling, and purchase fresh ginseng, red ginseng, and processed ginseng products harvested by local farmers at affordable prices.

Main Programs

• Gaesamteo Goyuje — a ritual held at the site where ginseng was first discovered.
• Ginseng Grand Festival — the festival’s centerpiece celebration.
• Reenactment of Governor Ju Se-bung’s procession — a historical pageant tied to the region’s past.
• Superior Ginseng Selection Contest and exhibition — a competition for the season’s finest ginseng, with selected entries on display.

Side Programs

The supporting lineup includes opening and closing ceremonies with congratulatory performances, youth cultural performances, an environmental singing contest, the Denden-eomi Hwajeon-nori traditional play, the Sobaeksan Punggi Ginseng Song Festival, and the One-Heart Athletic Meet. Together, these events round out the festival with music, community activity, and local tradition.

Consumer Participation Programs

For those who prefer to get involved directly, the festival runs a ginseng peeling contest and a ginseng injeolmi (rice cake) pounding session. Both activities offer a practical look at how Punggi ginseng is prepared and used.

Other Contents

A regional coexistence market sales center operates on-site, providing local vendors with an additional outlet for their goods during the festival period.

Visitor Information

📍 Address: Seongnae-ri, Punggi-eup, Yeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do

🛏️ Accommodations near the event

💰 Fee: Free (Some experience programs require a fee)

📞 Inquiry: 054-630-8706

⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yctf0518/

🖥️ Homepage: https://yctf.or.kr/punggiginseng/

Punggi ginseng

Punggi ginseng is a type of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) grown in the Punggi area of Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. It has been used in Korean herbal medicine for centuries. The local conditions—cool mountain air, mineral-rich soil, and sloping fields with good drainage—slow the growth of the roots, resulting in a firm texture and higher concentrations of ginsenosides, the compounds commonly associated with ginseng’s effects. Its flavor is earthy, with a mild sweetness.

Farming practices in the region are labor-intensive and follow a set schedule. Fields are rotated to preserve soil quality, and the roots are left in the ground for four to six years before harvest. Ginseng roots gain active compounds as they age, so older roots are generally preferred. In local usage, the root has been taken to support stamina, immunity, and circulation, though as with any herbal remedy, results vary and it is not a substitute for medical treatment.

The Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival, scheduled for 2026, gives visitors a chance to examine the root at different stages of processing: fresh, dried, powdered, brewed, or cooked into dishes. For anyone interested in Korean herbal traditions, the festival is a straightforward way to see how the crop is grown, prepared, and sold.

Samrangseong History & Culture Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.03 ~ 2026.10.11

Samrangseong is a fortress that surrounds Jeondeungsa Temple on Ganghwa Island. According to legend, the three sons of Dangun built it to block foreign invasions. It went on to play a role in some of the most significant chapters of Korean history: during the Goryeo Dynasty, after the capital moved to Ganghwa-do to escape the Mongol invasion, it became a center of resistance, and the Daebul Jeong-O-Seol-Do-Ryang, a Buddhist prayer ritual, was conducted there for 120 days. Later, the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty were preserved at Samrangseong for 250 years. The fortress was also the site of victory in the Byeongin Yangyo, when the French army was repelled, and the righteous army won battles there during a week of resistance against the Japanese in the late Korean Empire period. For 5,000 years, the site has remained connected to the events that shaped Korean identity. The Samrangseong History & Culture Festival, now in its 26th year, has been held annually since the first Saturday of October to make that history accessible to the public.

Festival Programs

Main Program

• Opening Ceremony and Autumn Concert

Side Programs

• Academic Seminars
• Yeongsan Daejae (Buddhist ritual)
• Tightrope Walking Reenactment
• Madang-geuk (Traditional Outdoor Play)

Consumer Participation Programs

• Samrangseong Flea Market
• Food Market
• Various Experience Booths

The side programs combine historical reflection with traditional performance, while the participation programs offer a livelier way to spend time on the festival grounds. Admission to all of it is free, which makes it easy to explore the fortress, watch the performances, and still have enough left for the food market.

Visiting Information

📍 Address: 37-41 Jeondeungsa-ro, Gilsang-myeon, Ganghwa-gun, Incheon

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Fee: Admission Free (Parking: General 4,000 won, Large Bus 8,000 won)

📞 Inquiry: 032-937-0125

🖥️ Website: https://samrangseong.org/

Samrangseong is a hilltop fortress on Ganghwa Island, near the mouth of the Han River. The name, usually translated as “Three Princes’ Fortress,” refers to the three sons of Dangun, the mythical founder of the Korean people. According to the legend, the brothers built the fortress to guard the island and to preserve their father’s legacy. The story has long associated the site with Korea’s founding myth, and that association remains central to how it is presented and understood.

The fortress stands on the ridge of a mountain overlooking the Han River estuary. Its walls, made of packed earth and stone, follow the line of the summit. The original structure was an earthwork, later rebuilt in stone, and the surviving traces belong to that later phase. The site is designated as a historic monument. Within the walls is Jeokseoksa, a temple that has occupied the same mountain for centuries and continues to operate as a place of worship.

As a military installation, Samrangseong is not especially large or elaborate. Its importance comes from the tradition attached to it and from the way that tradition is tied to a specific landscape. Visitors can walk along the walls and look over Ganghwa Island and the waters beyond, but the site itself directs attention to the story behind it. That combination—legend, topography, and an active temple—explains why the fortress is the main venue for the festival and the starting point for its account of Korean history.

Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.03 ~ 2026.10.18

The Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival is a profound cultural experience that blends historical commemoration with modern artistic expression. To understand the event, one must look to its origins during the Battle of Jinju Fortress—one of the three major victories of the Imjin War—where floating lamps, or yudeung, were utilized on the Namgang River as critical military signals to communicate with righteous armies stationed outside the fortress walls and as a poignant method for family members to convey greetings to one another.

This tradition was preserved by the citizens of Jinju through the ‘Yudeung Contest,’ a component of the ‘Gaecheon Arts Festival’ that began in 1949 and served as the precursor to the comprehensive regional arts festivals now seen across Korea. While it functioned as a subset of a larger event for decades, the celebration has been held independently as the ‘Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival’ since 2000. Today, the act of floating lanterns has been sublimated into a global pursuit of peace, love, and happiness, allowing visitors from across the world to share in the fulfillment of collective wishes. Every autumn, the “City of Light and Peace” transforms the Namgang River and the Jinju Fortress area into a luminous spectacle that invites visitors to reflect on the historical gravity contained within the scenery.

Event Programming

The festival is structured to offer a variety of visual and interactive experiences, ranging from large-scale installations to individual participation.

1. Main Programs
The core of the festival consists of massive visual displays, including both floating lantern exhibitions on the river and land lantern exhibitions throughout the grounds. The experience is further enhanced by modern technology and pyrotechnics via the drone light show and water fireworks.

2. Side Programs
Visitors can witness the night parade, which brings the lanterns to life through movement. Additionally, from October 9th to October 18th, the event coincides with the Gaecheon Arts Festival and the Korea Drama Festival, providing a dense concentration of cultural activity.

3. Consumer Participation Programs
The festival encourages active engagement rather than passive observation. Guests may participate by hanging wish lanterns, releasing their own floating lanterns onto the water, or experiencing the unique sensation of crossing the floating bridge.

4. Other Content
For those seeking a different perspective of the illuminated landscape, cruise ship experiences are available.

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*The following festival food information is from the previous year’s (2025) festival; food information for the 2026 festival is currently being updated.*

Visitor Information

📍 Address: 626 Namgang-ro, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do (Bonseong-dong)

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 055-761-9111, 055-755-9111

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

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

🖥️ Homepage: https://yudeung.com/

The Namgang River runs through Jinju, a city in South Korea’s South Gyeongsang Province. It is part of the Nakdong River system and flows between the old city center and low hills. On its eastern bank stands Uiam Rock, a granite cliff that overlooks a narrow bend in the river. The site was used as a defensive position during the Joseon period, and it remains one of Jinju’s best-known landmarks.

The river is closely tied to the city’s history. During the Imjin War (1592–1598), battles for Jinju Fortress took place along these waters. At night, lanterns were floated downstream to relay signals between military units. This practice is the basis for the annual Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival, held each October. During the festival, hundreds of lanterns are set on the river, ranging from traditional dragons and boats to modern designs. The event also includes ceremonies for those who died in the city’s wars.

For most of the year, the Namgang is an ordinary urban river. Walking and cycling paths run alongside it, and the area around Uiam Rock and Chokseongnu Pavilion is a popular destination. The river is also managed for flood control, with levees and bridges determining much of its course through the city. Its significance comes less from scenery than from the way daily life, history, and infrastructure meet at the water’s edge.

Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.03 ~ 2026.10.11

The following food content for the festival is from the previous year’s (2025) festival, and the food content for the 2026 festival is currently being updated.

Ginseng is a representative health food of Korea, valued for helping with recovery of energy and boosting immunity. October is the period when ginseng is most nutrient-rich, and it is also when the Punggi Ginseng Festival takes place in Yeongju, one of Korea’s leading ginseng production areas. The festival is built around ginseng as a symbol of health, so its core offerings are health-related exhibitions and experiences that people of all ages can enjoy.

What sets the festival apart is the way it mixes local history with the season’s harvest. Special programs include the Gaesamteo Goyuje ritual, the reenactment of Governor Ju Se-bung’s procession, and the Great Ginseng Ritual. These rituals tie the festival to Punggi’s history as a leading ginseng-producing area, while the excellent ginseng selection contest and exhibition highlights the quality of the local crop. Visitors can also taste ginseng dishes made with nutrient-packed Punggi ginseng and participate in hands-on experiences such as ginseng peeling. For shoppers, fresh ginseng, red ginseng, and processed ginseng products carefully harvested by local ginseng farmers are available at affordable prices.

Main Programs

• Gaesamteo Goyuje ritual, Great Ginseng Ritual, reenactment of Governor Ju Se-bung’s procession, excellent ginseng selection contest and exhibition, etc.

Side Programs

• Opening and closing ceremonies and celebratory performances, youth cultural performances, environmental singing contest, Dendong-eomi Hwajeon-nori courtyard play, Sobaeksan Punggi Ginseng Song Festival, One-Heart Athletic Meet, etc.

Consumer Participation Programs

• Ginseng peeling contest, pounding ginseng injeolmi rice cake, etc.

Other Details

• Operation of regional coexistence market sales centers, etc.

Practical Information

📍 Address: Seongnae-ri, Punggi-eup, Yeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Fee: Free (Some experience programs have a fee)

📞 Inquiry: 054-630-8706

⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yctf0518/

🖥️ Website: https://yctf.or.kr/punggiginseng/

Punggi ginseng is a variety of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) grown in the Punggi area of Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The town has been a recognized ginseng-producing region for more than 500 years. Its conditions suit the crop: cool mountain air, sandy loam soil with good drainage, and clear temperature differences between day and night.

The growing cycle is long. Farmers usually leave the roots in the ground for four to six years before harvest, and they rotate fields so the soil can recover between planting cycles. The harvested roots are dense and firm, with a high concentration of ginsenosides — the active compounds thought to influence immunity, circulation, and energy.

Practitioners of Korean medicine have traditionally described Punggi ginseng as warmer and more potent than ginseng from other regions. It is consumed fresh (susam), steamed and dried into red ginseng (hongsam), or sliced and used in teas and broths. It is commonly recommended as a tonic for fatigue and stress, and as a way to support the body’s defenses during seasonal changes.

The 2026 Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival will focus on this crop and its place in the local economy. The event is expected to cover how ginseng is grown and processed, how it is used in food and medicine, and the history behind the region’s long association with the plant. For visitors, it offers a straightforward look at a specialized agricultural tradition.

Baekje Cultural Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.03 ~ 2026.10.11

The Baekje Cultural Festival stands as a premier historical and cultural landmark in Korea, tracing its origins back to the inaugural event held in Buyeo-gun in 1955. Now celebrating its 72nd anniversary, this sprawling festival serves as a bridge between the ancient brilliance of the Baekje Kingdom and the modern era, aiming to modernize the cultural heritage of ancestors while fostering a deep sense of regional identity and pride.

For the 2026 iteration, the festival will span nine days—from Saturday, October 3, to Sunday, October 11—and is divided into two distinct regional experiences: the Buyeo and Gongju festivals. Each location offers a unique lens through which to view the history of the kingdom, blending academic preservation with immersive, high-tech entertainment.

Buyeo Baekje Cultural Festival: “Beautiful Baekje, Shining Sabi”

The Buyeo leg of the festival focuses on the Sabi period, utilizing the city area as an open-air museum. By centering activities around the Gwanbuk-ri Ruins, the Stone Pagoda Road, and the Jeongrimsa Temple Site, the event harmonizes the daily lives of local residents and commercial districts with the grandeur of the past. Visitors can explore approximately 40 programs across seven different thematic fields.

Representative and Main Programs

The festival’s core is anchored by the Sabi Capital Transfer Declaration Ceremony, which features a large-scale procession and the Jeongdo Goyu ritual to justify the historical move to Sabi. The “Promise of the Baekje People” theme exhibition hall allows guests to metaphorically open a door through time to explore the kingdom’s journey.

For those seeking visual spectacle, the festival offers:

• The Baekje Historical Cultural Parade and the Baekje Cultural Night Parade, providing a vivid urban procession.
• Baekje Night Crafted with Light, utilizing media art to transform the Jeongrimsa Temple Site into a glowing nocturnal landscape.
• Sabi Children’s Kingdom, a dedicated space where younger visitors can engage with history through themed playgrounds.

Specialized Activities

The Buyeo experience is further enriched by a variety of niche programs:

• Rituals: The Gocheonje and ten other types of Buddhist services, including the Baekje Honbul Chaehwa.
• Performances: A suite of eight cultural programs, highlighted by the Sabi Baekje Talk Concert.
• Experiences: Nine interactive programs, such as Sabi Roblox and “One Round of Sabi.”
• Landscapes: Atmospheric walks through the King’s Secret Garden and the Night of Sabi.
• Linked Events: The Sabi Little Welcome Group, which connects various tourism resources within Buyeo to the main venue.

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Gongju Baekje Cultural Festival: “Bronze Mirror, Reflecting the 1,500-Year Light of Baekje”

While Buyeo focuses on Sabi, the Gongju festival celebrates the era of Woongjin Baekje. The 2026 theme centers on the bronze mirror unearthed from the Tomb of King Muryeong, using it as a motif to reflect the historical value of the kingdom. The festivities are spread across the royal city center, Mireu Island, Gongsanseong Fortress, and Geumgang Singwan Park.

Immersive Performances and Spectacles

Gongju distinguishes itself through high-production convergence performances. The Woongjin Fantasia provides an immersive experience centered on the bronze mirror, while 接(Jeop)·Gyeong: The Night the Queen Crossed utilizes the World Heritage Gongsanseong Fortress as a living stage for music, song, and dance.

Nighttime activities are particularly robust here, featuring:

• The Woongjinseong Parade, a citizen-led procession.
• The Woongjin Baekje Lantern Feast, where traditional sailing boats (Hwangpo-dotbae) and floating lanterns illuminate the water.
• The Woongjin Baekje Starlight Garden and Gongsanseong Media Art, which translate historical narratives into light installations.

Rituals and Academic Engagement

The spiritual heart of the festival is found in the Baekje Honbul Chaehwa, the Woongjin Baekje Five Kings Memorial Service, and the Yeongsan Daejae, which honors the patriotic spirits of the era. For the intellectually curious, the Baekje Cultural Festival Academic Conference discusses the significance of artifacts like the Muryeong Tomb bronze mirror.

Interactive and Local Experiences

Visitors can engage with the community through various experiential and economic programs:

• Education: The Baekje Village Gomachon offers permanent themed events, while the “Bronze Mirror Mission Tour” utilizes mobile devices for a digital stamp tour.
• Games: “Let’s Play Baekje!” introduces traditional games accessible to all generations.
• Commerce: The 22nd National Excellent Market Fair brings together approximately 130 markets from across the country.
• Local Flavors: The “Woongjin-gol Gourmet” area features 13 restaurants and 10 food trucks, complemented by the Chestnut Beef Festival and chestnut processed food sales.

Event Logistics and Entertainment

The festival’s energy is sustained by a heavy lineup of music. The opening ceremonies feature Heo Gak, Yoyomi, and RESCENE, while the closing ceremonies include Kim Eui-young, Nerd Connection, and Haha & Skull, concluding with a fireworks show. Additionally, the Chungnam Symphony Orchestra and local artists at the Gomtap Stage provide a diverse soundtrack to the event.

📍 Address: 83 Jeongrim-ro, Buyeo-eup, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do

🛏️ Accommodations near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 041-837-2517

What is Baekje?

Baekje was one of the Three Kingdoms of ancient Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. Founded in 18 BCE, it began as a small chiefdom in the Han River basin and eventually came to control the southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula for more than six centuries.

The kingdom is often studied for its cultural and material achievements. Baekje’s rulers invested in agricultural infrastructure, including irrigation systems, and its ports supported active trade routes with China and Japan. Through those networks, Baekje played a central role in the spread of Buddhist practice, temple construction, and craft techniques to the Japanese archipelago, where Baekje artisans and scholars were invited to work.

The later capitals of Gongju and Buyeo remain closely associated with Baekje’s history. Gongju served as the seat of government during the Ungjin period (475–538 CE). Buyeo, then known as Sabi, became the final capital in 538 CE and remained so until 660 CE. The Sabi period produced much of what is now regarded as the kingdom’s most significant surviving art, including stone sculptures, gilt-bronze objects, and royal tomb furnishings. These pieces are held in museums and heritage sites across the region.

Baekje’s political power ended in 660 CE, when an allied force from Silla and Tang China invaded. The kingdom was gone, but its cultural influence did not vanish. In modern South Korea, Baekje is remembered as an era of notable artistic output, diplomatic exchange, and religious life, and its presence is still visible in the historic sites of Gongju and Buyeo. That heritage is the focus of the Baekje Cultural Festival.

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.