Jinju National Heritage Night

🗓️ 2026.09.03 ~ 2026.09.06

The National Heritage Night is a night-time cultural heritage utilization festival designed to let people experience the historical and cultural value of national heritage through after-dark programs. The Jinju National Heritage Night takes place around Jinjuseong Fortress and the original downtown area, adopting the theme of the Amhaeng-eosa (Secret Royal Inspector)—the Joseon-era undercover officials who traveled incognito to root out corruption and injustice. Through this lens, visitors can engage with national heritage and local history in ways that go beyond the typical daytime sightseeing experience.

The festival is organized around the “Jinju 8 Nights (夜),” a set of eight themed program categories spanning scenery, performance, food, and even overnight accommodation. The result is an event designed so that visitors can safely and enjoyably explore national heritage after sunset, while also gaining a deeper appreciation for Jinju’s historicity and cultural identity. By linking the region’s representative national heritage sites with local cultural resources, the festival aims to offer citizens and tourists abundant opportunities for cultural enjoyment.

The Jinju 8 Nights (夜)

1. Night View (夜景) – Cultural heritage appreciation programs that make use of the landscape lighting of Jinjuseong Fortress and other national heritage sites, alongside the surrounding night scenery.

2. Night Road (夜路) – Historical and cultural tour programs that explore national heritage and the original downtown area, guided by cultural commentators who bring the stories of the streets to life.

3. Night History (夜史) – Historical and cultural content programs such as performances, exhibitions, and storytelling, all built around the theme of the Amhaeng-eosa.

4. Night Story (夜說) – Commentary and cultural lecture programs focused on the history of Jinju and its national heritage, offering a deeper intellectual layer to the festival.

5. Night Painting (夜畵) – Art and craft exhibitions and hands-on experience programs held in collaboration with local artists, giving visitors a creative way to engage with the heritage setting.

6. Night Market (夜市) – A night cultural market where visitors can browse and purchase local specialties, regional food, and cultural products.

7. Night Food (夜食) – Night food culture programs where visitors can sample representative local delicacies, making the festival a culinary journey as much as a historical one.

8. Night Stay (夜宿) – Accommodation and stay-type tourism programs linked with the nighttime cultural heritage experiences, for those who want to extend their visit and take in the atmosphere fully.

With programming that spans passive appreciation, active participation, intellectual engagement, and even an overnight stay, the festival offers multiple entry points depending on what kind of visitor you are—whether you’re a history enthusiast, a food traveler, a family with children, or someone simply looking for an unusual evening out.

📍 Address: 30 Manggyeongnam-gil, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do (Manggyeong-dong)

🛏️ Accommodations near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 055-795-3200

What is Jinjuseong Fortress?

Jinjuseong Fortress is a stone-and-earth fortification on a hill overlooking the Namgang River in Jinju, South Korea. Its walls were first built in the late Goryeo period and expanded during the Joseon Dynasty. The site is associated with two major sieges during the Imjin War (1592–1598). In 1592, a force of several thousand Korean soldiers, monks, and civilian volunteers repelled a much larger Japanese army. A second Japanese offensive in 1593 proved more successful, and the fortress fell. Today the grounds include gates, pavilions, and reconstructed historical buildings, along with views over the river and the city.

In 2026, the fortress will host the Jinju National Heritage Night. The event centers on the Secret Royal Inspector, a Joseon-era official who traveled in disguise to review the conduct of local magistrates. Rather than recreating a specific historical episode, the program uses the walled grounds and lantern-lit courtyards as the backdrop for night tours and performances built around that premise.

Goesan Red Pepper Festival

🗓️ 2026.09.03 ~ 2026.09.06

The Goesan Red Pepper Festival stands as one of South Korea’s most distinctive agricultural celebrations, transforming a rural county in Chungcheongbuk-do into a four-day immersion in chili pepper culture. Held annually between late August and early September, this event has evolved far beyond a simple harvest celebration into a sophisticated convergence of agriculture, tourism, and cultural programming built around its star ingredient: the Goesan Clean Red Pepper, cultivated through organic methods in the region’s pristine mountain environment.

What distinguishes this festival from generic food events is its genuine integration of agricultural purpose with visitor engagement. While attendees sample fiery dishes and participate in games, the underlying structure serves tangible economic goals: expanding market access for local producers, establishing direct consumer relationships through on-site transaction markets, and elevating regional agricultural brands. This dual function—entertainment platform and economic development tool—has earned recognition from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a Promising Cultural Tourism Festival and designation as a flagship event for Chungcheongbuk-do province.

Five Core Programs

Program	Description
1. Find the Golden Chili Pepper	A scavenger-style hunt through festival grounds for specially marked peppers
2. Stress-Relieving Chili Pepper Nanta	A rhythmic performance program incorporating pepper-themed percussion
3. Catch the Chili Pepper Fish	A fishing game using pepper-shaped targets
4. Organic Goesan Song Festival	Musical performances celebrating rural life and agricultural heritage
5. Exhibition and Sale of Goesan Specialties	Direct sales of regional products including fresh peppers, processed goods, and artisan crafts

Beyond these anchor activities, visitors encounter red pepper bibimbap tastings, competitive eating challenges for spice tolerance, traditional Korean folk games, and stage performances spanning the four days. The World Red Pepper Exhibition and professional Red Pepper Evaluation introduce both domestic and international varietals, offering educational substance for agricultural professionals and curious amateurs alike.

The festival’s programming philosophy emphasizes cross-generational accessibility—children engage with gamified activities while adults evaluate purchase decisions for specialty goods, and older visitors connect with agricultural traditions increasingly distant from urban life.

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📍 Address: 92 Imkkeokjeong-ro, Goesan-eup, Goesan-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Admission: Free entry; select experience programs require partial fees (5,000 KRW)

📞 Inquiry: 043-830-3463

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

🖥️ Homepage: http://spicy-fe.kr/

What Goesan Does Best

Goesan produces Korea’s finest red peppers. The region’s clean air, mineral-rich soil, and wide temperature swings between day and night concentrate both sweetness and heat in the fruit. Local farmers grow Cheongyang red peppers (청양고추), a variety valued throughout Korean cuisine for how its fire carries subtle notes of fruit without overwhelming the dishes it seasons—kimchi, gochujang, and countless stews.

Processing matters as much as growing here. Families have spent generations refining how they dry their harvest on raised bamboo racks called deuldeul, which stand across the autumn fields in regular rows. The county produces roughly 7% of South Korea’s pepper supply, with official geographical indication status marking authentic provenance.

Major condiment makers source specifically from Goesan for their premium lines, paying 20-30% above standard market rates. This concentration of quality explains why a small harvest gathering started in 1997 grew into a national event. The annual festival treats the gochu seriously: cooking competitions, farm tours, and the straightforward spectacle of pepper-eating contests where participants discover exactly how much heat they can stand.

Gyeongbokgung Starlit Night Walk

🗓️ 2026.09.02 ~ 2026.10.24

The Gyeongbokgung Palace Starlight Tour is a nighttime program that opens the northern area of Gyeongbokgung Palace for guided exploration, royal cuisine, and traditional culture. With a professional guide, visitors move through the palace and learn about the daily life of the Joseon Dynasty royal family and the historical stories connected to Gyeongbokgung Palace.

1. Dosluk Surasang Experience

At Oesojubang, the palace kitchen, participants are served a 12-dish table in a dosluk (lunch box) format. The meal is a modern reinterpretation of the Joseon Dynasty royal surasang, offering a contemporary way to experience the royal court’s food culture.

2. Gyeongbokgung Palace Night Tour

The guided route takes visitors through Gyejodang, Oesojubang, Jagyeongjeon, Jibokjae and Palujeong, Geoncheonggung, and Hyangwonjeong. The 2026 edition includes a special Changgeuk (traditional Korean opera) featuring the story of the King, performed at Jibokjae, King Gojong’s library, where the history of the space and the performance come together for a unique experience. Afterward, visitors can see starlight reflected in Hyangwonji Pond and experience the serene landscape of Gyeongbokgung Palace at night, a mood distinct from a daytime visit. The program brings together royal cuisine, historical spaces, night views, and traditional culture in a single evening.

• Tour Route: Gyejodang → Oesojubang → Jagyeongjeon → Jibokjae & Palujeong → Geoncheonggung → Hyangwonjeong

※ The route may change depending on the situation.

📍 Address: 161 Sajik-ro (Sejong-ro), Jongno-gu, Seoul

🛏️ Accommodations near the event

💰 Fee: Paid (60,000 KRW per person)

📞 Inquiry: 1522-2295

⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/k.heritage.agency/

🖥️ Homepage: https://www.kh.or.kr/short/g6cX

Gyeongbokgung Palace is the largest of the Five Grand Palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty. The name is usually translated as “Palace Greatly Blessed by Heaven.” It was constructed in 1395 by King Taejo, the dynasty’s founder, and served as the main royal residence and seat of government for several centuries. The complex stands at the northern end of Seoul, below Bugaksan Mountain, and its layout follows traditional Korean architectural principles that relate the major buildings to the surrounding landscape.

The palace includes several structures of historical note. Geunjeongjeon was the main throne hall, used for formal audiences and state ceremonies. Gyeonghoeru, a pavilion on an artificial lake, hosted royal banquets and receptions. Hyangwonjeong, a two-story pavilion in the palace grounds, was used for private relaxation and later became a favored royal retreat. The palace also contained extensive administrative quarters, living spaces for the royal family, and gardens.

Gyeongbokgung sustained severe damage during the Japanese invasions of the late 16th century and remained largely in ruins for over two hundred years. It was rebuilt in the 19th century, then damaged again during the 20th century and gradually reconstructed. Today the palace is open to the public as a historic site. Visitors can tour the restored halls, walk through the courtyards and gardens, and observe the surviving architectural details, including the stone-paved courtways, painted eaves, and tiered gate roofs.

Incheon Sustainable Wave Festival

The Incheon Sustainable Wave Festival occupies Munhak Stadium on the final weekend of August, presenting a two-day event that approachs live entertainment through the lens of environmental responsibility. While the metropolitan area hosts numerous outdoor concerts throughout the summer season, this particular gathering diverges from standard templates by embedding sustainability—through reduced-waste operations, renewable energy use, or eco-conscious vendor policies—into its organizational framework rather than treating ecological impact as an afterthought.

Event Information

• 🗓️ Date: 2026-08-29 ~ 2026-08-30
• 📍 Venue: Incheon Munhak Stadium Main Stadium
• 🛏️ Accommodation near the concert
• 🪑 Festival Chair
• Address: 618 Maesohol-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon (Munhak-dong)
• Age Limit: All Ages

Schedule and Programming

The festival operates across Saturday, August 29, and Sunday, August 30, with both days commencing at 14:00. This afternoon start time suggests an extended programming schedule spanning through the evening, though specific entry procedures and detailed performance times will be announced later via the official timetable.

Ticketing Information

Admission is structured around a single ticket tier:

• Standing (One-day pass): 110,000 KRW

This price point positions the event within the mid-range bracket for large-scale stadium concerts—accessible while reflecting the production costs of multi-stage, multi-day programming. Entry times and specific performance schedules will be announced later via the timetable.

Important Notices

Attendees should regularly check the guidance notes, which are continuously updated with logistical and safety information. Booking a ticket constitutes agreement to the guidelines and regulations of the organizer, the venue, and the booking agent. On NOL Ticket, only standing one-day passes are available for booking—those requiring alternative seating configurations or multi-day packages must consult additional booking channels.

Gallery

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Ganggyeong National Heritage Night Trip

🗓️ 2026.08.28 ~ 2026.09.05

Ganggyeong National Heritage Night moves away from a preservation-only framework and instead puts the area’s modern historical and cultural resources to active use. By linking the scattered modern heritage sites around Ganggyeong, the event turns the entire district into one open historical and cultural space for nighttime visitors. It runs from August 28 to September 5, 2026, with 30 detailed programs organized under 8 themes: Night View (야경), Night Road (야로), Night History (야사), Night Painting (야화), Night Performance (야설), Night Food (야식), Night Market (야시), and Night Stay (야숙).

Night View and Night Road improve physical and psychological access to heritage by presenting the Ganggyeong Modern History and Culture Street after dark through landscape lighting and media art. Visitors can naturally absorb the historical atmosphere while walking the night paths. Night History, Night Painting, and Night Performance reinterpret Ganggyeong’s modern heritage through performances, exhibitions, and hands-on experiences with a contemporary sensibility, making topics that might otherwise feel difficult more intuitive. Night Food, Night Market, and Night Stay are built in collaboration with local commercial districts and residents, linking Ganggyeong’s specialties, food, and shops to extend visitor stays and create a virtuous cycle in which networked heritage resources help revitalize the local economy. Together, the 8 themes and 30 programs are expected to bring modern vitality to Ganggyeong’s national heritage and provide a differentiated nighttime cultural heritage experience.

1. Main Programs

• Opening and Lighting Performance (Night View – Memories Revealed Upon Light): An opening ceremony featuring light, illumination, fireworks, and performances connecting Ganggyeong Port to the Modern History and Culture Street.
• Night Opening of National Heritage and Cultural Facilities (Night View – Ganggyeong Modern Culture Night Opening): Free nighttime viewing of national heritage and major cultural/public facilities within Ganggyeong.
• National Heritage Landscape Lighting (Night View – National Heritage Imbued with Light): Landscape lighting installations inside and outside major national heritage buildings, such as the former Ilhan Bank, the former Ganggyeong Labor Union, Ganggyeong Cathedral, and Ganggyeong Lock.
• Representative Theme Performance (Night Performance – Gilnori Junggoje): A traditional Gilnori performance combining the Junggoje singing style and Dure-pungjang, reflecting the historical significance of being the birthplace of Pansori Junggoje.
• History Reenactment Performance (Night Performance – Following the Footsteps of the Refusal of Japanese History Lessons): A play/performance reenacting the actual event where students in the Ganggyeong area refused Japanese history lessons.
• Storytelling Puppet Show (Night History – Ganggyeong Port Where Voices of Sleeping Time Are Heard): A puppet show featuring resident-participatory storytelling and vivid old tales of the Ganggyeong Port market.

2. Supplementary Programs

• Theme Walkway Exploration (Night View – The Story of the ‘Cat Family’ Embracing Memories of Ganggyeong): A nighttime walkway themed around stories of cats from the old Ganggyeong Port market.
• Professional Docent Tour (Night Road – Speaking Heritage, Listening Ganggyeong): A nighttime exploration tour of national heritage and modern streets led by professional commentators and youth commentators.
• Street Busking (Night Performance – Modern Culture Street Busking): Street performances by local artists unfolding freely throughout the Modern History and Culture Street.
• Family-Participatory History Story (Night History – Stories within Ganggyeong’s Memories): A program that unfolds the history, culture, and memories of Ganggyeong through various performances, experiences, and exhibitions.
• Real-time Time-Slip Exhibition (Night Painting – BE:Ganggyeong, RE:Ganggyeong – Film of Memory): A historical archive exhibition including the Old Ganggyeong Gallery, Nonsan Promotion Zone, and AI-customized travel within the Welcome Center.
• Modern Costume Experience (Night Painting – Modern Costume Salon): Virtual fitting of modern costumes in a dress shop space, era-specific makeup methods (Powder Zone), and digital window experiences of modern landscapes.
• AI Photo Studio (Night Painting – Meta-Graphy: Ganggyeong Reflection): An antique photo zone and a hologram interactive AI photo booth within the Ganggyeong Photo Studio.
• Media Art Experience Hall (Night Painting – Modern Culture Cinema Theater): An interactive media art experience with themes of a mysterious parallel universe and the lock within the Ganggyeong Cinema space.
• Ballroom Banquet Experience (Night Painting – Dance Hall: Ganggyeong Ballroom Banquet): Social dance lessons and stage production, a time-travel elevator presentation, and a nostalgic game lounge.
• Media Newspaper Experience (Night Painting – Lighthouse of Memory: Ganggyeong Newspaper): A magic newspaper where visitors explore Ganggyeong’s history by rolling a trackball, and a Maurice Column media show.

3. Consumer Participation Programs

• Stamp Tour (Night Road – Mission Stamp Tour ‘Ganggyeong Heritage Notebook’): Distribution of Ganggyeong Tongbo (local currency) and specialized Night tour goods upon collecting stamps from each national heritage course.
• Eco-friendly Plogging (Night Road – Polishing the Texture of Ganggyeong, Carbon Neutral Plogging): Walking through national heritage sites while collecting trash with an eco-friendly kit and exchanging it for upcycled goods.
• Outdoor Mission Mystery Game (Night History – Outdoor Mission Mystery Game, Ganggyeong History Story): An outdoor escape-room style game where players solve stories while taking a walking tour around Ganggyeong.
• Participatory Antique Auction (Night Market – Ganggyeong Starlight Goblin Auction House): An event where modern antiques and props donated/provided by residents are traded directly with a professional auctioneer.
• Local Flea Market (Night Market – Ganggyeong Specialty Tribute Exhibition): A market for exhibition, tasting, and sale of Nonsan/Ganggyeong specialties such as salted seafood (jeotgal), agricultural products, and workshop products.
• Character Pop-up Store (Night Market – Ganggyeong Cat Pop-up Store): Exhibition and sale of artworks by cat-themed artists and a character goods pop-up store.
• Water Purification Experience (Climate Response – Saving Eco-friendly Waterways): An edu-tour featuring the making and throwing of EM enzyme mud balls for water purification in the section from Ganggyeong Lock to Daeheungcheon.
• Recycling Flea Market (Climate Response – Resource Recycling Anabada Market): A flea market where children and family participants trade used items directly using ‘Ganggyeong Tongbo’.

4. Other Content (Food, Accommodation, and Transportation Links)

Other Food (Night Food)

• Ganggyeong Tongbo Lunchbox Picnic: A food culture experience where visitors exchange currency for Ganggyeong Tongbo, hear explanations directly from salted seafood merchants, and compose their own salted seafood lunchboxes.
• Ganggyeong Yajang: An outdoor street food stall area with a Newtro vibe, blending food trucks from the Youth Mall with traditional local foods from existing merchants.
• Modern Street Gourmet Tour: A gastronomic tour linked with 9 fixed restaurants and cafes within the Ganggyeong Modern History and Culture Street.
• Afternoon Tea Outdoor Cafe: European-style tea and refreshments enjoyed in a themed garden of modern architecture.
• Ganggyeong Lighthouse BAR ’37’: An EDM standing party enjoyed with wine, beer, makgeolli, etc., against the backdrop of the Lighthouse of Memory.

Accommodation Links (Night Stay)

• Ganggyeong Hotel Stay: Ganggyeong Tongbo rewards provided to guests staying at the Ganggyeong Hotel within the modern-concept Ganggyeong Club.
• Ganggyeong 1-Night Stay: Night view viewing benefits and rewards provided to users of accommodation facilities throughout the Ganggyeong-eup area.

Transportation and Visitor Benefits

• Night Train Travel (Night Road): Upon verification of a same-day train ticket (Daejeon/Iksan, etc.), event experience vouchers and discount coupons (Ganggyeong Tongbo) for the returning destination station are provided.

Fees

• Free: Fixed facilities and programs conducted by the foundation, such as the stamp tour.
• Paid: Booths selected through the experience/promotion/sale food truck open call (varies, around 5,000 KRW).

Event Information

📍 Address: Jungang-ri, Ganggyeong-eup, Nonsan-si, Chungcheongnam-do

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Fee: Free (Some paid)

📞 Inquiry: 041-730-2971,3

⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nonsan.night/

Ganggyeong in Nonsan developed as a river-port trading hub on the Geumgang River. From the Joseon period onward, it functioned as a transshipment point where grain, fish, salt, and other goods from inland agricultural areas were transferred to boats for destinations along the western coast and, in later periods, further afield. By the late 19th century, the waterfront was lined with warehouses, brokerage houses, and market stalls, making Ganggyeong one of the busiest commercial districts in the region.

The town’s commercial role continued into the early 20th century, and the period left a visible mark on its built environment. Several of the buildings still standing date from those decades: brick warehouses, shops, and houses that show how merchants and residents adapted newer construction methods and styles to local needs. The old streets, docks, and alleyways retain the layout of a working riverside port, and they give a practical sense of how trade organized daily life.

That built heritage is now the basis for Ganggyeong’s participation in National Heritage Night. The event draws attention to the port’s history by opening its streets and buildings to visitors, offering a direct look at the commercial architecture and urban fabric that developed around the Geumgang River in Nonsan.

Busanjin-gu Jeonpo Saitgil Beer Festival

The Beer Road Festival Jeonpo Saitgil returns for its third edition on August 28–29, 2026. Blending the distinct alleyway sensibility of Jeonpo Saitgil with a free street culture, this local festival is designed to attract domestic and international tourists with diverse tourism content that highlights the charm of individual alleyways, while branding Jeonpo as a global tourism attraction.

What sets the festival apart is its focus on the alleyway itself. Rather than a conventional beer festival, this one is rooted in the atmosphere of Jeonpo Saitgil’s streets. The main stage will bring together DJ booth performances to heighten the mood, a passionate Bachata party, and opportunities for the audience to join in directly. Lively side programs, including street dance, round out the entertainment.

Programs at a Glance

• Main Program: DJ Performance
• Side Programs: Bachata, Street Dance
• Consumer Participation Programs: Arm Wrestling, Beer Strong
• Other Details: Open Deck for amateur DJs

Beer and Food Lounges

The festival also places a strong emphasis on lounging. The Beer & Food Lounge features standing drum-barrel tables, beer machines, and food booths, providing refreshing drinks and a variety of eats. Meanwhile, the Craft Beer Lounge adds emotional floor tables and dedicated DJ music, creating a more relaxed setting for tasting Busan’s special craft beers. Together, the two spaces offer plenty of room to enjoy both taste and relaxation.

Visitor Information

• 🗓️ Dates: 2026.08.28 ~ 2026.08.29
• 📍 Address: Seojeon-ro 58beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan
• 🛏️ Accommodations near the event
• 💰 Fee: Free
• 📞 Inquiry: 051-605-4526
• ⭐️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meditour_sms/
• 🖥️ Homepage: https://litt.ly/timingus?ref=qr.litt.ly

Jeonpo Saitgil is a pedestrian-oriented alley district in Busanjin-gu, Busan, located near Jeonpo Station between two main roads. The name means “the road in between,” and the area originally served as a shortcut connecting those thoroughfares. Since then, the narrow streets have accumulated a dense mix of independent businesses—craft beer bars, pubs, cafes, and restaurants—and have become a regular meeting place for locals and visitors.

The area is marked by older low-rise buildings, many of which have been renovated with exposed brick, industrial fixtures, and murals. The streets are narrow enough that cars are less disruptive than on main avenues, and the scale makes walking from one venue to another easy. During the day, the clientele is mostly coffee drinkers and people working from laptops; in the evening, the same spaces fill with patrons drinking domestic craft beer and imported selections. The concentration of microbreweries and beer specialists has given the neighborhood the nickname “Beer Road,” but food options are not limited to bar snacks—several restaurants serve full meals, and the cafes operate independently of the alcohol trade.

The district also functions as a venue for local culture. Performances and small markets appear in the alleys on a rotating basis, and business owners frequently collaborate on seasonal events. The annual Beer Festival is the largest of these, with outdoor seating, food stalls, and temporary stages set up along the lanes. The festival draws a larger crowd than usual, but the basic layout remains the same: a contained set of blocks where visitors can sample beer, eat, and move between indoor and outdoor spaces. Because it mixes small-scale commercial development with public programming, Jeonpo Saitgil is a useful example of how older residential areas can be adapted rather than replaced.

Yuseong Jazz & Beer Festa

🗓️ 2026.08.28 ~ 2026.08.30

The Yuseong Jazz & Beer Festa is Yuseong-gu’s unique cultural tourism festival, designed to cool down hot midsummer nights. Jazz is the core concept, and craft beer companies from all over the country bring their own personalities to the event, offering a wide variety of tastes and aromas. Held annually in late August at Yurim Park, a calm green space in the city where a cool breeze blows, the festival has the comfortable, relaxed feel of an evening at a resort, away from busy daily life.

For three evenings, professional jazz musicians perform as the sunset colors the sky, while visitors explore craft beer, City Pop performances, a cocktail bar, and a hot spring brand pop-up. The result is a relaxed and romantic summer-night atmosphere that has made this festival a representative summer event of Yuseong-gu, Daejeon Metropolitan City. Best of all, entry is free, so it is easy to stay for one performance or the whole night.

Main Program

Professional Jazz Performances

• Aug 28 (Fri): Yuseong Jazz Band, Zip4, Kim Ki-chul Band & Yangji, Woongsan, Drone Light Show
• Aug 29 (Sat): Oldie But Goodie, Maria Kim, Koh Sang-ji with Latin Chicken Luna, Youn Sun Nah, Drone Light Show
• Aug 30 (Sun): Jazz Musicus, Quill Ot Trio X Yoon Duk-hyun, Malo Band, Han Sang-won Band

Craft Beer Tasting

The festival brings together 12 companies from across the country for craft beer tasting, giving visitors the chance to explore a range of flavors and aromas in one place.

Side Programs

• City Pop performances at the west side of Yurim Park
• Cocktail bar at Jazz Plaza
• Jazz Beer Salon with jazz experts
• Yuseong Hot Spring brand ‘U-ON’ pop-up store

Practical Information

• 📍 Address: 27 Eoeun-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Bongmyeong-dong)
• 🛏️ Accommodation near the event
• 💰 Fee: Free
• 📞 Inquiry: 042-611-2080
• ⭐️ Instagram
• 🖥️ Homepage

Yurim Park

Yurim Park is a riverside green space in Daejeon’s Yuseong district, laid out along the Gapcheon stream. It runs in a long, narrow strip, with wooded walking paths, open lawns, and direct bankside access to the water. The flat, shaded trails make it easy to walk or cycle from one part of the district to another, and the grassy areas are large enough for casual use as well as organised events.

The park connects several Yuseong landmarks, including Expo Bridge and Daejeon Convention Center, and is accessible from nearby residential and commercial areas. Because the routes are wide and the ground is even, the park handles pedestrian traffic well, and it is used throughout the year for picnics, public performances, and seasonal gatherings. During summer, visitors tend to come in the late afternoon and evening, when the air cools and the park is lit with temporary event lighting.

For the Yuseong Jazz & Beer Festa, these practical features are the main reason the park works as a venue. The open lawns serve as seating for audiences, the paths provide circulation routes between stalls and stages, and the linear layout gives the festival a compact but walkable footprint. The event is held there because the park can accommodate both the crowd and the infrastructure without requiring major changes to the site.

The 7th Gochang Nongak Flower Festival

🗓️ 2026.08.28 ~ 2026.08.30

The Gochang Nongak Kkotdaerim Festival is a performing arts festival built on the community spirit of Gochang Nongak, an intangible heritage of Jeonbuk State. At its center is the Kkotdaerim-gut, a village ritual traditionally held around Chilseok, the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, when residents come together to perform a gut, release the hardships they have accumulated, and pray for abundance for the rest of the year. The festival reinterprets that ritual for a contemporary audience while keeping its communal core intact.

What makes this edition distinctive is the range of formats in a single program. The lineup moves from the foundational forms of Gochang Nongak—Pungjang-gut, Mun-gut, and Pan-gut—to invited works across music, sound, and entertainment. It also includes market, exhibition, academic, and exchange programs. By placing traditional performance arts alongside hands-on activities, the festival brings visitors, cultural artists, local residents, Nongak enthusiasts, and researchers into the same space. The 7th edition runs for three days, from August 28 to 30, 2026, around the Gochang Nongak Training Center. Admission is free.

Main Programs

The festival opens with Kkotdaerim Dangsan-gut and the Kkotdaerim Opening Ceremony, then concludes with the Kkotdaerim Closing Ceremony. The rest of the program unfolds between those.

Performance Plaza

• Performance Plaza _ Gochang Nongak Pungjang-gut
• Performance Plaza _ Gochang Nongak Trainees Gutpae – Pan-gut and Japsaek
• Performance Plaza _ National Intangible Heritage Baltal
• Performance Plaza _ Gumi Mueul Nongak
• Gut-jaeng-i Exhibition

Performance Stage

• Performance Stage _ Kim Bo-ra ‘Fire, Rice, Water, Pot, Steam’
• Performance Stage _ Bang Ji-won and Gutpae ‘East Sea UNIVERSE-Gochang’
• Performance Stage _ Seedless Watermelon Kim Dae-jung ‘The Undutiful Child Plays’
• Performance Stage _ Park In-seon and Generals

Special and International Programs

• Kkotdaerim Ball _ DJ Peggy Gut
• Special Stage _ Korea-Japan International Exchange Cooperation Performance ‘One Origin: Accompanying (同行)’
• Special Stage _ Nenbutsu Kenbai Participatory Workshop

Side Events and Programs

For visitors who want to take part rather than simply watch, the festival offers several participatory formats and market activities:

• Our Flea Market
• Cute Rain Boot Headbands
• Our Kkotdaerim-gut
• ‘Cham-Cham-Cham’ (Busking), a true gut gathering where participants take part
• Show Me the Nori – Individual Play Battle

These side events reinforce the festival’s stated purpose: expanding the transmission base of Gochang Nongak and connecting the region’s traditional culture with contemporary performing arts.

Visitor Information

The festival takes place around the Gochang Nongak Training Center in Gochang-gun, Jeonbuk State.

📍 Address: 106 Hyangsan 1-gil, Seongsong-myeon, Gochang-gun, Jeonbuk State

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 063-562-2044

🖥️ Homepage: Official Website
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What is Nongak?

Nongak is a traditional Korean performing art that developed among farming communities. It combines percussion, wind, dance, and ritual, and was commonly performed to pray for good harvests, to mark seasonal events, and to strengthen village ties. In the past, most participants were farmers, and the music was played outdoors, often while moving through fields or village lanes.

The ensemble is built around four percussion instruments: the buk (barrel drum), the jing (large hanging gong), the kkwaenggwari (small gong), and the janggu (hourglass drum). A taepyeongso, a conical double-reed instrument, adds melody over the percussion. Dancers and flag bearers accompany the band. Some dancers wear sangmo, hats with long ribbons that are spun in circular motions. The choreography includes walking formations, jumps, turns, and acrobatic elements.

Nongak also has a ritual function. In traditional performances, a ceremony might begin with purification of the village, move to a parade through the fields, and conclude with a communal meal. The exact sequence varies by region.

Today, nongak is staged at festivals and can be studied as a performing art. It was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014. At the Gochang Nongak Flower Festival, audiences can watch performances by local and invited groups. The event provides an opportunity to see the music, dance, and ritual elements in one place, and to learn about the regional history that shaped them.