Jeongseon Arirang Festival

🗓️ 2026.10.01 ~ 2026.10.04

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

The Jeongseon Arirang Festival is the representative cultural tourism festival of Jeongseon-gun, held to inherit and develop the history, cultural value, and tradition of Jeongseon Arirang, a representative sound of the Republic of Korea. Arirang is listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and this festival offers a chance to experience that heritage through performances, parades, experience programs, exhibitions, and cultural arts events where tradition and modernity harmonize. The event is designed for all generations to enjoy together and is operated as a resident-participatory festival: local residents directly take part in planning and operation. Through programs linked with local cultural and tourism resources, it also contributes to revitalizing the local economy and attracting tourists. Building on the cultural value of Arirang and the unique traditions of Jeongseon, it aims to establish itself as the Republic of Korea’s representative Arirang cultural festival and to develop into a global cultural tourism festival that people around the world can empathize with.

What to see and do

Main Programs

• Opening Ceremony Theme Performance
• Chilhyeon Ritual

Side Programs

• Arirang Parade
• National Arirang Singing Contest (Children/Youth category, General category)
• A(Arirang)-POP Dance Competition

Consumer Participation Programs

• Experience programs operated by organizations and groups

Other Details

• Night market operation
• Local food
• Food trucks, etc.

The program lineup offers something to watch, something to join, and something to taste. Visitors can enjoy the parade, the singing contest, and the A-POP dance competition, while those looking for a more hands-on experience can take part in the programs run by local organizations and groups. The night market and food trucks provide local food and casual dining options throughout the event.

Practical information

📍 Address: Bongyang-ri, Jeongseon-eup, Jeongseon-gun, Gangwon State

🛏️ Accommodations near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 033-560-3013~5

⭐️ Instagram: arirangfestival_official

🖥️ Website: arirangfestival.kr

What is Jeongseon Arirang?

Jeongseon Arirang is a Korean folk song transmitted orally in Jeongseon County, a mountainous region of Gangwon State. It is one of the regional variants of Arirang, distinct from the standardized version most Koreans know. Its melody, rhythm, and vocal delivery differ noticeably: the tempo is slower, phrases are longer, and the singer uses a pronounced, wavering vibrato. The effect is less like a catchy tune and more like a sustained, expressive call.

The lyrics are sung in the local dialect. Many verses refer to specific places in Jeongseon, such as the Donggang River and Nochusan Mountain, while others deal with work and separation: miners in mountain tunnels, farmers on highland fields, and family members waiting for news from those who have left. These scenes are ordinary, but the vocal style gives them emotional weight.

Jeongseon Arirang was not written down for most of its history. It survived through performance, changing gradually as each generation passed it on. In 2012, UNESCO added Arirang, including regional versions such as Jeongseon Arirang, to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In Jeongseon, the song is still heard at festivals and local events—less as a museum piece, more as a familiar way of describing life in the mountains.