Jeju Fire Festival

🗓️ March 14 – March 16, 2025

The Jeju Fire Festival is an event organized to symbolically cast away the hardships of 2024, while collectively focusing on hopes for 2025 – the year of the Blue Snake. Rooted in tradition, yet embracing modernity, the festival showcases a main performance enriched with advanced media art, intertwined with captivating storytelling.

The festival is not just a spectacle, but a participatory experience. Citizens are directly involved in the planning and execution of various programs, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. These include:

• Competition Programs: Seven distinct types.
• Experience Programs: Twenty diverse options.
• Eco-friendly Programs: Six initiatives, reflecting Jeju’s commitment to ecological sensitivity.
• Performance Contents: Six unique performances.
• Side Events: Fifteen additional attractions.

The festival’s opening day features a main performance, while the second day is highlighted by the Oreum Firework Display. The diverse range of programs ensures that there’s something for everyone, whether it’s engaging in friendly competition, immersing oneself in hands-on experiences, or simply enjoying the vibrant atmosphere.

📍 Address: Bongseong-ri, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province

🛏️ Find accommodations near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Contact: 064-728-2753

⭐️ Instagram: Jeju Fire Festival’s Instagram Page

🖥️ Homepage: Jeju Fire Festival’s Official Website

What is the historical significance of fire festivals in Jeju?

Fire festivals in Jeju have historical roots in the island’s agricultural practices and cultural traditions. Originally, these festivals were held to promote a successful harvest and to protect against malevolent forces. The practice of "bangae," or setting fields on fire, was employed by Jeju’s farmers to clear old vegetation and pests, thereby revitalizing the soil for new crops. This method was both practical and symbolic, signifying purification and renewal.

As time passed, the fire festival became a communal event, uniting the island’s residents in celebration and gratitude for the land’s fertility. It provided an occasion for the community to reinforce social ties and preserve cultural traditions through storytelling, music, and dance. Today, the Jeju Fire Festival continues to honor these ancient customs, while also highlighting the island’s distinct cultural identity to visitors from around the world.