[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Yulbom Botanical Garden Impatiens Flower Season, Gwangju

The Impatiens Flower Festival, which kicked off on July 31, will run through Sept. 10 at Yulbom Botanical Garden in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province.

Flower lovers can enjoy both impatiens and sunpatiens flowers spread around the 66,000 square meter areas.

As there are plenty of benches and bedsteads, visitors can relax and enjoy their break to the fullest.

Visitors can dye their fingernails orange using impatiens flowers as well.

Other hands-on activities, like rosemary flowerpot making program and pressed flowers necklace making are available as well. Each activity costs 8,000 won.

Yulbom Botanical Garden is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission costs 5,000 won.

More information can be found in Korean at https://yulbom1107.modoo.at.

Icheon Rice Cultural Festival

The 22th edition of the Icheon Rice Cultural Fesitval is taking place at the Icheon Farm Park in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, from Oct. 18 to 22.

The five-day event celebrates the city's famous rice, once served to the kings, and the local agricultural practices.

Cultural activities, concerts, stage performances and more are offered.

Visitors of all ages can experience how to make various types of rice cakes at the event booth as well. Admission is free.

More information can be found in Korean and English at www.ricefestival.or.kr.

Wonju Dancing Carnival

The Wonju Dancing Carnival will be held at the Wonju Sports Complex in Gangwon Province from Sept. 22 to 24.

The event will feature various programs, including art performances, a dance competition, a fringe festival, a free dancing festa and more.

K-pop girl group fromis_9 and singers Insooni and Kim Bum-soo are scheduled to perform onstage.

Admission is 10,000 won, with a special discounted rate of 5,000 won for Wonju residents.

More information can be found at www.ddcwj.com.

Donggang International Photo Festival

The Donggang International Photo Festival runs through Sept. 24 at Donggang Museum of Photography in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province.

The event displays different types of photos, including a photo diary exhibition made by elementary school students, family albums, an international open call exhibition, a photo journalism exhibition and more.

Visitors of all ages are welcome.

Admission is 1,000 won, 1,500 won and 3,000 won for children, teenagers and adults, respectively.

Geumsan World Insam Festival

The Geumsan Insam Festival has been held annually since 1981 in Geumsan-gun, South Chungcheong Province -- the largest ginseng-producing region in South Korea.

Growing both in content and in size, the festival was selected as a cultural tourism festival by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Sports in 1996.

The ginseng-themed event is scheduled to run from Oct. 6 to Oct. 15 at the Geumsan Insam Exhibition Hall.

Visitors can try their hand at harvesting ginseng and visit a selection of international agricultural heritage booths.

More information can be found at www.insamfestival.co.kr.