Full Moon Festival, Samcheok
The highland city of Samcheok, Gangwon Province, is set to celebrate its annual Full Moon Festival, known as “Jeongwol Daeboreum.” Jeongwol Daeboreum is a traditional holiday marking the first full moon of the Lunar New Year.
The festival will be held Feb. 3-5 at areas near Samcheok Beach and Expo Square in the city.
The three-day event offers a singing competition, stage performances and other traditional Korean folk games, including tug-of-war.
The most famous activity is “daljip taeugi,” a fire-related ritual to burn away evil and wish for a safe year, conducted on the last day of the festival. Daljip taeugi can be translated as “burning the moon house.”
All events and activities are free and open to visitors of all ages.
Lighting Festival at Garden of Morning Calm
The Lighting Festival at the Garden of Morning Calm opens its doors until March 19 at the main garden of the Garden of the Morning Calm in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province.
The event is the first lighting festival in Korea to combine natural surroundings with dazzling light installations.
Environmentally friendly light-emitting diodes shine throughout the garden to entertain visitors with colorful lights and showcase the amazing landscape.
The garden is lit up after sunset and operates until 9 p.m in weekdays and Sundays. It closes at 11 p.m. on Saturdays and public holidays
While the festival is open to visitors of all ages, admission fees vary.
Jeju Fire Festival
The Jeju Fire Festival will be held at Saebyeol Oreum in Aewol-eup on Jeju Island, from March 18-20.
The annual festival is a reinterpretation of “bangae,” the oldest nomadic culture on Jeju Island, where people pray for wealth and health by burning off the old grass and killing vermin in the fields.
The shimmering flames provide a stupendous view for visitors.
To hold a safe festival, all the programs of the Jeju Fire Festival -- the opening ceremony, lighting the flames and more -- require reservation via the festival’s official website.
Admission is free and the event is open to visitors of all ages.
Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival, Cheongyang
The Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival runs from Jan. 1 to Feb. 12 at the Alps Village in Cheongyang, South Chungcheong Province.
The festival offers various activities, including sledding, bobsledding, ice fishing, a zip line course, horseback riding, bare-handed fishing and more.
Visitors who do not wish to participate in the hands-on experiences can also enjoy the ice fountain, ice artwork and ice cave.
The festival is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tickets can be bought via Naver Booking or in person for 8,000 won each. Participation fees vary for individual activities.
Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
The Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is taking place until Sunday.
The main event of the festival, ice fishing, takes place on the frozen Hwa Stream.
The festival is set to entertain visitors of all ages with other hands-on activities, including bare-handed fishing, ice sledding, bobsledding, trout grilling and more.
Reservations for the festival can be made online. Tickets are 15,000 won for participants aged 12 and above. The event is free for those under 12, but they must be accompanied by an adult.
