[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Night of Jeonju and Heritage Story

The Night of Jeonju and Heritage Story will take place Oct. 22-23 at Gyeonggijeon Shrine, Jeonju Hanok Village and Jeolla Gamyeong, the provincial government office.

The annual event was postponed from September due to a COVID-19 surge.

The two-day festival seeks to remember Korea’s cultural heritage and ancestors, and Jeonju is home to many Joseon-era historical sites.

The festival will be held both online and offline. While admission fees vary for different events, some require reservations in advance.

Reservations can be made Oct. 11-15, and more information can be found at www.jeonjunight.com.

Suwon Culture Night

Suwon Culture Night will take place in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Oct. 15-17.

Suwon Culture Night is held at Suwon Hwaseong Fortress and Hwaseong Temporary Palace, which are decorated with media art so that every corner of the site offers a historical and cultural experience.

Admission fees depend on the activity, and updates can be found at www.swcf.or.kr. 

Bupyeong Pungmul Festival

The Bupyeong Pungmul Festival is scheduled to take place in Bupyeong, Incheon, Oct. 13-17.

This year’s festival will be held both online and offline. The in-person activities will be at Camp Market and the Bupyeong Art Center, and the event will also be broadcast via the festival’s official YouTube channel.

The festival, established in 1997, seeks to promote traditional culture, recall Bupyeong’s farming traditions and share with visitors the rhythm of “pungmul,” or farmers’ music.

Visitors of all ages are welcome to enjoy various activities for free, including concerts and drone shows.

Updates can be found at portal.icbp.go.kr/bpf.

Incheon Open Port Culture Night

Incheon Open Port Culture Night will take place Nov. 5-7 at Incheon’s Open Port Culture District in Jung-gu.

The festival showcases the history and culture of Incheon, South Korea’s first cosmopolitan city. Managed by the Incheon Tourism Organization, the event offers storytelling walking tours, splendid lighting displays and concerts.

Visitors of all ages are welcome to enjoy the festival for free.

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

Yeoju Ogok Naru Festival

The Yeoju Ogok Naru Festival is to be an online-offline hybrid event at the Yeoju Premium Outlet from Nov. 12 through 14.

The event seeks to promote agricultural produce, including rice and sweet potatoes, from Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province. Its open markets are ready to greet visitors, who can buy local products at affordable prices.

The Yeoju Sejong Culture Foundation offers concerts, fireworks, “ssireum” (traditional Korean wrestling), tightrope walking and the Korean traditional shamanic ritual “gut.” Performances and programs vary in duration, and visitors of all ages are welcome.

Updates can be found at www.yjogoknaru.or.kr.

By Lee Si-jin (sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)