- Introduction
2017 Cultural Tourism Festivals at a Glance!
For 2017, the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism has selected 41 representative Korean cultural and tourism festivals to be divided among four categories: 3 Premier Festivals, 7 Best Festivals, 10 Excellent Festivals, and 21 Up-and-coming Festivals. In addition to these, three former representative festivals: Boryeong Mud Festival, Andong Mask Dance Festival and Jinju Namgang Yudeung (Lantern) Festival have been chosen as Global Festivals, as they are expected to increase the awareness of Korean tourism in the international arena.
The festivals are selected based on the frequency of visits by international tourists in previous year. The three premier festivals are Gimje Horizon Festival, Mungyeong Traditional Tea Cup Festival and Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival. Check out the list below for more festivals and details to look forward to in 2017!
List of the 2017 Cultural & Tourism Festivals
2017 Global Festivals
Boryeong Mud Festival LINK
【 Photo: Visitors having fun at the Boryeong Mud Festival 】 The internationally recognized summer festival in Korea, Boryeong Mud Festival will be held at Daecheon Beach, the largest beach on the western coast of the nation. As the name of the festival suggests, the theme focuses on the use of mud with facilities including mud slides, a huge mud bath and many other mud-related programs that are put in place for all visitors to enjoy!
- Period: July 21-30, 2017
- Venue: Area of Daecheon Beach in Boryeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do
Andong Mask Dance Festival LINK
【 Photo: Performers wearing traditional Korean masks at the festival 】 With the theme of tal (Korean traditional mask) and mask dancing, this is a unique cultural festival that has been introduced by many international broadcasting networks, including BBC and CNN. The festival provides the chance to watch mask dance performances from not only Korea but from other countries around the world, as well as learn some of the dances.
- Period: September 29 – October 8, 2017
- Venue: Areas of Andong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do (Talchum Park)
Jinju Yudeung Festival LINK
【 Photo: Jinju Yudeung Festival lights up the autumn night 】Jinju Yudeung Festival originates from the lighting of lanterns during the Jinjuseong Fortress Battle of the Imjin War (1592-1598). The lanterns were originally lit by people inside the fortress as a form of communication with their family members outside but were gradually seen as a form of honoring the men of merit who died during the war.
- Period: October 1-15, 2017 (Planned)
- Venue: Jinju Namgang River Area
2017 Korea Premier Festivals
Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival LINK
Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival is a winter event that revolves around sancheoneo (Masou salmon), ice and snow. Every year, the festival draws about 1 million visitors and it is considered to be the nation’s largest and most popular winter festival as a variety of programs and fun activities are offered. The most popular programs include ice fishing, ice soccer, and ice sledding.
- Period: January 14 – February 5, 2017
- Venue: Areas of Hwacheoncheon Stream and 3 districts (Gandong-myeon, Sangseo-myeon, Sanae-myeon) in Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do
- Related column: Unique Winter Festival, Hwacheon Sancheoneo (Mountain Trout) Festival
Mungyeong Traditional Tea Cup Festival LINK
【 Photo: Ceramics on display at Mungyeong Traditional Tea Cup Festival 】 Mungyeong has long had a flourishing ceramics industry owing to an abundant supply of sandy soil and firewood. Mungyeong Traditional Tea Cup Festival offers visitors an opportunity to gain a deeper appreciation for the unassuming beauty of chasabal (traditional tea bowls). Tea and pottery-related hands-on programs are facilitated by local potters from the Mungyeong region.
- Period: April 29 – May 7, 2017
- Venue:Area of Mungyeongsaejae KBS Drama Studio in Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do
- Related column: Harmony of chasabal and scent of tea; Mungyeong Traditional Chasabal Festival
Gimje Horizon Festival LINK
Gimje Horizon Festival offers visitors a chance to experience Korea's agriculture as well as various traditional cultural performances. The festival highlights the beautiful natural environment of Gimje and the rice produced in the region. The expansive fields of Gimje are fertile and offer suitable conditions for growing rice. Gimje is also the largest granary in Korea. During the festival period, visitors can experience catching grasshoppers, harvesting rice, maneuvering a cart and other exciting agricultural-related hands-on activities.
- Period: September 20-24, 2017
- Venue: Areas of Gimje-si, Jeollabuk-do (Centered at Byeokgolje)
This page was last updated in April 2017, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check details from the official websites before visiting.
<Last updated on April 6, 2017> - Festivals from January to June
- Festivals from July to December
