Andong·Yeongju, Suwon Hwaseong, Jeju for Two Months
The World Heritage Festival will be held in Andong and Yeongju, Gyeongbuk (September 3?25), Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, Gyeonggi (October 1?22), and the Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes in Jeju (October 1?16). This event conveys the value and significance of UNESCO World Heritage sites to visitors. It features programs such as performances, exhibitions, and hands-on experiences.
This year’s theme is "World Heritage in Transit." The Andong and Yeongju events take place at Hahoe Village, Sosu Seowon, Dosan Seowon, Byeongsan Seowon, Buseoksa Temple, and Bongjeongsa Temple. At Hahoe Village, the "World Heritage Festival Theme Pavilion," designed by architect Seung Hyo-sang, serves as a hub for exhibitions by prominent domestic and international artists. At Buseoksa Temple, choreographer An Eun-mi presents the contemporary dance drama "Buseoksa Myungmujeon: Giteuk Giteuk" and a media art exhibition titled "Gamkaemuryang." Byeongsan Seowon hosts the musical drama "Pungnyu Byeongsan: Song of Fragrance." There are also Seowon experience programs such as "Three Days at Byeongsan Seowon" and "Extreme Experience Scholar ? Sosu Seowon Student Experience," as well as nighttime attractions including the "Sosu Seowon Portrait Enshrinement Ceremony," "Seonyu Julbulnori," and "Dosan Seowon Night Opening." A festival official stated, "We aim to convey the traditional values of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Neo-Confucianism embedded in the World Heritage sites through the stories of contemporary artists."
At Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, programs include "Masters (巨匠): Sacred Artisans," which elevates the labor of the craftsmen who built Hwaseong Fortress into art, and "Delicious Suragan," which explores King Jeongjo’s royal court cuisine through the five senses. Citizen-led programs such as "Seongan People," reenacting figures from the Uigwe (royal protocols), and the "World Heritage Academy," involving local youth, are also featured. Additionally, there is an exhibition titled "Artisan Village in the Uigwe," focusing on the craftsmen recorded in the Uigwe who built Hwaseong Fortress; an augmented reality (AR) game content called "Heirs of Hwaseong Fortress," set against Hwaseong Fortress and the closed shops in Haenggung-dong; and a nighttime fortress viewing program, "Walking the Night of Hwaseong Fortress." These programs offer visitors diverse opportunities for direct participation and experience.
In Jeju, nine programs under the theme "Connect" explore how the World Natural Heritage and human life are interconnected. These include cultural and artistic projects such as the "Path of Fire Art Project" and the "Manjanggul Art Project," as well as programs like "Visiting World Natural Heritage Villages," "World Natural Heritage Pilgrimage Group," and "World Natural Heritage Special Expedition Team." For more details, please refer to the World Heritage Festival integrated website.
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