'2023 Gwanak Gang Gamchan Festival' Attracts Over 230,000 Visitors

From the 13th to the 15th, Nakseongdae Park and Byeolbitnaerimcheon (Dorimcheon) area will be filled with various attractions including ▲Gwanak Parade 21 ▲2nd Gang Gam-chan Song Festival ▲Namchang-dong Tightrope Walking Performance ▲Fireworks Gang Gam-chan Drone Show ▲Gamchani's Housewarming Quiz Show and more

Gwanak-gu (Mayor Park Jun-hee) successfully concluded the '2023 Gwanak Gang Gam-chan Festival,' held from October 13 to 15 around Nakseongdae Park and Byeolbitnaerin Stream (Dorimcheon), receiving high praise from residents.

This year's '2023 Gwanak Gang Gam-chan Festival,' themed 'Invitation of Gang Gam-chan,' was designed so that all residents of Gwanak-gu could feel the festival's excitement and lingering impression anytime and anywhere.

First, to attract the attention of many residents, the district conducted pre-events such as 'Gang Gam-chan Anywhere,' visiting various parts of Gwanak-gu to personally invite residents to the festival. Additionally, the festival venue was expanded from the traditional Nakseongdae Park to include Byeolbitnaerin Stream (Dorimcheon), encouraging greater participation from residents.

As a result, the '2023 Gwanak Gang Gam-chan Festival' was successfully completed with over 230,000 residents attending. Residents praised it as a 'unique historical and cultural festival.'

On October 13, the festival began with the memorial rite 'Inheonje.' Residents of Gwanak-gu gathered at Anguksa Temple located in Nakseongdae Park to honor General Gang Gam-chan in a meaningful ceremony. Following this, events such as ▲the 'Calligraphy Contest' to discover Gwanak-gu's hidden master calligraphers ▲the 'Starry Goryeo Playground' featuring traditional Goryeo-era games ▲the '2nd Gang Gam-chan Song Festival' with Jo Young-gu were held. The 2nd Gang Gam-chan Song Festival featured invited singers Kim So-yu and Shin In-seon, adding excitement to the festival.

On the same day at Byeolbitnaerin Stream (Dorimcheon), ▲a media art show and 'Gwanak Parade 21,' an experiential booth planned by residents from 21 neighborhoods reflecting their village characteristics, were held. ▲Experiences such as Goryeo-era woodblock printing ▲making Goryeo-era paper ▲trying on Goryeo-era clothing filled the Byeolbitnaerin Stream (Dorimcheon) area with unique attractions.

The festival continued with various events on the following day. ▲A stage talk show praying for peace featuring Generals Gang Gam-chan, Eulji Mundeok, and Yi Sun-sin ▲themed performances including the Gwanak Children's Taekwondo Demonstration Team and Little Gang Gam-chan's 'Sound of Peace Drums' ▲the experiential booth zone 'Modern Trading Port: Byeokrando 21' set up around Nakseongdae Park ▲tightrope walking performance in Namchang-dong ▲the Fireworks Gang Gam-chan Drone Show ▲and a congratulatory performance by the Seodo Band offered diverse entertainment for the whole family.

Among these, residents shared their impressions of the 'Fireworks Gang Gam-chan Drone Show,' which expressed General Gang Gam-chan’s fiery life through fireworks and drones, saying, "It was fantastic, as if a star existing in the distant sky rose right above our heads," and "It was so large and splendid that it could be seen from anywhere near Nakseongdae Park."

An official from the Gwanak Cultural Foundation said, "The 2023 Gwanak Gang Gam-chan Festival was designed to offer resident-led on-site experiences rather than passive audiovisual ones," adding, "Along with the experiences, we hope residents enjoyed excellent performances by local artists such as the media art show and busking."

The final day of the festival featured ▲the Goryeo-era civil service exam experience 'Gamchan’s Housewarming Quiz Show' ▲and the 'Gang Gam-chan Talk Show' themed on Goryeo history. Notably, on this day, Mayor Park Jun-hee visited the 'Starry Photo Zone' to hang 'wish lanterns' with residents, sincerely praying for the health and happiness of 500,000 Gwanak-gu citizens.

Mayor Park Jun-hee of Gwanak-gu said, "Gwanak-gu strives every year to present the Gwanak Gang Gam-chan Festival to residents in a fresh and innovative way," and added, "We will continue to work tirelessly with an identity that embraces Gwanak’s unique culture and arts, so we hope many residents look forward to an increasingly magnificent Gwanak Gang Gam-chan Festival."

Meanwhile, the district made every effort to promote a 'waste-free festival' by recruiting plogging volunteers and encouraging the use of reusable containers.