Boseong Dahyang Tea Festival Kicks Off with Nine Signature Boseong Events

A Festival for All Senses:
Experience the Freshness of Boseong

The 47th Boseong Dahyang Tea Festival, themed "The Temptation of a Millennium Tea: Boseong's Proposal," is just two weeks away and will be held for five days from May 3 to May 7, 2024.

Let us take a preview trip to the Korea Tea Culture Park, the main venue that is preparing to open a new era of "convergence festivals" by integrating nine of Boseong, Jeollanam-do’s signature festivals into one unified event that everyone in the country can enjoy.

[Photo by Boseong County]

▲ Experience a Millennium of Tea in Boseong

The 47th Boseong Dahyang Tea Festival will shed light on the thousand-year history of Boseong tea and the history of tea on the Korean Peninsula, including the "Daso" of the Goryeo Dynasty, where tea was produced and offered as a tribute to the state.

The opening ceremony, held at the main stage of Boseong Public Stadium, will coincide with the 47th Boseong County Citizens’ Day and feature a performance titled "Tea Garden Oath" with Hadong County, which became a sister city in January.

Key highlights to watch include: △Afternoon Tea Party, △Boseong Love Infused with Tea, △Boseong Tea Master Cup, △Boseong Dahyang Tea Festival Week in Seoul, △Seoul Tea Experience in Boseong, △Boseong Tea Making, and △Tea Leaf Picking. In total, 72 programs will be offered across eight categories.

In addition, to provide an experience of not only Korean tea culture and industry but also the current state of global tea culture and industry, Boseong County will operate tea culture pavilions with Hadong County, China, Japan, and more. There will also be traditional tea ceremonies, matcha whisking experiences, tea roasting, tea food tastings, and an exhibition of royal Korean tea ware.

Visitors can borrow tea ware and freely enjoy tea purchased at the venue amidst Boseong’s vast natural surroundings. Art shades and bean bag sofas will be installed to create a unique and romantic atmosphere at the festival grounds.

▲ A Feast of Sound and Light in Boseong

From May 4 to May 6, the 26th Seopyeonje Boseong Sori Festival will be held at the Boseong Culture and Arts Center and Pansori Sacred Site, featuring memorial ceremonies and performances for master singers, competitions for masters and virtuosos, and a national pansori contest, all to continue Boseong’s legacy as a center of traditional music.

Additionally, from May 4 to May 6, a "Daily Concert" will be held around Boseong Station, uniting residents and tourists. Top-tier domestic singers will participate, offering healing moments for everyone, regardless of age or gender.

Notably, after the Daily Concert on May 4, the "Boseong Drone Light Show" will feature over 500 drones, showcasing Yeolseonru Pavilion, which played a key role in Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s preparations for the Battle of Myeongnyang, and the thousand-year legacy of Boseong tea.

▲ A Vibrant Community Gathering

On May 3, the 47th County Citizens’ Day will be held at Boseong Public Stadium, serving as a venue for community harmony. The event will feature the presentation of the Boseong County Citizen Award, a youth leap commemoration ceremony, a county sports festival, and a variety of programs such as "Masked Singer" (singing contest).

On May 5, Children’s Day, the 102nd Children’s Day event will take place on the lawn plaza of the Korea Tea Culture Park. Families visiting Boseong with children can participate in family photo making, balloon art, Golden Bell challenge, prize draws, and other hands-on programs.

▲ Unique Experiences Amidst Boseong’s Pristine Nature

Boseong is blessed with vast terraced tea fields, refreshing flat tea fields, and the beautiful Yulpo Pine Beach. During the festival, the 20th Ilimsan Azalea Cultural Event, the 19th Boseong Green Tea Marathon, and the 2024 Korea Optimist National Yacht Competition will all open against the backdrop of Boseong’s pristine natural environment.

The 20th Ilimsan Azalea Cultural Event will be held from May 4 to May 6 at Ilimsan in Ungchi-myeon, home to the nation’s largest azalea colony. At the summit, where 150 hectares of light pink azaleas meet the blue sea, visitors can enjoy a mountain spirit ritual, a forest concert, a forest culture photo exhibition, and cypress wood cutting activities.

National-level sporting events will also be held in succession. The 19th Boseong Green Tea Marathon, which runs along the metasequoia-lined road, will take place on May 4 at Boseong Public Stadium. The 2024 Korea Optimist National Yacht Competition will be held over two days from May 4 at the Boseong Yulpo Pine Beach.

Meanwhile, the 2nd National Ssireum (Korean Wrestling) Championship is underway at the Beolgyo Sports Center in Boseong for seven days until April 19.

Boseong = Park Cheonseok, Honam News Bureau, Asia Economy hss79@asiae.co.kr