Gangjin-gun Byeongyeong-myeon 'Bulgeumbulpa Season 2' Opening... Success Path for Township-Level Project

Over 1,100 Tourists Enjoy a Joyful Moment... Byeongyeong-myeon Transforms into a Nighttime Wonderland

New Content Introduced, Including an Open Garden Tour in an Alley

Economic Revitalization Linked to the Opening of Maryang Nolto Fish Market on the 27th

Byeongyeong-myeon in Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do, held the opening event of Bulgeumbulpa Season 2 on the 19th.

According to the county on the 22nd, Byeongyeong-myeon was bustling with activity during the two-day Bulgeumbulpa event held from the 19th to the 20th.

Bulgeumbulpa was introduced by the 8th local government of Gangjin-gun to overcome the regional population extinction crisis by attracting a large number of tourists. It is evaluated as presenting a new model of local festivals by linking the region’s historical and cultural resources with the festival. Last year, it was selected as a ‘place you want to visit’ by the Korea Tourism Organization, confirming its value.

Having been successfully held last year with about 13,000 tourists visiting the event site, Bulgeumbulpa returned this year as Season 2 to celebrate the Year of Half-Price Travel in Gangjin.

On the 19th, the opening ceremony of Bulgeumbulpa Season 2 was held in the Byeongyeong-myeon area of Gangjin-gun, where Gang Jin-won, the county governor, and other key attendees cut a rice cake to celebrate the 1st anniversary of Bulgeumbulpa.
[Photo by Gangjin-gun]

On the 19th and 20th, about 1,100 tourists visited and fully enjoyed Gangjin’s late afternoon and night views.

A Vietnamese university student studying in Gwangju said, “About 80 international students came to Gangjin together at the recommendation of our department assistant,” adding, “I was very surprised that such a wonderful program exists in a Korean countryside with a history similar to ours, and we had a really fun time.”

To ensure the success of Bulgeumbulpa Season 2, Gangjin-gun newly organized one bulgogi restaurant, one snack bar, four stalls, and a youth chef zone to actively target the tastes of family tourists and MZ generation tourists.

Attractions and entertainment were also enhanced. The photo zones were strengthened with LED tulips and large flower sculptures, creating the best life moment spots full of spring atmosphere.

In particular, the highlight of Bulgeumbulpa, the dance party with an EDM DJ, was held for one hour from 6:30 p.m., where tourists and residents gathered to light up the night of Byeongyeong.

This year’s Bulgeumbulpa introduced a new attraction called ‘One Alley Open Garden,’ which was not present last year. Visitors walked through modestly created gardens in 15 areas including private houses, shared land, and vacant house village hotels in Byeongyeong-myeon, naturally providing a unique promotional and communication space to inform tourists about Byeongyeong’s past and present.

Tourists are enjoying their evening while eating bulgogi at the Bulgum Bulpa event in Byeongyeong-myeon, Gangjin-gun.
[Photo by Gangjin-gun]

The One Alley Open Garden tour took place once a day on Fridays and Saturdays as a village exploration.

A tourist from Gwangju said, “I looked closely at Jeolla Byeongyeongseong, Hamel Memorial Hall, and One Alley by bicycle,” adding, “I really liked it and there were so many enjoyable places.”

The sales performance of Bulgeumbulpa, operated mainly by residents, was also substantial. The Saemaeul Women’s Association, Youth Chef Zone, Hamel’s Tea Time, Farmer’s Market, and Grandmother’s Market were bustling, and the number of participants in experiences approached 500. The art market, One Alley Open Garden, One Alley Story Tour, and bicycle tour were popular.

The Hamel-themed tent village was also thriving. Through a special night in Gangjin, it positively influenced the revitalization of the local economy by expanding from one-time visits to stay-type tourism.

Gangjin-gun operates a bus departing from Youth Square Platform 3 at 10 a.m. every Friday and Saturday for visitors from the Gwangju area. After the schedule, it returns to Gwangju at 7:40 p.m.

Tourists are enjoying an EDM dance party at the Bulgumbulpa event in Byeongyeong-myeon, Gangjin-gun.
[Photo by Gangjin-gun]

On Fridays, the course goes through Baekryeonsa Temple and Dasan Chodang, followed by a walking tour on Gaudo Island, then visits Jeolla Byeongyeongseong and Hamel Memorial Hall, the representative tourist sites of Byeongyeong-myeon, before arriving at the Bulgeumbulpa event site. Visitors can tour Gangjin’s representative tourist attractions.

On Saturdays, after enjoying lunch at the Malyang Nolto Fish Market, which opens on the 27th, and the Daegu-myeon Celadon Village, visitors take a walking tour on Gaudo Island before arriving at the Bulgeumbulpa event site. During the day, visitors can enjoy the Malyang Nolto Fish Market, and in the evening, the representative event of Gangjin, Bulgeumbulpa.

Shuttle bus tickets can be booked online through the Bus Hanbaki website or offline on the first floor of Gwangju Intercity Bus Terminal.

Gangjin County Governor Kang Jinwon said, “Bulgeumbulpa is a new tourism model linking Gangjin’s representative food, Byeongyeong pork bulgogi, with tourism resources. The disappearing Byeongyeong traditional market is maintaining its legacy through Bulgeumbulpa and transforming into a new tourist attraction,” adding, “We will create economic effects such as population inflow through Gangjin, which attracts more tourists by turning the region’s historical and cultural resources into a festival.”

Gangjin Bulgeumbulpa Season 2 is scheduled to be held every Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. until October 26.