The 28th Muju Banditbul Festival Successfully Concludes with ESG Concept Introduction

9-Day Grand Journey... Praised as a '3-No (無) Festival'

The '28th Muju Firefly Festival,' which was the first regional festival to introduce the ESG concept and lead eco-friendly practices, concluded its 9-day grand journey with a splendid closing ceremony on the 8th.

The closing ceremony was held at the Muju Deungnamu Stadium. About 5,000 people, including Hwang Inhong, the governor of Muju County, Oh Gwangseok, the chairman of the county council, Yoo Songyeol, chairman of the Firefly Festival Organizing Committee, tourists, and residents, attended, adding significance to the event.

On the 6th, the 28th Muju Firefly Festival featured a spectacular display of firefly lights (Anseong Nakwhanori, drone show, fireworks, laser show, Starlight Bridge).
[Photo by Muju-gun]

The event began with performances by a line dance team and choir composed of local residents, and the Taekwondo demonstration team "Ssaulabi" from Jeonju University. It proceeded with the presentation of the Citizens' Award and plaques of appreciation, viewing of the festival highlight video, and a grand citizens' chorus singing the 'Firefly Festival Theme Song.'

The Citizens' Award for Culture and Sports was awarded to Park Cheonseok from Anseong-myeon, the Industrial Labor Award to Park Mincheol from Bunam-myeon, the Filial Piety Award to Im Oksun from Anseong-myeon, and the Patriotism Award to Moon Woochul of the Jaebusan Muju County Residents Association.

Gwak Dongyeol, president of Muju Nonghyup; Kim Seonggon, president of Gucheon-dong Nonghyup; Park Cheolsu, president of Muju County Forestry Cooperative; Song Jegun, president of Mujinjang Livestock Cooperative; and Kang Sinjeong, CEO of Geumnong Food in Anseong-myeon, received plaques of appreciation from the governor of Muju County for their contributions to the smooth progress of this festival.

Governor Hwang Inhong of Muju County said, "This year, the festival added the ESG concept to the 'three no's' festival?no overcharging, no disposable products, and no safety accidents?providing convenience to visitors and practicing eco-friendliness, thereby presenting the direction and standards for regional festivals to follow." He added, "It created an opportunity to leap forward as a global ecological environment festival beyond Korea."

He continued, "Building on this momentum, we will establish the Muju Firefly Festival as a socially responsible festival that conveys and practices eco-friendly messages, making Muju a special natural city where people and nature coexist."

On the 1st, the '28th Muju Firefly Festival' Namdaecheon Life Plus event. [Photo provided by Muju-gun]

Meanwhile, the Muju Firefly Festival, which began in 1997 under the theme 'Muju, the Land of Nature,' has been recognized for its distinctiveness and influence by being designated as an excellent festival by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for 10 consecutive years, a top festival for 5 consecutive years, a representative festival of Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province for 2 consecutive years, an honorary cultural tourism festival for 5 consecutive years, and selected as a festival in the Ecotourism category of the 2024 Pinnacle Awards.