"Beat the Heat!"... Namdo Now 'Into the Festival'

Festivals to Fully Showcase the Charm of Namdo
Namdo Food Culture Grand Festival on the 27th in Mokpo
Myeongrang Daecheop Festival and Gukhyang Daejeon on October 18

After the Chuseok holiday ends, festivals that fully showcase the charm of Namdo will take place throughout Jeollanam-do. The photo shows the 2023 Korea Chrysanthemum Festival.
[Photo by Jeollanam-do]

Although it is mid-September, the heatwave shows no sign of retreating. However, the autumn atmosphere, which hastens the arrival of fall, can be felt in the morning and evening temperatures.

After the Chuseok holiday, various festivals are scheduled across Jeollanam-do, expected to further showcase the unique charm of the Namdo region.

Jeollanam-do announced on the 16th that it is preparing a variety of global festivals and discount events full of taste, style, and charm to welcome travelers who want to enjoy autumn.

Korea’s representative food festival, the ‘International Namdo Food Culture Festival,’ will be held from the 27th to the 29th under the theme ‘Taste of Namdo! Connecting the World’ at the Mokpo Culture and Arts Center area. A World Gourmet Pavilion and Namdo Jongga Food Pavilion will be newly established, and existing city/county and theme pavilions, as well as the Masters Pavilion, will be expanded.

The ‘Myeongnyang Victory Festival’ is a patriotic historical and cultural festival commemorating Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s Joseon navy and Jeolla fishermen’s defeat of the Japanese navy at Uldolmok. It will take place from October 18 to 20 around Uldolmok. The moment when the history of the 1597 Myeongnyang Battle, where 13 ships defeated 133 enemy vessels, comes alive again, the festival features a cutting-edge ICT convergence multimedia naval battle, a naval parade by the descendants of the Joseon navy, an air force airshow, and various programs and scenic lighting, offering a rich array of attractions.

The third annual ‘Jeonnam Camping Tourism Expo’ will be held from October 25 to 27 at the Yeongam International Circuit. Breaking away from traditional camping styles, a unique campsite utilizing the F1 racing track will be created, attracting nationwide enthusiasts. In addition to exhibitions of various camping equipment, caravans, and camping cars, visitors can enjoy unforgettable experiences such as kart rides and driving on the dedicated roads of the international racing circuit.

The ‘Namdo Liquor Festa,’ combining Jeonnam’s alcoholic beverages with tourism and gourmet resources, will be held from November 7 to 9 at Naju Bitgaram Lake Park. Held for the first time this year as part of the Jeonnam World Tourism Culture Expo project to promote stay-type tourism and regional economic development, it will showcase and sell various traditional liquors and local beers from Jeonnam, with permanent experiential spaces where visitors can eat and enjoy. The opening ceremony will feature a lighting performance linked to Naju city’s light event and a cocktail show, creating a festival that satisfies all five senses.

In addition, each city and county will present diverse festivals reflecting their local characteristics. The 24th ‘Yeonggwang Bulgapsan Lycoris Festival’ will be held from the 13th to the 22nd at Bulgapsan in Yeonggwang under the theme ‘Dyed in the Light of Lycoris GO!, Stay in Yeonggwang GO!’ Against the backdrop of Bulgapsan, the largest lycoris colony in Korea, the festival offers various attractions such as flower path walks, moonlight night tours, and media facades. Photo zones are also set up where visitors can capture their best moments with loved ones against the red lycoris flowers that color the entire mountain.

The ‘Suncheon Food and Art Festival,’ hosted by Suncheon City, will take place from the 27th to the 29th in the Suncheon old downtown area under the theme ‘Delicious Style on the Road.’ The festival features a food market, art market, and garden market with direct participation from Suncheon citizens, along with diverse street performances and hands-on programs for visitors, adding art to the streets of Suncheon and providing a festival led by citizens for everyone to enjoy.

The ‘Mokpo Harbor Festival,’ a unique festival held at the only offshore fish market, Pasi, will be held from October 11 to 13 at the Mokpo Port Coastal Terminal and Samhakdo area. Selected by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a 2024?2025 cultural tourism festival, the Mokpo Harbor Festival offers experiences such as fresh seafood auctions on a marine stage, grilling seafood purchased at low prices while enjoying the sea view, and tasting dishes prepared on-site by chefs through the fish market’s Suragan, allowing visitors to experience the rich romance of Mokpo Harbor.

The ‘Korea Chrysanthemum Festival,’ which won the grand prize in the 2024 Festival Tourism category at the Korea Festival Content Awards hosted by the Korea Festival Content Association, will be held from October 18 to November 3 at Hampyeong Expo Park. The festival creates a fantastic atmosphere with autumn-themed scenic displays and various chrysanthemum bonsai works, turning the festival grounds into photo zones. Additionally, eco-friendly agricultural product exhibitions and sales, traditional folk game experiences, and cultural and artistic performances suited to the autumn festival atmosphere will be held.

Jeonnam Province is not only focusing on festivals but also operating travel products centered on five core local tourism resources?representative festivals, gourmet, wellness, Namdo K-culture, and agricultural and fishing villages?in preparation for the ‘2024?2026 Jeonnam World Tourism Culture Expo,’ which will be held over three years starting this year. These products emphasize rest and relaxation, history and culture, and experience and gourmet fields.

To help travelers enjoy Jeonnam cost-effectively, the ‘Namdo Accommodation Discount Big Event’ offers accommodation discount coupons based on payment amounts. Eligible tourists are those residing outside Jeonnam, and when using accommodations within the province, a payment of 100,000 KRW or more receives a 40,000 KRW discount coupon, 70,000 KRW or more receives a 30,000 KRW coupon, and less than 70,000 KRW receives a 20,000 KRW coupon. An additional 10,000 KRW discount is provided upon certification as a ‘Jeonnam Love (愛) Supporter.’ Accommodation reservations and payments can be made through the Jeonnam Tourism Platform (JN TOUR) app.

Joo Sun-seon, Director of the Tourism and Sports Bureau of Jeonnam Province, said, “We have prepared various festivals and programs so that tourists visiting Jeonnam in autumn can have a rich experience,” adding, “We hope visitors will come to Jeonnam this autumn and enjoy a regret-free trip.” He further stated, “Jeonnam is emerging as a genuine global tourist destination by successfully hosting the World Tourism Culture Expo over the next three years and expanding insufficient tourism infrastructure and premium accommodations through projects such as the Southern Region Wide-area Tourism Development.”