Jeollanam-do Opens the 2025 Namdo K-Garden Festival

Held at Jangseong Hwangryonggang Local Garden
Namdo Gardens Shine in May and June
A Variety of Events Including Busking Performances

Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeollanam-do (4th from the left in the photo), attended the opening ceremony of the "2025 Namdo K-Garden Festival" held at Jangseong Hwangryonggang Local Garden on the 9th and participated in the ribbon-cutting with key guests. Provided by Jeonnam Province

On May 9, Jeollanam-do announced the opening of the 2025 Namdo K-Garden Festival, a Namdo garden culture event, at Jangseong Hwangryonggang Local Garden.

The 2025 Namdo K-Garden Festival is being held for the first time this year, with the aim of marking 2024 as the inaugural year for the globalization of the garden culture industry. The strategy is to establish a foundation for garden tourism by hosting a variety of garden culture events during May and June, when Namdo gardens are at their most beautiful.

The opening ceremony was attended by Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeollanam-do; Lee Gaeho, National Assembly member; Kang Gijung, Mayor of Gwangju; Kim Hanjong, Mayor of Jangseong; Koo Bokgyu, Mayor of Hwasun; Kim Sung, Mayor of Jangheung; Lee Sangik, Mayor of Hampyeong; provincial council members; representatives from the National Garden Culture Institute; the Jeonnam Arboretum Garden Association; as well as about 5,000 residents and tourists.

The theme of the festival is "Namdo Garden, a Garden Embracing the Life of Namdo People." Visitors can enjoy poetic and beautiful scenery in gardens cultivated with the region's unique flowers and trees.

Major events include the Jeollanam-do Garden Festival, which will be held at Hwangryonggang Local Garden from May 9 to 18 as the main event; the Jangseong Hwangryonggang Gildongmu Flower Road Festival for two days starting May 10; Namdo Garden Walk (JN TOUR, the Jeollanam-do tourism platform, introducing 19 gardens); a small-scale private garden festival at Gurye Ssangsanjae, the Thousand Juniper Forest, and Banyawon from May 31 to June 7; the Jeonnam Beautiful Garden Contest; and the Forest (Garden) Healing Competition, among others.

Among these, the Jeollanam-do Garden Festival will be held in conjunction with the Jangseong Hwangryonggang Gildongmu Flower Road Festival (May 9-11), a representative flower festival of Jeollanam-do, and the Welcoming Visitors event (May 12-18), providing a richer and more diverse experience for visitors.

A total of 25 gardens have been created, including one representative garden, four artist gardens, and 20 participation gardens. Various gardens have been arranged throughout the beautiful landscape along the Hwangryonggang River, allowing visitors to enjoy them at their leisure.

The representative garden was created by artist Hwang Jihae, a native of Jeollanam-do who established the "Aeyangdan" Jeonnam Garden in New York last year. She designed the garden themed "Flower of Nirvana" based on the Hwangryonggang River.

The artist gardens are special invitational exhibitions: "Pillam Simwon" by artist Kim Myungyun (Gold Prize, 2024 Seoul Garden Expo Artist Garden); "Sijeol Inyeon" by artist Park Jeonga (Winner, 2024 Chaumont-sur-Loire International Garden Festival, France); "Water, Wind, and Garden" by artist Park Jongwan (Grand Prize, 3rd Korea Garden Show); and "Story of the River" by artist Seo Jayu (professor, Chonnam National University, Department of Landscape Architecture) and artist Park Byunghoon (Artist Prize, 6th Korea Garden Show). Each garden expresses the elegance, artistic spirit, and sentiments of Namdo people in a lyrical manner.

During the festival, a variety of hands-on programs will be offered, including busking performances, a garden flea market, flower drawing, garden face painting, succulent planting, and mini garden making.

Governor Kim Youngrok stated, "It is meaningful that the Jangseong Hwangryonggang Gildongmu Flower Road Festival, with its proud 24-year history, the Jangseong Music Festival, and the Namdo K-Garden Festival, which will promote the beauty of Namdo gardens to the world, are being held together at the beautiful Hwangryonggang River." He added, "With Suncheonman National Garden becoming the country's top tourist destination, and 'Aeyangdan,' the only traditional Korean garden in the United States, opening in the heart of New York, the garden culture industry initiated by Jeollanam-do has truly transformed Korea's garden culture."

He went on to emphasize, "We plan to host the Namdo Garden Biennale in 2027 and to establish the nation's first provincial garden."

Meanwhile, Jeollanam-do is home to Suncheonman National Garden, the nation's first national garden; Damyang Juknokwon Local Garden; Gurye Jirisan Garden; as well as traditional gardens such as Damyang Soswaewon and Gangjin Baekundong Garden. In addition, there are 30 private gardens and 48 beautiful gardens, making a total of 84 gardens in the province.