The "2025 World Heritage Festival: Gyeongju Historic Areas," where visitors can fully experience the relics of the thousand-year-old Silla dynasty, will be held throughout Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, from September 12 to October 3, 2025.
The World Heritage Festival is a flagship project for the utilization of national heritage, hosted by the National Heritage Administration and organized by the National Heritage Center. It was established to allow people around the world to appreciate the outstanding universal value of World Heritage, which is the shared asset of humanity.
Since its pilot run in 2020, this year marks the sixth edition of the festival. It has been designed to help both domestic and international visitors easily and enjoyably experience the value of World Heritage through a variety of programs, including performances, academic events, and hands-on activities. The cumulative number of visitors has reached approximately 1.95 million.
This year, the "2025 World Heritage Festival" will be held simultaneously in four locations: Jeju (Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes), Gyeongju (Gyeongju Historic Areas, Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple, Korean Seowon, Korean Historic Villages), Suncheon (Mountain Temples, Korean Mountain Monasteries, Korean Tidal Flats), and Gochang (Dolmen Sites, Korean Tidal Flats).
Among these, Gyeongju stands out as the sole host city, further emphasizing its symbolism as the thousand-year capital of Silla and the city with the largest number of World Heritage sites in Korea.
Gyeongju is home to four World Heritage sites: Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto (1995), Gyeongju Historic Areas (2000), Yangdong Village (2010), and Oksan Seowon (2019). This year's festival is co-hosted by the National Heritage Administration, North Gyeongsang Province, and Gyeongju City, and co-organized by the National Heritage Center and the Silla Cultural Heritage Research Institute.
The theme, "Light of a Millennium, Coexistence of Generations," marks the 30th anniversary of the World Heritage designation of Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto. Heritage sites across Gyeongju, including Namsan Mountain, Wolseong Fortress, Daereungwon, and Hwangnyongsa Temple, will serve as stages for new cultural experiences where the past and present coexist.
The opening ceremony will take place on the 12th in the Cheoksam District on the east side of Daereungwon. A parade will proceed from Bonghwangdae through Hwangridan-gil, culminating in a grand performance of Unified Silla's epic on a stage recreating the central gate of Hwangnyongsa Temple.
Following this, a musical and drone light show themed "Hwangnyong, Fly Again" will herald the beginning of a new millennium.
On the 13th and 14th, the "Silla Palgwanhoe" performance, a modern reinterpretation of the Palgwanhoe festival based on records from the "Samguk Sagi" and "Samguk Yusa," will be staged.
Additionally, heritage sites that have remained in the realm of preservation will be transformed into living culture through performances, exhibitions, hands-on activities, and digital content.
Notable examples include the "Finding Myself in Seokguram" meditation experience inside Seokguram Grotto, and "Stories Written with Light IN Bulguksa," where visitors can walk directly on Cheongungyo and Baegungyo bridges at Bulguksa Temple.
There will also be a wealth of nighttime programs to illuminate the deepening autumn nights.
These include "Queen Seondeok's Starry Night," a stargazing program at Cheomseongdae Observatory; "Night Walk at Yangdong Village and Dokrakdang Old House"; "Bunhwangsa Music Concert," where moonlight, starlight, and people come together; "New Kushnameh," a performance combining Silla hyangga, Cheoyongmu dance, and Persian epic; and "Ah, Night of Silla," a storytelling tour following the birth legend of Kim Alji of Silla.
In particular, this year's festival is expected to draw international attention as it will be held ahead of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.
Gyeongju City plans to use this event to expand the scope of cultural diplomacy through World Heritage and further strengthen its status as a global cultural city.
Detailed schedules and programs for the "2025 World Heritage Festival: Gyeongju Historic Areas" can be found on the official website.
Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nakyoung stated, "Gyeongju is the thousand-year capital of Silla and the city with the most World Heritage sites in Korea. It is highly significant that the first World Heritage Festival is being held to mark the 30th anniversary of the inscription of Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto. Through this festival, I hope the brilliant Silla heritage will be revived in our daily lives and that future generations will continue to carry on its value."
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