Successful Crowd Draw Despite Heatwave... "2025 Yeongdeok National Heritage Night" Concludes

A Night Stroll Through Yeongdeok's Modern Heritage
Over 5,000 Visitors Experience
Retro Culture and Local Festivities

The "2025 Yeongdeok National Heritage Night," hosted by Yeongdeok County and organized by the Yeongdeok Culture and Tourism Foundation, was held from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on August 22 and 23, 2025, in Seongnae-ri, Yeonghae-myeon, Yeongdeok County (Modern Historical and Cultural District of Yeonghae Market Street).

At the 2025 Yeongdeok National Heritage Night Tour, over 200 people including the Yeongdeok County Governor, county council members, residents, tourists, and actors are participating in a modern costume parade. Photo by Yeongdeok County

This year’s Yeongdeok Night Festival was themed "1925 Yeonghae: Strolling Through That Night" and featured eight nightscapes and 24 programs across eight different night-themed categories.

In line with the theme, the lantern-lit streets of Seongnae-ri were transformed into a bustling modern district where rickshaws traveled and modern boys and girls greeted visitors, taking instant photographs. Inside the Yeonghae Financial Cooperative, which was established in 1935, exhibits such as currency, bonds, and savings passbooks used during the cooperative’s operation were on display, drawing in visitors.

On the evening of Saturday, August 23, over 200 participants-including the Yeongdeok County Governor and county council members stylishly dressed in fedoras, professional actors and local residents in modern costumes, as well as residents and tourists-led a lively street parade with a traditional music troupe at the forefront.

Throughout the two days of the event, which took place during a heatwave, a variety of performances were held. The special stage at the former Yeonghae Financial Cooperative hosted the main performance, "1925 Yeonghae (Modern Songs with Commentary)," adding a touch of romance to the midsummer night. Afterwards, a community cultural club put on an energetic show, helping to beat the heat.

This year’s festival especially stood out for its abundance of food and entertainment content. Next to the outdoor special stage, local residents operated booths offering traditional foods, while four youth-run businesses (a traditional cafe, dessert cafe, handmade fish cake shop, and fusion pub), established through Yeongdeok County’s Neighbor Village Project, extended their business hours to accommodate the influx of visitors in the modern district alleyways.

Additionally, the stamp tour event, which allowed visitors to receive gifts by collecting stamps at youth businesses and various nationally registered cultural heritage sites throughout the area, proved extremely popular, with all 2,300 leaflets and souvenirs being distributed.

On the evening of August 23, young artists who had come to Yeonghae set up an art market in front of the Yeonghae-myeon Administrative Welfare Center, offering exhibitions such as comic book rooms and webtoons, as well as performances featuring gayageum and beatboxing, providing visitors with a unique and enjoyable experience.

Members of a lifestyle culture club are performing on the outdoor special stage at the 2025 Yeongdeok National Heritage Night Festival. Provided by Yeongdeok County

A tourist from Seoul who visits Yeongdeok every year shared, "Compared to last year, the Yeongdeok National Heritage Night has become even more diverse. There are more shops open late at night, and the streets are livelier with more people walking around. It’s a bit sad that all of this will disappear after just two days, but I’m already looking forward to next year’s festival."

A Yeongdeok County official commented, "Despite the ongoing heatwave, more than 5,000 people visited the modern historical and cultural district and enjoyed the festivities late into the night. Building on this year’s Yeongdeok National Heritage Night, we plan to develop a retro-themed street extending to the Yeonghae Manse Market and further revitalize Yeongdeok-style night tourism centered around modern cultural heritage."