Gangneung City to Host 2026 Byeongo Year Sunrise Festival
Midnight Hourglass Rotation Ceremony at the World’s Largest Hourglass on the 31st
Hopeful New Year Countdown... A Safe and Unique Sunrise Celebration
A unique performance, unlike anything seen elsewhere, is set to take place at Jeongdongjin Hourglass Park, home to the world’s largest hourglass, to celebrate the arrival of the 2026 Byeongo Year.
The most distinctive feature of the Jeongdongjin Sunrise Festival is that it goes beyond a simple sunrise viewing, allowing visitors to experience both the sunset and the beginning of the new year at the same time. At the heart of this event is the hourglass, the symbol of Jeongdongjin.
Jeongdongjin began to capture the hearts of the nation after it was featured as a filming location for the popular 1990s Korean drama "Hourglass."
In 2000, to commemorate the new millennium and build on this fame, Gangneung City constructed the world’s largest hourglass at this site, conveying a message of peace and hope for humanity. This magnificent hourglass, measuring 8.06 meters in diameter and weighing 40 tons, is designed so that it takes exactly one year for all the sand to fall. Every year at midnight on December 31, a grand "rotation ceremony" is held to flip the hourglass.
This year is especially meaningful, as it marks the 25th rotation ceremony since the hourglass was erected, evoking memories of the drama. The moment when the last grain of sand falls and the hourglass is rotated, allowing new sand to begin flowing, is a unique experience found only in Gangneung. It symbolizes letting go of the past and welcoming the start of a new era. The immense resonance of this 25-year tradition can only be felt in person, offering visitors a sense of solemnity and excitement, and gifting them with a truly special New Year’s celebration from sunset to sunrise.
Additionally, at the special stage in Jeongdongjin, performances, a wishing tree, and a traditional game experience zone will be available from 8:00 p.m. on the 31st until 12:30 a.m. the next day. At midnight, a New Year countdown and fireworks display will bring the festival to its climax.
Elsewhere in Gangneung, the "2026 Sunrise Festival" will be held at various locations. At the central plaza of Gyeongpo Beach, a countdown and fireworks show will take place from 8:00 p.m. on the 31st, and diverse attractions such as a "Red Horse" photo zone and a lightning zone, set up to mark the Year of the Horse, will offer young tourists memorable experiences.
Jumunjin Beach, Mosanbong in Gangnam-dong, and Namhangjin Beach in Seongdeok-dong will also host vibrant events for local residents, including wish-making and sharing of rice cake soup.
Meanwhile, Gangneung City plans to make safety the top priority for the "2026 Sunrise Festival," ensuring that both residents and tourists can welcome the new year with hope. To prepare for the large crowds, dedicated personnel will be deployed during sunrise hours (07:00-08:00).
In particular, the city will operate control centers in the Gyeongpo and Jeongdongjin areas, restrict access to certain hazardous facilities such as the Badabuchaegil Trail, and expand convenience facilities to create a safe environment.
Eom Geummun, Director of Tourism Policy, stated, "We will do our utmost to ensure that both citizens and tourists can make their precious New Year wishes in a safe environment. Just as the Jeongdongjin hourglass, born in 2000 with the hope of a new millennium, marks its 25th rotation, I hope 2026 will be a year of historic progress for everyone."
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