Held at 20 Locations Including Odongdo and Musulmok
Yeosu City in South Jeolla Province announced that it will host the 30th Yeosu Hyangilam Sunrise Festival from December 31, 2025, to January 1, 2026, at Dolsan Hyangilam, one of the nation's four major Buddhist pilgrimage sites and a renowned sunrise destination on the southern coast.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the Yeosu Hyangilam Sunrise Festival is Yeosu’s representative New Year’s event, drawing numerous citizens and tourists each year to reflect on the past year and wish for peace and prosperity in the new year.
On the first day of the festival, December 31, the program will begin at 8 p.m. with a communal gathering and celebratory performances, followed by the opening ceremony, a wish candle lighting event, and the ringing of the New Year’s Eve bell.
Notably, at midnight on January 1, a New Year’s fireworks show sponsored by Hanwha Aerospace, a leading local company, is scheduled to light up the night sky over Hyangilam, further enhancing the festive atmosphere of welcoming the new year.
After watching the sunrise, scheduled for 7:36 a.m. on January 1, a New Year’s performance will take place to mark the beginning of the year.
During the festival, a variety of hands-on programs will be offered, including making sunrise wish lanterns, writing New Year’s wish notes, crafting initial wish bracelets, creating red horse keychains for the Year of the Byeongo, and the Saebit Hope Photo Studio.
Additionally, visitors will be provided with hot packs, lap blankets, rice cakes, and warm beverages.
Yeosu City will operate six temporary parking lots with approximately 1,600 spaces and run 12 shuttle buses to minimize traffic congestion around the festival site and ensure the safety and convenience of visitors.
If the Dadohaehaesang National Park parking lot becomes full, vehicle entry will be restricted, and visitors will be guided to nearby temporary parking lots such as Soyul New Island, then transported to the festival area by shuttle bus.
The temporary parking lots will be set up at locations including Soyul New Island, Daeyul Peace Theme Village, Bangjukpo Beach, Gatgoeul Center, and Jukpo Samgeori area.
Furthermore, the city will establish a cooperative system with related organizations such as Yeosu Police Station, Yeosu Fire Station, Yeosu Coast Guard, and Dadohaehaesang National Park Office, deploying about 250 personnel on-site to prevent accidents and maintain order.
Meanwhile, to disperse crowds concentrated at Hyangilam and enable citizens to safely celebrate the New Year closer to home, Yeosu City will also operate a “Distributed Sunrise Festival.”
On December 31, a sunset event will be held at Jangcheok Village in Sora-myeon, and on January 1, sunrise festivals are planned at 19 major sunrise spots across the city, including Musulmok and Odongdo.
At each venue, citizens and visitors will be able to enjoy rice cake soup and warm beverages, fostering a warm and friendly atmosphere as they welcome the new year.
A city official stated, “We hope everyone receives abundant good fortune for the new year through the Hyangilam Sunrise Festival, which has a 30-year history,” adding, “We will do our utmost to ensure that all citizens and tourists visiting Yeosu can celebrate a safe and meaningful New Year.”
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