A Shared Experience Completed by People, Time, and Space, Not Just a Single Scene
Local Traditional Content and Homigot Site-Specific Signature Programs Offered
Above the hand of a giant, the sun of "coexistence" has risen.
By revisiting the age-old answer of "togetherness," it points toward hope and the path of coexistence.
The Pohang Cultural Foundation (CEO Lee Sangmo) will host the 28th Homigot Korean Ethnic Sunrise Festival at Homigot Sunrise Square in Pohang from December 31, 2025, to January 1, 2026.
This year's festival, under the slogan "The Light of Coexistence, Creating Beauty Together," reimagines the sunrise not as a single scene, but as a shared experience shaped by people, time, and space coming together.
The festival begins at 2 p.m. on the 31st with a variety of hands-on programs. At 11:20 p.m., the band Chajan will open the festivities with the performance "Night of Prayer." Just before midnight, the media facade "Origin of Light" will be showcased for the first time using the Homigot Lighthouse, symbolizing the beginning of the first light of the new year.
The Homigot Lighthouse, with its 120-year history and status as a World Lighthouse Heritage site, is a symbolic location recognized as a national heritage, making this production especially meaningful.
Following the New Year countdown and fireworks, the traditional local folk game "Wolwoli Cheongcheong - Dance of Homa" will unfold in a grand communal celebration, bringing everyone together to greet the first moments of 2026 as one.
Even during the late-night hours as visitors await the sunrise, there will be plenty of thoughtful amenities and activities to enjoy. In the warm shelter booths, comprehensive information and medical support will be provided, along with programs for all generations such as ▲Visible Radio ▲Homigot Film Festival ▲2026 Fortune Telling ▲New Year Goods Making.
In particular, the Homigot Local Agricultural Culture Center will host the "Homigotgan Pop-up Store," featuring products that capture the local character of Pohang, including agricultural and marine products, handicrafts, and local brand goods, allowing the festival’s excitement to carry over into daily life. Ongoing programs such as sharing New Year’s rice cake soup, food trucks, and photo zones will further heighten the festive atmosphere.
At 6:50 a.m. on January 1, just before sunrise, the symbolic "Homigot Beomgut, Eo~Heung (Heung)hanmin-guk" performance will take place, embodying the legendary animal of Homigot that gives birth to time. This performance invites the community to share in the excitement and welcome the new year together.
Right before the sunrise, a themed sand art performance and the announcement of the four-character idiom for 2026 will be held. This will be followed by the tightrope performance "2026, Stepping into the New Year" against the backdrop of the rising sun, marking the arrival of the new year on the East Coast.
A representative from the Pohang Cultural Foundation stated, "This festival will be a 'landscape of coexistence,' organically weaving together performances, experiences, rest, and sharing. We hope you will join us at Homigot, where each individual’s light connects to create greater beauty, to welcome the first morning of 2026 together."
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