World Heritage Festival to Take Place from Gongju to Jeju

-In its fourth year, World Heritage Festival 2023 kicks off this summer

The World Heritage Festival 2023 will take place in Baekje Historic Area (Gongju, Buyeo and Iksan), Suncheon, Suwon and Jeju from July to October. Now in its fourth year, the festival is hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration (Administrator Choi Eung-Chon) and organized by Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation.

For the first time, Suncheon Getbol (tidal flats) is taking part in the festival. Suncheon Getbol was listed as a UNESCO world natural heritage site in 2021. The four regions where the festival will take place have each prepared programs unique to their region’s characteristics and values.
* World Heritage Festival in Baekje Historic Area (Gongju, Buyeo and Iksan): July 7 - 23 (17 days)
* World Heritage Festival in Seonamsa Temple – Suncheon Getbol: Aug. 1 - 31 (31 days)
* World Heritage Festival in Suwon Hwaseong: Sept. 23 - Oct. 14 (22 days)
* World Heritage Festival in Jeju: Oct. 3 - 8 (6 days)

The World Heritage Festival hopes to invite people to UNESCO world heritage sites across Korea and help them learn about the sites’ values and significance through various programs like performances, activities and exhibitions. Regions can submit their proposal to take part in the festival.

In its inaugural year, nine seowon (neo-Confucian academies), world heritage sites in Gyeongsangbukdo (Gyeongju, Andong and Yeongju) and Jeju took part. In 2021, Baekje Historic Area (Gongju, Buyeo and Iksan), Andong, Suwon and Jeju participated in the festival. And the following year, Gyeongsangbukdo (Andong and Yeongju), Suwon and Jeju took part.

This year’s festival will kick off on July 7 in Baekje under the theme “Engraving Baekje’s Values.” From July 7 to 23, a series of programs will be held across the areas constituting the World Heritage property “Baekje Historic Areas,” such as Gongsanseong Fortress and the Tomb of King Muryeong in Gongju, Jeongnimsa Temple Site and Naseong (Outer City Wall) in Buyeo, and the Mireuksa Temple Site and the archaeological site in Wanggung-ri in Iksan.

A prelude event to the festival, “International Sculpture Symposium on Baekje World Heritage,” will showcase artworks of 12 artists from 12 countries at Jeongnimsa Temple Site from June 23 to July 6. Then on July 7, there will be a ceremony at the Gongsanseong Fortress in Gongju to declare the values of Baekje and wish for them to be carried on to the next generation. Then various events will take place including a media art show, a nonverbal performance, a camping program (July 7 - 8 in Gongju; July 14 - 15 in Buyeo; July 15 - 16 in Iksan), and a night-time walking tour (July 7 - 8 in Gongju; July 14 - 15 in Buyeo; July 21 - 22 in Iksan). There will also be weekend shows where traditional intangible cultural heritage is merged with contemporary performance arts elements (July 7 - 8 in Gongju; July 14 - 15 in Buyeo; July 21 - 22 in Iksan).

Jeollanamdo province, which is taking part in the festival for the first time, has chosen “First-class Suncheon, Cherishing World Heritage” as its theme and has planned a series of activities in Seonamsa Temple and Suncheon Getbol from August 1 to 31.

In Seonamsa Temple, there will be a ritual with the hanging painting on August 30 and a temple food tasting event all throughout the month of August. At Suncheon Getbol, there will be a walking tour along a path with reeds from August 1 to 31. There will also be a healing program from August 5 to 31. The Jeollanamdo officials hope through these programs people can declutter their minds and rest, as well as developing a deep connection with nature and cultural heritage.

Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon city is no stranger to the festival, as it has been participating for three years now. Under the theme “Uigwe is Alive: Suwon Hwaseong Carries on,” the programs will take place in Jangan Park and Hwaseong Fortress. Uigwe refers to the books that detail in text and drawings protocols for various events at the royal court of the Joseon Dynasty. Suwon officials strived to highlight the happiness and sorrows people experienced in and around the storied fortress in addition to its historic value.

Two programs that revolve around artisans who took part in the construction of the fortress stand out. “Memory Builds,” a performance that adopts both traditional music and contemporary show elements, will take place between September 23 and 24 in Uhwagwan area. “Artisan’s Square” honors in a performing art form the arduous labor of countless artisans who were involved in the building of the Hwaseong Fortress. It will take place in the outdoor stage of Jangan Park between September 30 and October 14.

The popular nighttime walk along the Hwaseong Fortress will be expanded this year in terms of the route and time. In addition to the existing route, there will be an added route during the daytime and there will be storytellers to entertain and inspire the participants. The storyteller-led, daytime walk will be dubbed “Walking through the memories of Hwaseong,” and run between September 23 and October 14. There will also be a literature concert at the site of a pond, Bukji Site, in the fortress. Dubbed “Pond Where Wisdom Blossoms,” it will be held between October 5 and 8.

Climate change and environmentalism are another focus of the festival in Suwon. There will be an education program at Jangan Park between September 23 and October 14 called “The Guardians of Suwon Hwaseong.” Historical records and documentations on the fortress will be displayed as well as proposals and campaigns for environmental sustainability of the fortress for future generations. There will also be a market called “Peace and Harmony Market” during the same period where culture content producers and visitors will meet up and together explore ways to reduce waste.

Meanwhile in Jeju Volcano Island and Lava Cave, the festival will be held from October 3 to 8 under the theme “Coexistence: Living with Heritage.” As Jeju has taken part in the festival for the past three years, the residents of Jeju took the lead and will play an active role in the three programs during the six-day festivities.

There will be a walking tour on world natural heritage sites starting at the Geomunoreum lava tube. The tour, titled “Breath of Fire: Walking along Tens of Thousands of Years of Breath,” will be held from October 3 to 8. Another tour program is on a wider scale in which a special expedition team will explore for six days from October 3 the extensive route from Mt. Hallasan to Geomunoreum lava tube. There will also be a “World Natural Heritage Village Tour Program” from October 3 to 8 at seven villages in Jeju. These programs are an upgrade from last year’s rendition and aimed at highlighting once again how Jeju’s natural heritage evolved in close ties with its residents and their daily lives.
* The seven villages subject to the World Natural Heritage Village Tour Program: Seonheul 1-ri, Seonheul 2-ri, Deokcheon-ri, Gimnyeong-ri, Woljeong-ri, Haengwon-ri and Seongsan-ri.

For more information, visitors can visit the festival’s website, https://worldheritage.modoo.at/, or call the organizer at 042-481-4808 or 02-2270-1272.

The Cultural Heritage Administration hopes to conclude the festival to success and help visitors from around the world learn about the world heritage sites in Korea and appreciate their values and significance. The CHA will continue to communicate and cooperate closely with regional governments for promoting Korea’s world heritage.