Autumn attracts people to enjoy more outdoor activities with its magical power of a cool breeze, high and blue skies, and colorful nature. As the autumnal colors tint the trees, many festivals around complete the picture. Celebrating the “Month of Culture,” designated by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ewha Voice introduces big festivals around the country that Ewha students, Korean and foreign alike, can participate in to enjoy Korean culture with the fresh breeze of autumn. The following festivals are a few of the biggest and most representative festivals celebrated in each province of South .

 

 

Seoul

 

 

At the heart of Seoul lies Namsan Tower , which is regarded as a favorite tourist spot and a romantic dating place for couples. This attractive Namsan Tower invites people to the 3rd Seoul Namsan Festival held from October 17 to 19 as a part of the 2008 October Hi-Seoul Festival Autumn. In this festival, participants not only can watch Korean traditional performances, but also can experience culture from all over the country through the performances prepared.

 

 

Events are divided according to different categories, namely, Art and Culture, Tour and Events, Games and Competitions, Exhibitions and Lectures. Aside from the traditional music and dance performances, fashion shows and art exhibitions, and traditional folk games will also be prepared for international visitors.

 

 

             To get to Namsam Tower , take a subway to the Dongguk University Station on Line Number 3 and get out at exit 6. From there, ride the yellow bus number 2 up to the tower. For further information, call 02) 742-3797 or visit the following homepage (www.koreawave.org).

 

 

Gyeonggi Province

 

 

             In Gyeonggi Province , students will be able to realize the importance and charm of our principle food source, rice. “Icheon Rice Cultural Festival” is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the rice festival will be held with the aim to showcase the high-quality rice of Icheon, the region most famous for its rice. The rice produced here was served to the royal family during the Chosun Dynasty.

 

 

The three-day festival, which will be held from October 23 to 26, includes a student traditional musical instrument competition, a puppet show, theatrical performances and other rice-making programs. Among the various programs provided, the highlight of the event is the making of a 600-meter-long garaeddok, a rolled rice cake, which is expected to be big enough to serve every visitor.

 

www.ricefestival.or.kr

 

A contest to select the master of boiled rice will also be held. Judges will evaluate the contestants' rice cooking skills, the process, as well as the final taste of the rice. Also, the festival organizers are planning to cook 2,000 portions of rice and sell each bowl of rice. Other side dishes will be sold for 2,000 won. This symbolized the name “Icheon,” which means two thousand in Korean.

 

 

The festival will be held at Seolbong Park . To get to the park from Seoul , take a bus bound to Icheon at Gangnam or Dong Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Icheon Terminal. Then, take a local bus or a taxi to Seolbong Park . A shuttle bus is also available during the festival. For more information, call 031) 644-4121 or visit the homepage (www.ricefestival.or.kr).

 

 

Jeolla Province

 

 

Other than rice, what do Koreans eat during almost every meal? It is non-other than Kimchi, a traditional Korean spiced vegetable, indispensable with a bowl of rice. In Jeolla Province , an opportunity for people to learn about Kimchi will be provided at 2008 Gwangju Kimchi Festival. This year, the festival will be held from October 15 to 19 at special stages and booths prepared near the Gwangju Municipal Folk Museum .

 

 

From 1994, the Gwangju Kimchi Festival has been held annually for people to taste kimchi with various dishes that go well with it. A kimchi buffet is also prepared along with other local foods of Gwangju. The purpose of the festival is for people to get to know more about kimchi and learn ways to make kimchi. Major events include a gayageum (Korean traditional string instrument) performance, a hanbok (Korean traditional costume) fashion show, and a kimchi concert. During the so-called “Kimchi Concert,” popular Korean singers will be invited to perform. Also, visitors will have the chance to play Korean traditional folk games, participate in kimchi printing, which is color printing with the use of kimchi, and make kimchi with international visitors.

 

 

t make sense!

 

The festival will be held around Gwangju Municipal Folk Museum . From Seoul , take a flight, train, or express bus to Gwangju. There will be a free shuttle bus heading to the festival from Gwangju Airport and Gwangju station every day during the festival. The shuttle bus operates five to six times a day. For further information, call 02)613-3642 or visit the homepage (www.kimchi.gwangju.kr).

 

 

Gangwon Province

 

 

At the north east portion of South Korea is the vast land of Gangwon Province . Aside from its famous sea-bathing tourism during the summer, the provincial government is hosting the “Bare Mountain Eulalia Festival” for people who love the mountains and enjoy hiking. The festival takes place at the bare mountain located in Nammyeon, Jeongseong District from September 27 to November 2.

 

 

Covered with eulalia, the beautiful scene spreads over one of the five greatest pampas grass swathes in our country. Visitors to the festival can enjoy the Jeongseon Arirang performance, make bare mountain souvenirs and encounter the chance to grow cabbages during the weekends.

 

 

Chungcheong Province

 

 

Heading a little southwest from Gangwon Province , the two parts of Chungcheong Province– north and south – are contiguous to each other and not one top of the other as the name implies. At the southern part of Chungcheong Province , a unique festival is taking place from October 14 to 19 at Gyeryong City ’s Republic of Korea Army Headquarters .

 

 

This festival allows the participants to experience the actual training that soldiers go through in the army and have the chance to get on board the army vehicles. Theme parades and performances of martial arts will be shown. As part of the festival, a debating tournament will also be held with the topic of national security for university students from November 6 to 8.

 

 

 At the northern part of the province, the “The 4th Boeun Loess Apple the whole country [I1] Experience Festival” will be held from October 28 to 29 in the Boeun District. This festival is one of the largest festivals in Chungcheong Province since apples one of the province’s specialties. Every year, the festival is celebrated in part to promote the demand for Chungcheong’s apples.

 

 

Participants will be able to pick apples and eat the delicious fruit. Last year, people also had the chance to plant apple trees and participate in weekend  farming.

 

 

Gyeongsang Province

 

 

 In Busan, the famous Korean port city located in the south-east portion of the country, the “2008 Busan Biennale” is held from September 6 to November 15 at the Busan Museum of Modern Art, Gwangalli Beach , APEC Naru Park and other venues in Busan. This year’s exhibition unfolds under the theme ‘Expenditure’ and will focus on many unproductive activities with which people waste their time, effort and money in the contemporary era. The art pieces will be exhibited alongside the beaches in Busan. Shops, subways and cultural centers will also be filled with the art works from the exhibition.

 

 

Jeju Island

 

 

Jeju Island , the ultimate spot for tourists coming to , will hold two large festivals, which absolutely are must-go places for tourists visiting the island.

 

 

From October 23 to 26 in Seogwipo, the “Seogwipo Chilshimni Festival” is being held for the 14th time. The name ‘Seogwipo Chilshimni’ is a title of a song written in 1938 that evokes nostalgia about the devastated feelings people experienced when Jeju was occupied by the Japanese. Due to the lyrics of the song, the phrase has become a proper noun indicating the Utopia that exists in the heart of the citizens of Seogwipo. The history of this phrase inspired the name of this grand festival. People can make pottery, try natural dying and make bamboo flutes.

 

 

Another grand festival will be held from November 8 to 16 at the Moseulpo Port of Jeju Island . Programs include writing and painting contests, a singing contest, a fishing contest, skating festivals and a marathon for the participants to enjoy the festival with other fellow participants. For those who are interested in participating, they should register before the festival begins through the homepage (http://www.jeju.go.kr).

 

 

 

 


 [I1]???  Unless this is the literal title in English that the festival uses, I would just delete these three words --- they dont make sense!

 

 

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