2018.10.3 Festivals
Actor-turned artist Lee Kwang-gi’s work “Peace Pin” is installed near Hwangnyongsa History & Culture Museum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang. It is part of the Gyeongju International Residency Art Festa 2018, which opens today and runs through Oct. 9. [GYEONGJU INTERNATIONAL RESIDENCY ART FESTA 2018]
Andong and Hahoe Village, North Gyeongsang
To Oct. 7
Historically, the mask dance was used by common people to indirectly criticize the yangban class, or the ruling elite of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Direct criticism of the yangban was strictly forbidden during that time, so people satirized them from behind masks, developing the craft into various forms of mask dance with regional variations. Visitors to Hahoe Village, one of two Korean villages added to Unesco’s World Heritage List in 2010, can see the region’s distinct Confucian cultural characteristics.
For more information, visit www.maskdance.com or call (054) 840-6397.
Gyeongju International Residency Art Festa 2018
Hwangnyongsa History & Culture Museum and the areas around the museum, Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang
To Oct. 9
Thirteen artists from six countries were invited to stay in Gyeongju, the former capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla (57 B.C.- A.D.935), for a fortnight to create works based on their experiences and impressions. This new program is hosted by the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and arranged by the Gyeongju Foundation for Arts and Culture and the The Korean Arts Management Institute.
The works by artists including German sculptor Martin Pfeifle and Korean video artist Lee Lee Nam are installed in and around the Hwangnyongsa History & Culture Museum, which opened in 2016.
For more information, call 1588-4925.
Geumsan Insam (Ginseng) Festival
Geumsan, South Chungcheong
Oct. 5-14
Geumsan is famous for its high-quality ginseng. The Insam Festival, held every September since 1981, is a traditional cultural event in which villagers pray for a good harvest the following year. Programs include ginseng harvesting, performances of traditional arts and rituals, concerts, an international ginseng trade fair, a ginseng cooking competition and more.
For more information, visit the festival’s website at www.insamfestival.co.kr or call (041) 750-2413.
Busan Jagalchi Festival
Busan Jagalchi Market, Busan
Oct. 11-14
Jagalchi Market is the largest fish and marine product market in Korea and a symbol of Busan, the country’s largest port city. The bustling, lively atmosphere makes visiting Jagalchi Market a unique experience for many international travelers. Small food stalls serve fresh inshore hagfish grilled on briquette fires along with other unusual sea creatures and sashimi at market prices.
For more information, visit www.ejagalchi.com or call (051) 243-9363.
Ganggyeong port, Jeotgal Market, Jeotgal Exhibition Hall, and more in Ganggyeong, South Chungcheong
Oct. 10-14
Salt-fermented seafood, or jeotgal in Korean, refers to fish and shellfish whose meat and internal organs have been fermented with salt to keep them from spoiling. Ganggyeong, a fishing village on the west coast, is famous for jeotgal. During the festival, visitors can buy salted seafood at discounted prices of up to 30-40 percent.
For more information, visit www.ggfestival.co.kr or call (041) 746-5662.
Jikji Korea International Festival
Cheongju Arts Hall and others, Cheongju, North Chungcheong
To Oct. 21
Jikji Korea International Festival, an annual festival celebrating the world’s oldest extant book printed with movable metal type, has kicked off in the Korean city of Cheongju, North Chungcheong. Printed at the city’s Heungdeok Temple in 1377, “Jikji” is the abbreviated title of “Jikjisimcheyojeol,” a book on the Zen teachings of great Buddhist priests.
In that year, two disciples of Venerable Baegun completed the publication of the book written by him using movable metal type. Unesco confirmed “Jikji” as the world’s oldest metal-printed book in 2001 and included it in the Unesco Memory of the World Programme that year.
During the 21-day festival held around the Cheongju Arts Hall, organizers have drawn up an exhibition, a series of activities, lectures, international academic conferences and programs in which visitors are invited to take part under the theme of “A Walk Through Jikji Woods.”
They have also replicated a Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) era marketplace where people visiting the festival can experience traditional culture and a variety of Korean foods.
An official at the organizing committee said that visitors will also have daily opportunities to enjoy concerts with various themes and street art that they have not seen elsewhere during the festival’s run. For more information, go to jikjikorea.com.
Lotte World Adventure, Songpa District, southern Seoul
To Nov. 4
The Lotte World Adventure theme park offers a chance for people of all ages to get the most out of this year’s Halloween. Friendly pumpkins and cute ghosts can be enjoyed by young visitors during the day. But once the sun goes down, the park turns into a horrifying sight for adults looking for a thrill.
The musicals “Dracula’s Love” and “Roti’s Halloween Party Parade” are some of the scheduled not-so-scary events available through the day, but once the clock strikes 6 p.m., the Magic Island, Lotte World’s outdoor park will be flooded with bloody zombies looking for people to eat - or take a picture with if they are feeling friendly.
Some of the rides, including the Gyro Drop, will offer a VR option, which adds scenes of zombies to the already stomach-dropping experience.
There are about four shops throughout the park where visitors can dress up in costumes to create the ultimate Halloween experience. The park also offers makeup services to help visitors achieve a dramatic look for the night. For more information, visit adventure.lotteworld.com or call 1661-2000.
By Moon So-young, Lee Sun-min, Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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