Seosan Haemieupseong Festival to showcase local food, culture at historical fortress

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Seosan Haemieupseong Festival to showcase local food, culture at historical fortress

Published: 02 Oct. 2024, 19:00

YIM SEUNG-HYE
yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr

Haemieupseong is a walled town that served as an administrative and military center during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) in Seosan, South Chungcheong [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

SEOSAN, South Chungcheong — About an hour and a half drive south of Seoul, visitors can encounter a beautiful historical town called Haemi in Seosan, South Chungcheong. Haemi is known for having one of the few remaining examples of a complete Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) eupseong — a walled town that served as an administrative and military center during the Joseon Dynasty. “Eup” refers to a town or a large village while “seong” means fortress or castle.

There used to be over 300 eupseong built throughout the Korean Peninsula during the Joseon Dynasty and earlier periods. However, many have been damaged or fallen into disrepair over time, particularly during the Japanese colonial period. Only some eupseong that have been well-preserved or restored remain as Korea’s important cultural landmarks.

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Haemieupseong was built in the early 15th century during the reign of King Taejong in 1417 and was completed in 1421. It first served as the military headquarters of Chungcheong in the early Joseon Dynasty, as the king thought the area was prone to attacks by Japanese pirates. Before the establishment of Haemieupseong, the Chungcheong Military Headquarters was originally located in Deoksan, a hill nearby the current eupseong. But it was moved to the current location closer to the coast for defense against Japanese pirates. Its exterior fortress walls, constructed entirely of stone, span about 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) and are about 5 meters (16.4 feet) high.

This fortress town, in fact, served as an important military defense station during the Japanese invasion of Korea (1592-98) and the second Manchu invasion of Korea (1636-37). This location is also a significant site for Catholics, as it was where the Byeongin Persecution took place in 1866, when about 1,000 Korean Catholics were executed. Inside Haemieupseong, just outside where the prison used to be, there’s a historically significant locust tree associated with the persecution, standing as witness to the tragic events. The tree is often referred to as the “execution tree” or “hanging tree,” as it is said to have been used to hang or torture persecuted Catholics.

Ordinary Koreans also began to form a neighborhood inside this eupseong during the Japanese colonial era from 1910 and that is when the schools and public offices were established. However, they had to leave in the 1960s, as the Korean government decided to designate the area as a historical site.

A demonstration of King Taejong's martial arts training during last year's Seosan Haemieupseong Festival. [YONHAP]

Due to the historical significance, the city organizes the Seosan Haemieupseong Festival every year in and around Haemieupseong. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism included the festival as one of its locations for its latest two-year “Local 100” project, which selects 100 areas and events that introduce Korea’s hidden gems to both local and foreign tourists. This year’s festival, which kicks off Wednesday and runs until Saturday, marks its 21st edition.

“The festival premiered in the year 2000 in an attempt to introduce life inside military headquarters in the early Joseon Dynasty, and last year, for the 20th anniversary, it was visited by some 250,000 people,” said Lee Wan-seob, mayor of Seosan City, in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily on Sept. 27.

“Since last year, we are attempting to highlight the communal values based on the historical fact that villagers from 19 towns in Chungcheong gathered together here to build this eupseong,” Lee added.

This year's theme for the festival is “Goseongbanga: Season Two,” following last year's season one. According to the festival's artistic director Ryu Jae-hyun, it means to "open up the gates of the fortress walls and to learn the wisdom of our ancestors.” The festival, which celebrates the 600th anniversary of the fortress’s construction, will encompass the past, present and future with 36 programs, including a media art exhibition, a rare photo exhibit, an electronic music concert for young visitors, traditional folk games for families and children and many others.

Foreigners who are fans of Korean drama series will be familiar with Haemieupseong, as it’s one of the filming locations for the hit tvN drama series “Mr. Sunshine” (2018), starring actors Lee Byung-hun and Kim Tae-ri. The media art exhibit titled “Mongyu Songwon” will be installed at the Cheongheojong Pavilion, a filming site. This media artwork pays homage to An Gyeon, an early Joseon painter from Seosan. The exhibit will begin every evening from 6:30 p.m. and run for three hours during the festival.

Oyster rice is Seosan's popular dish [SEOSAN CITY]

Ganwolam Hermitage is a coastal hermitage located in southern Seosan [SEOSAN CITY]

Visitors hang wish lanterns at Ganwolam Hermitage in Seosan [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

The artistic director also decided to ban the food trucks that come in from other cities to make money during local festivals. Instead, 150 colorful tables will be set up in the middle of the vehicle-free street during the festival, allowing local restaurants to come out and sell their delicacies. These will include oysters, gamtae (seaweed), ganjang gaejang (raw crab marinated in soy sauce) and many other fish dishes. The festival organizers will also hand out a “Haemi Happy Food Map” to guide visitors to popular local restaurants.

“This food court organized by locals will be called 'Haemi Happy Table.' We aim to create a ‘Happy Haemieupseong Festival’ that fosters coexistence between visitors, local residents and merchants, while also rediscovering the lost history and culture of Haemieupseong,” said Ryu.

Mayor Lee said those visiting Seosan for the festival “must stay overnight and visit some of the city’s beautiful tourist attractions.”

Rock-carved Buddha Triad in Yonghyeon-ri, located in Seosan [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

In Seosan, there’s the Rock-carved Buddha Triad in Yonghyeon-ri, Seosan, a national treasure consisting of a carved Buddha on a rock cliff on Mount Gaya. This Buddha triad consists of a Shayamuni Buddha flanked by two bodhisattvas, one standing and the other seated in a meditation pose. The triad is dubbed the “Smile of Baekje” due to the benevolent smile of the Buddha carved during the Baekje period (18 B.C.–A.D. 660).

If you are interested in Catholic history, Haemi International Sanctuary is a must-visit spot. It’s a Catholic pilgrimage site near Haemieupseong, which was designated as an international sanctuary by the Vatican. In 2014, Pope Francis visited the site during his Korea tour.

Haemi International Sanctuary in Seosan [YIM SEUNG-HYE]

Mayor Lee said the city government is trying very hard to add Haemieupseong to Unesco’s World Heritage list.

“Though the city is close to Seoul and has so many places that are historically significant, it’s been relatively less visited by foreign travelers and even Koreans,” said Lee. “It’s my second time serving as the mayor of Seosan, and I’ve launched an international cruise, which is the first in the Chungcheong region, and even managed to increase the birthrate. Come to Seosan during this festival season and see for yourself what our charms are.”

Elephant Rock in Seosan's Mount Hwanggeum [SEOSAN CITY]

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]

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Seosan Haemieupseong Festival to showcase local food, culture at historical fortress

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