SEOUL, The following are the major cultural and tourist festivals to be held in South Korea in March.
* Sansuyu Flower Festival
When: March 9-17
Where: Mount Jiri, Gurye, South Jeolla Province
The hot spring district of Mount Jiri will be bathed in a sea of yellow in March as blooming sansuyu, or Cornus officinalis, flowers cover the mountain. Around 40 events will be held during the festival. The program includes rituals for a good harvest, performances of Korean vocal music, farmers’ music and dance, as well as demonstrations of traditional cultural arts from around the world. Wine and cake made from the sansuyu flower will also be available.
For more information, call 061-780-2727 or visit Gurye County’s homepage at (https://www.gurye.go.kr/tour/detail.do?tourId=TOUR_0000000100andmenuNo=104001002000).
* Gwangyang International Maehwa Festival
When: March 8-17
Where: Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province
Various performances will be held for more than a week in the southern village of Da-ap-myeon in Gwa
ngyang, South Jeolla Province. Wines and food made from “maehwa,” or Japanese apricots, will be displayed and sold amid the beautiful scenery of the coastal village. For more information, call 061-797-3333 or visit the website at (https://gwangyang.go.kr/tour/gallery.es?mid=a30301020000andbid=0011andact=viewandlist_no=14471).
* Jinhae Gunhangje (Naval Port Festival)
When: March 23-April 1
Where: Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province
Jinhae Gunhangje, or the Jinhae Naval Port Festival, is held annually for about 10 days between late March and early April in Jinhae amid the gorgeous cherry blossoms. Jinhae, now a ward in the city of Changwon, has been an important naval base on the south coast since the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The festival originated in 1952 as a memorial ceremony for Adm. Yi Sun-shin, a 16th-century war hero. It is currently a combination of a memorial for Adm. Yi and a collection of cultural and artistic events. For more information, go to the website (https://www.jgfestival.or.kr) or c
all the Changwon City Cultural Information Office at 055-225-2342.
* Tongyeong International Music Festival
When: March 29-April 7
Where: Tongyeong Arts Center, Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province
The 2024 Tongyeong International Music Festival is scheduled to run from March 29 to April 7 at Tongyeong Arts Center under the theme “Eternity in Moments.” The festival will present various performances by established and up-and-coming artists, as well as winners of the ISANGYUN Competition. The festival began in 2000 to honor Yun Isang (1917-1995), Korea’s greatest composer of contemporary music, who was born in Tongyeong. For further details, call 055-645-2137 or go to
Source: Yonhap News Agency
