Home > Culture > Korean Heritage

Namwon Chunhyang Festival aims to attract 2 million visitors

Published: 31 Mar. 2026, 16:48 Updated: 31 Mar. 2026, 18:18

WOO JI-WON
[email protected]

A group of performers perform at the Namwon Chunhyang Festival press conference held in central Seoul on March 31. [NAMWON CHUNHYANG FESTIVAL]

Korea's oldest festival, the Namwon Chunhyang Festival, aims to attract 2 million visitors this year with more than 160 programs and is seeking inscription on Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage list ahead of its 100th anniversary.

"We have been conducting academic research and preparing through various forums and seminars, building on materials we have accumulated so far," said Namwon Mayor Choi Kyung-sik, dressed in hanbok during a news conference held in central Seoul on Tuesday.

Under the slogan "The Charm of Chunhyang, Fascinating the World" (translated), the 96th edition of the festival will take place from April 30 to May 6 in Namwon, North Jeolla.

The festival is also aiming to surpass last year's record of 1.45 million visitors. "Since we have prepared new performance programs, while the goal is 2 million, we believe even more visitors could join us," the mayor said.

Namwon mayor Choi Kyung-sik speaks during the Namwon Chunhyang Festival press conference held in central Seoul on March 31. [NAMWON CHUNHYANG FESTIVAL]

Held since 1931, the festival commemorates the love story of Chunhyang and Lee Mong-ryong from the classic Korean tale "Chunhyangjeon."

More than 160 programs will take place over the seven-day festival under four key themes — elegance, passion, love and tradition. Major events include a hanbok (traditional Korean attire) fashion show, a carnival featuring more than 6,000 local participants, as well as various performances, including gugak (traditional Korean music) and fusion stages blending rap and pansori (traditional Korean narrative singing), which originated in Namwon.

Since 2024, it has also opened the festival's highlight beauty pageant participation to foreign contestants, with the first non-Korean Miss Chunhyang crowned last year. A total of 163 applicants entered this year's pageant, with six finalists selected.

Miss Chunghyangs selected at the 95th Namwon Chunhyang Festival's beauty conteset [NAMWON CHUNHYANG FESTIVAL]

"I want to emphasize that being a citizen-centered festival is a very important value. Through this traditional cultural and arts festival, we can bring together our historical legacy and future generations under the shared theme of love, which plays a deeply meaningful and valuable role."

Traveling from Yongsan Station to Namwon Station takes about two hours by KTX. Shuttle buses from Namwon Station to the festival site will run from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. throughout the seven-day event.

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]