Director Jang Hang-jun, actor Park Ji-hwan of 'The King's Warden' to attend King Danjong Cultural Festival
Published: 18 Apr. 2026, 13:48
Updated: 19 Apr. 2026, 16:14
![King Danjong’s royal funeral procession is reenacted during the King Danjong Culture Festival on April 25, 2025. [YEONGWOL COUNTY]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/19/8e8b5a34-5d9a-4452-8ff1-be4aea1ec375.jpg)
King Danjong’s royal funeral procession is reenacted during the King Danjong Culture Festival on April 25, 2025. [YEONGWOL COUNTY]
The King Danjong Culture Festival, which honors King Danjong (r. 1452-1455), the sixth ruler of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), will take place in Yeongwol County, Gangwon, between April 24 and 26.
The festival gained attention following the success of the film "The King's Warden," which drew more than 16.5 million viewers in Korea. It is the second-most-watched film in Korea, following "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" (2014), with 1.76 million admissions.
King Danjong Culture Festival is now in its 59th year, and traces its origins to a local memorial event for King Danjong that started in 1967. This year’s festival will take place across multiple sites in Yeongwol County, including Jangneung, Cheongnyeongpo, Bodeok Temple and areas along the Dong River.
![People visit Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol County, Gangwon, the film site featured in ″The King's Warden″ [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/04/19/312586f6-86b2-4113-a1da-fde1b71997bd.jpg)
People visit Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol County, Gangwon, the film site featured in ″The King's Warden″ [JOONGANG ILBO]
A highlight of this year’s festival will be the expanded reenactment of King Danjong’s royal funeral procession. The route will begin at Gwanpungheon, where the king died, and continue to Jangneung, his burial site, a Unesco World Heritage site.
The reenactment is particularly significant as King Danjong was not given a proper royal funeral during his lifetime. The ceremony will follow procedures recorded in the uigwe, or royal protocols of the Joseon Dynasty.
At Bodeok Temple, a Yeongsanjae ritual will also take place. The Buddhist ceremony reenacts the Buddha’s sermon and prays for the well-being of all living beings.
Events will also take place at Cheongnyeongpo, where King Danjong was exiled. A scene depicting the young king entering the site by ferry will be recreated, echoing a moment from the film "The King's Warden."
Additional programs, such as a culinary competition themed around King Danjong, will take place. Other performances will feature residents and artists, alongside fireworks, a drone show and a nationwide youth choir competition.
Interactive programs for visitors will also be offered. These include a stamp tour centered on the story of Eom Heung-do, the official who recovered King Danjong's body after his death, as well as writing and drawing contests.
Jang Hang-jun, who directed "The King's Warden," will visit Yeongwol during the festival to deliver a special lecture titled “History through the eyes of an artist: the story of King Danjong."
Actor Park Ji-hwan, who played the role of Yeongwol County's governor, will also participate in a traditional tug-of-war event.
“We will build on the increased public interest generated by the film to promote Yeongwol’s history and cultural heritage and strive to elevate the King Danjong Cultural Festival into a global event,” said Oh Myung-hoon, vice director of the Yeongwol Culture & Tourism Foundation.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY PARK JIN-HO [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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