Wanju Wild Food Festival was recently selected as one of the top festivals in Korea by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea. The 3-day festival is held across the beautiful city of Wanju, a city where you can experience cheonryeop (fishing by hand) and the gorgeous Korean wilderness. The festival also provides environmentally-friendly food experiences using local agricultural products, along with various wild plants and animals from Wanju. This festival aims to give visitors a feeling of sentiment for food from the past through partaking in the diverse experiential food programs surrounded by the beautiful natural environment.

Tamnaguk is the ancient name for Jeju Island, once a small country, and the term Ipchun means the first day of spring. The coming of spring was also the beginning of the farming season, and Tamnaguk Ipchun Gut Nori is the customary gut (exorcism) ritual performed by the people of Jeju to pray for a bountiful harvest. In modern times, this event is an authentic reenactment of the many traditional gut rituals and is also held to welcome the coming of spring. Festival Overview: The festival is held for two days with an opening ceremony in the evening, followed by the main event on Ipchun day. The opening ceremony features a procession by Jeju citizens dressed in traditional clothing followed by lively music and traditional instruments made up of gongs and drums. On the second day (the first day of spring), the festival will proceed to downtown Jeju, stopping here and there to perform gut rituals. Generally a gut ritual expresses ancient beliefs; and specifically, the ipchun gut is meant to ensure a bountiful harvest at the end of the agricultural season. The ritual performers will wear tal (Korean traditional mask). A spring-related photo exhibition and drawing contest will also be held during the festival, and photos will be exhibited. Hands-on programs include making rice cakes in the traditional way from scratch to finish, and creating tal masks. Visitors can also experience traditional folk games like jegi chagi (shuttlecock) and paengi chigi (top spinning). Festival Highlights: As the festival name indicates, the highlight of the event is the gut performance. This ritual differs from those in other regions as it is performed according to local traditions with costumes unique to Jeju Island. Visitors will also enjoy walking with the farmers’ band and even “banging heads” the way band members do. For a good view of the ritual, arrive early to get a front-row seat just in front of the altar.

The Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF) is the only exclusive international musical festival in Korea. It aims at developing musical theater into an industry through which the beauty and joy of the arts can be appreciated by both international citizens and local residents. In pursuit of this dream, DIMF has made every effort to encourage domestically created musicals, nurture the upcoming musical generation, and reach new audiences. DIMF, despite being a relatively new cultural event of Daegu, has firmly established itself as a veritable marketplace where producers and directors can exchange ideas and experience a variety of new and diverse musical interpretations. DIMF is not only a stage for the performing arts, but also continues to develop in its role as a delightfully inspiring means of entertainment and recreation.

Buan Masil Festival is held in the area of Buan for consecutive three days in May with theme “Let’s go to Masil to get fortune”.

Known for beautiful mountains and crystal-clear waters, the area of Geumsan, Chungcheongnam-do, is the venue for the Geumgang Yeoul Festival held around July each year. The festival name was previously “Geumgang Folk Festival” but changed into its current title in 2013. With 'water' as the main theme, this is the perfect summer festival in an enjoyable vacation spot offering various water games, crop-harvesting, nature ecological experience, and more. In addition, visitors can watch Geumsan’s unique traditional performances, Geumsan Mulpegi Nongyo (물페기 농요; nongyo; farmer’s song) and Nongbau Ggeusigi (농바우끄시기; ritual for rain), designated as Intangible Cultural Asset No. 16 and 32 in Chungcheongnam-do respectively. Auto-camping is available near the festival venue in Sutong-ri, and Yonghwa-ri, making this a suitable summer getaway.

Yeongdeok Sunrise Festival is an annual overnight event that begins on New Year's Eve. This year, the festival is set to take place at Yeongdeok Samsa Marine Park under the theme of "Bell of Hope, Light of Life." Moreover, there will be various New Year's celebrations featuring a music concert sponsored by Taegu Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), sunrise watching, and diverse hands-on experience programs.

The tradition of lantern festivals started during the Silla dynasty and continued to modern times. The Colorful Merrymaking at the Lantern Festival in Daegu began in 1967. The festival aims to continue the history and tradition of the lantern festival.

Odaesan Mountain Culture Festival is an annual celebration held around October to provide visitors a chance to experience Korean Buddhist culture. The festival takes place at the foot of Pyeongchang’s Odaesan Mountain, which is famous for its magnificent scenery. In addition to enjoying the festivities, visitors will have the opportunity to cultivate their body and mind through the festival’s wide range of programs encompassing the unique characteristics of Buddhist culture.

The Seomjingang Riverside Cherry Blossom Festival will be held in Jukma-ri, Muncheok-myeon, Gurye-si. Visitors can enjoy walking along Seongjingang River decorated with lines of cherry blossom trees. Various events will be held such as traditional drum performances, a paragliding contest, and face painting. * Festival period is subject to change according to the blooming season. Please make a phone-inquiry before visiting.

Seongju Life Culture Festival will be held every year with the theme of “birth, life, and death.” Various cultural events will be held including reenacting the parade to bury the king’s umbilical cord, a traditional funeral, ancestral ceremonies, and more. Being the most famous city for the oriental melon in Korea, the festival will also showcase oriental melons, and a many dishes that use the fruit. Visitors can also try out gamju (sweet rice wine), the specialty of Seongju City.