Hosted by Kyunghyang Shinmun, C Channel, Agape Cultural Foundation, Baekseok Arts University and sponsored by Seoul Metropolitan City and Korea Tourism Organization, 2016 Christmas Festival is a Christmas Festival that takes place at Cheonggye Plaza, the center of Cheonggyecheon Stream. Marking its 2nd anniversary of this year, Cheonggyecheon will be entertaining visitors with fancy illuminating Christmas tree theme park and photo zones for 30 days. Various events and programs are also prepared for a heartwarming end-of-the-year experience for everybody.

The World Taekwondo Hanmadang is the global Taekwondo headquarters, and presents the true essence of Taekwondo's elements, including attacks, demonstrations, and self defense. Every year at the World Taekwondo Headquarters, an international Taekwondo competition is held in order to manifest the spirit of this martial art and to increase the unity of global Taekwondo martial artists. Since its first opening in 1992, the competition has become known as the world's leading authority for the tradition of Taekwondo. Through the World Taekwondo Hanmadang, participants can enhance the value of Taekwondo as a cultural consciousness, and also act as an instrument through which the superiority of Taekwondo's culture can be spread globally. In particular, it functions as an international Taekwondo instructional festival for those not well-versed in its practices, and through the tourism programs offered for international Taekwondo practitioners to visit the martial art's home country and headquarters, the event will serve as a commercializing opportunity to propel the spirit of Taekwondo further. With over 50 nations and over 5,000 attendees annually, in addition to the actual sparring events, through its display of poomsae, attacks, self defense, and Taekwondo gymnastics, it is making its mark as an international Taekwondo festival that highlights the elegant and sophisticated elements of this ancient martial art.

A traditional tea ceremony experience will take place at Jagyeongjeon Hall in Gyeongbokgung every Saturday and Sunday from mid May to mid October, 2014.The ceremony includes a tea culture demonstration and experience, making honey cakes, traditional etiquette introduction, and lectures related to tea culture. To participate in the tea ceremony, download the application form from the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation website and submit the form through email.

NANTA is one of Korea's top performances, a show about four chefs who must prepare a wedding banquet in just one hour. The plot is depicted through various genres of performances, including percussion that uses kitchen utensils to make beats based on traditional rhythms of samulnori (traditional percussion quartet). The entire show has no spoken dialogue, yet plenty of comedy and romance, too. Meanwhile, since its debut in October 1997, NANTA (also known as Cookin') has earned international acclaim, having been performed on Broadway and at other famous venues worldwide. * Note Due to the MERS outbreak, some performances will be discontinued until July 2015.

Every year, Hanu (Korean native cattle) Festival takes places in Hoengseong County, where the climate and the environment are said to be perfect for raising cattle. The festival attracts a large number of people, who come to try the usually expensive Hoengseong hanu beef at affordable prices, along with another specialty of Hoengseong County, deodeok (mountain bellflower). In addition to food sampling, the festival holds diverse agriculture experience programs, while offering access to nearby attractions such as Hoengseong Hot Springs and Jucheongang River Natural Forest Lodge.

Baudeogi made history by becoming the first female entertainer in Korea to lead the vaudeville troupe Namsadangpae. Armed with her artistic personality and an array of special talents, Baudeogi entertained the construction workers working on Gyeongbokgung Palace in the 19th century with popular folk performances. In recent years, Namsadang’s Jeonsugwan was recreated to share the indomitable spirit and artistic talents of Baudeogi with the people of today.The reformatted performance is comprised of six exciting acts of Namsadang: Salpan (a tumbling performance), Deolmi (a puppet show), Deotboegi (a mask show), Pungmulnori (a traditional folk dance), Beonanori (spinning hoops and dishes), and Eoreum Jultagi (tightrope walking). Much like in the olden days, the show embodies the spirit of coming together and is a fascinating and energetic display of folk art that is as captivating the first time you see it as it is the hundredth.Major Highlights: The most popular portion of the program is the tightrope walking act called “Eoreum Jultagi,” which starts with audiences breathlessly watching the risky tricks upon the rope and ends with thunderous rounds of applause.

The Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival is held at Peace Square of Olympic Park in Seoul. The festival is a leading traditional cultural festival of Seoul, highlighting the 493 years of history and culture of Hanseong Baekje.Hanseong Baekje refers to the era between 18 BCE and 275 CE of Baekje - one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla-- before it moved its capital to Ungjin (now Gongju) in 475. The festival features various folk performances, musical, family concert, food festival, and photo contest.The Peace Square of the Olympic Park, which is the venue of the festival, can be accessed from Mongchontoseong station on Seoul Subway Line 8 (Exit 1, 200 meters from the station; it takes 7 minutes-10 minutes on foot).

Hangang Summer Festival (or Hangang Mongttang Festival) is the largest riverside culture festival held annual, enjoyed by visitors and citizens of Seoul alike. Programs are organized by the Hangang Project Headquarters of the Seoul Metropolitan Government in cooperation with various civic organizations, transforming the Hangang River into a joy-filled playground. Activities found at the event grounds and participating organizations span a wide variety of sectors, including: camping, water leisure sports, concerts, film screenings, street festivals, cycling, paper boat racing, fire art, and traditional art performances.

Polar Bear Swimming Contest is held in every winter that allows participants to swim in the sea, just like a polar bear. It offers an exciting experience to participants and sightseeing to tourists, along with various programs as a famous winter festival. More than 2,000 people from Korea and abroad are expected to be participating in this event as the festival was thought to be one of the best winter festivals in the nation.

Gijisi Juldarigi is the main feature of this 500-year traditional folk festival, not like festivals developed on purpose by local governments. Juldarigi, a tug-of-war game, was started to pray for peace and fortune in the new year and to be in concord with neighbors as part of a traditional village’s feast. In 1982, Gijisi Juldarigi was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 75, one of Korea’s representative Intangible Cultural Heritages. Also, it was registered in 2015 as Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO along with Vietnam, Cambodia and the Philippines.