A Must-See Traditional Korean PerformanceMiso: A Korean word that means “beautiful smile”The Miso performance is ranked by foreign visitors as the number one artistic performance to watch in Korea. Due to its high-level of praise received from both professional ciritis and normal viewers (via a survey conducted in 2012 by the Korea Tourism Organization), Jeongdong Theater has decided to showcase this performance once again, aiming for more popularization and globalization of traditional Korean culture this time.The show has been running since 1997, and for 2014 was reborn as the new “MISO:Baebijang-jeon” performance.-Courtesy of Jeongdong Theater

Mulle-gil Festival is set to take place around the Uiamho Lake area and Songam-dong Sports Town in Chuncheon, the lakeside city of Gangwon Province. This year’s festival is divided into several categories including the Experience Zone, Camping Zone, Exhibition Zone, and Performance Zone. At the Performance Zone you may enjoy a wide variety of concerts and performing arts while the Mulle-gil Experience Zone features not only the canoe experience program, but also a variety of fun canoe contests like a Canoe Marathon, Family Slalom Contest (a hurdle dodging race), the 1-Person Freestyle Competition, and Family Luggage-carrying Race.

Ulsan Whale Festival is held in the area of Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Special Zone. The area is equipped with more things that allow visitors to see this new cultural village, such as the whale museum, Jangsaengpo Whale Watching Cruise, and Jangsaengpo Whale Life Experience Museum. The new variety of sites at the festival will give visitors an extra level of fun and discovery.

The Seoul Dance Festival is held in every autumn and is considered the biggest dance festival in Korea, drawing the participation of famous dancers and a range of newcomers. During the festival, there will be a variety of events for festival visitors both on and off the stage.

Gimje Horizon Festival, held from late September to early October every year since 1999, takes place at Byeokgolje Reservoir, which is the heart of the Honam rice bowl. The festival aims to show the importance of Korea’s farming culture, which is a foundation of the nation, with the theme of sky and land meeting at the horizon. The festival also aims to promote the regional image and economy. Many dynamic and active programs are available for festival-goers to participate in before the golden horizon.Byeokgolje, the largest irrigation facility in the world, built 1,700 years ago during Baekje (King Biryu, 330), is embraced by the city of Gimje. Thanks to Byeokgolje, the area of Gimje is the birth place of Korea’s rice farming and agricultural culture. During the Baekje period, it was called ‘Byeokgolgun’ (a village of rice) which came from the fact that this area was the first area to start rice farming.During the festival, domestic and overseas visitors can take part in various hands-on programs feeling Korean farming culture in Byeokgolje (Historic Site No. 111). Visitors of all ages can easily take part in these programs to educate, inspire, and enjoy with a theme of spacious plains to the horizon. Events include kite-flying, rice-farming, catching grasshoppers, Korea Straw and Plants handicraft, making rice over an open fire, and other activities to entertain visitors.

Seoul Culture Night is one of major summer festival held at nighttime, featuring Seoul’s nature, culture and architecture for visitors including Seoul residents and tourists. It will be held in the area of Seoul Square and DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza) and other places in Seoul. Various cultural facility which are not open in the normal days, and other creative and hands-on programs are prepared to give unique excitement.

Once a year at Jindo Island in Jeollanam-do, the sea mysteriously parts and visitors can walk through the sea from the main island to a smaller nearby island. This phenomenon is due to the difference between high and low tides, creating a 2.8-kilometer-long road measuring 40 meters in x_width.The Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival takes place at the same time as this phenomenon. Visitors can enjoy walking along the sea road, gathering abalone and various other fun activities that make up the festival program. The spectacular sight of the waves parting is widely known and about half a million visitors flock from all over the world just to witness this amazing event.

‘Saturday Premium Performance’ takes place 50 times this year from January 7 through December 29. Seventeen different kinds of programs consisting of traditional music, dance, and singing performances will be performed throughout the year. Nine programs are suitable for people who have never experienced Korean traditional performing arts before. They consist of court music, solo performances, solo court music performances, traditional dance, folk dance, and play. These nine programs will be staged 38 times total.There will also be six masters’ programs comprised of performances of the maestros of Gugak (Korean traditional music), traditional dance, and play. Each program will be performed only once. Two intangible cultural asset programs also will be performed, consisting of Korean intangible cultural assets that have been added to the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List. They will be performed three times each.Whether you are new to Gugak or an avid lover of Gugak, the Saturday Premium Performance offers performances for everyone.

The Nakdonggang Yuchae Festival is an annual event held during mid to late April in a canola flower field in the Namji-eup area of Changnyeong. The festival offers live performances; an experience hall of insects and birds; agricultural and specialty product exhibition, sales, and experience, and promotion booth; Namji Cheolgyo Gallery; yuchae photo rally, and other events for visitors to enjoy the beautiful scenery of yellow canola flower in full bloom with the blue thread of the Nakdonggang River.

DDP Citizen’s Festival will be held to improve Dongdaemun’s image and activate the regional economy as a representative festival of Dongdaemun area. The festival includes a ceremony for a public ambassador, performances, exhibitions, hands-on programs, street art performances, an international food event, and many other programs. Visitors of all ages are welcome to take part in this open festival. The festival aims to build DDP’s own identification as the top place regarding design and creative knowledge.