Art craft has always existed as an art with the combination of beauty being in the part of our lives. Its dynamic and changeable features depend on various culture, materials, technic, and methods throughout long period of time from over the world. First started in 1999, the Cheongju International Craft Biennale this year is taking place for the ninth time. This year, the biennale has a theme of "HANDS+ : Expansion & Coexistence" as it aims to explore the theme of “coexistence,” where traditional and modern technical developments exist together as equals in a category no longer of the individual but of community. With that, four exhibits, symposiums & lectures, experience program, performance and cultural event will also be taking place in the 2015 Cheongju International Craft Biennale.
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.
Busan’s beautiful port city of Daebyeonhang Port sees the richest harvest of anchovies in Korea, especially in the months of April and May, therefore holds the Busan Gijang Anchovy Festival during this period. Daebyeonghang Port is also the film location for the 2001 box office hit movie featuring Jang Dong Gun and Yu Osung. The scene where Jang Dong Gun reminisces about his childhood memory of swimming in the ocean near a lighthouse while smoking a cigarette was filmed at this very location. The beautiful clear sea decorated with a lighthouse is not only popular during the Anchovy Festival, but is also a popular tourist attraction all year round.Event Programs: As a symbol of the fact that the festival is held by the sea, the Gijang Anchovy Festival begins with a fishermen’s parade around the port while carrying nets and other fishing equipment, while the fishermen themselves dress up in traditional fishing outfits which are white Hanbok. Gijang Anchovy Festival also offers rich seafood dishes, and visitors can enjoy the most fresh anchovy hoe (raw fish) in the area during its peak season. Pickled anchovy with seaweed is also a popular dish, and cuttlefish and cutless fish are also popular spring catches of Daebyeonhang. An outdoor food market offers a variety of hoe (raw fish) dishes, soups, and baked foods at moderate prices with an incredible view of the ocean.At nights, a musical performance is held with music, singing, and dancing, adding to the evening excitement. For even more fun, colorful fireworks light up the sky and give pleasure to the evening events. The Gijang Anchovy Festival is smaller in scale and simpler compared to other festivals, but it doesn’t diminish the spirit of fun at one of Korea’s cleanest ocean villages.Festival Highlights: For Korean movie fans, watch the 2001 box office hit to add more enjoyment to your trip. Comparing the red lighthouse and Daebyeonhang’s clean ocean waters to the scenes in the movie offers another sort of fun. Of course, the Anchovy Festival is fun as well if you don’t end up watching the movie. Buying a freshly caught fish and having it served on the spot is definitely the highlight of the festival.
The Gaya Culture Festival is a historical and cultural festival of Gimhae-si, whose long history and tradition is based on the Geumgwan Gaya, a leading power among the six Gaya groups. The festival is well known at home and abroad.King Kim Suro founded Gaya in A.D. 42 and married Heo Hwang-ok, a princess from the Indian country of Ayuta, in A.D. 48. This was the first known international marriage in the history of the Korean Peninsula. Gaya was quite advanced in the production of earthenware and iron implements, and traded with neighboring countries like China, Nakrang, and Japan. It thrived as a center of international exchange in Northeast Asia, and its culture was also remarkably developed.Gimhae, the birthplace of the Gaya culture, has a long history and unique culture. Through the Gaya Culture Festival, the region is continuing to preserve, build on, and develop the Gaya culture and heritage. The Gaya Culture Festival asserts Gaya’s rightful place alongside the Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla kingdoms.
As the master country of Taekwondo, Chuncheon Open International Taekwondo Championships provide the opportunity for Taekwondo artists from all over the world to demonstrate their Taekwondo skills. The championships are held every other year.Description: The championships are categorized into three divisions: Gyeorugi, Gyeongyeon, and Color Belts Gyeorugi. The Gyeorugi Division has the most contestants, and is sectioned into male/female, junior/senior, and children. The Color Belts Gyeorugi Division is open to only foreign contestants over the age of 14 years.The Gyeongyeon Division includes Sonnal Gyeokpa which uses only a single hand-surface, the Jumeok which uses the fists, and the Jonghap Gyeokpa. Also in the Gyeongyeon Division are the Creative Pumsae, which uses the basic elements of Taekwondo, Taekwondo Gymnastics and Hosinsul.Other related events also scheduled are the Taekwondo Demonstration, Sports Dance, Street Demonstrations, and more.Championships Highlights: The festival is an international festival with its an overriding Taekwondo theme, now an official Olympic Sport and Korea’s native martial arts. The festival consists of welcoming, opening and closing ceremonies, and of course the championships themselves. The most attractive feature about this festival is that Taekwondo fans can see the world’s leading Taekwondo artists up-close.The host city of Chuncheon is also surrounded by many major tourist attractions such as Namiseom Island and Cheongpyeongsa Temple, which visitors can enjoy along with the festival.
The Hwacheon Sancheoneo (Mountain Trout) Ice Festival will be taking place at Hwacheon county in Gangwon-do. This virtually untouched region is known as the first area in Korea that freezes over in winter, and the river is covered with a thick layer of ice. Visitors can try ice fishing, and those who are feeling brave can try to catch the mountain trout with their bare hands. Many other fun activities and performances are available, including an exhibition of ice sculptures that took 20 weeks to prepare. Visitors can also sample raw and grilled mountain trout, both of which are delicious.
The 2012 Chuncheon Dakgalbi (Spicy Chicken Ribs) & Makguksu (Buckwheat Noodles) Festival is scheduled to be held this year from August 23rd to 28th. Visitors can enjoy Chuncheon-style buckwheat noodles and spicy chicken ribs, two representative dishes of the region. Special events include the Chuncheon Local Cuisine Cooking Contest and free sampling every afternoon of the area’s famous dishes.
Namsadang Baudeogi Festival, a popular culture and art festival, will be held in the hub of art and culture in Anseong. Since it first started in 2001, this festival has been promoting the preservation of the tradition of Namsadang (troupes of entertainers who traveled around the country). It also became the official festival of CIOFF (International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts) in 2006.Based on the Namsadang Baudeogi, Anseong World Folkloriada (안성세계민속축전) is considered as the most successful festival ever, drawing seven hundred thousand visitors. In 2013, It has been renamed as the Anseong Namsadang Baudeogi Festival and will be held at Anseong Matchum Land.During the festival, visitors can look forward to parades, performances, hands-on activities, exhibitions and contests. Programs include a Baudeogi (leader of one of the best Namsadang groups) memorial ceremony, parades, an opening ceremony, special autumn events, guerilla performances, the Anseong citizen Beona dolligi (dish spinning), themed village and connecting farm village experience programs, etc.
Hangeul Festival is coming soon in celebration of 570th year anniversary of Hangeul (Korean alphabet), prepared by Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. This event will be held at Gwanghwamun Plaza, offering entertainment to citizens, specialists, and international visitors. Hangeul Festival is a cultural event everyone can enjoy, aiming to promote and share the cultural values of Hangeul to everyone.
Seoul National Cemetery hosts an event with weeping cherry blossoms that symbolize the protection of the nation. The color of its cherry blossoms of the cemetery are paticularly pink. Also, the view of the the weeping cherry blossoms with their branches hanging down makes people think about paying respect to the souls of all the patriots and to solemn one's mind.
The festival is held in every April with varied sightseeing activities to enjoy weeping cherry blossoms fully.
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