▲ This poster for the 2026 ChamMak Art Festival, scheduled to be held on June 13, 2026, around the Lee Sedol Baduk Museum on Bigeum Island, is provided by the host, hosted by the Shinan County office in South Jeolla Province. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)

SEOUL, June 9 (Yonhap) -- South Jeolla Province's Shinan County will hold the ChamMak Art Festival on June 13 around the Lee Sedol Baduk Museum on Bigeum Island, local officials said Tuesday.

The festival commemorates an episode from 1851, when the French whaling ship Narval drifted ashore on Bigeum Island and its crew reportedly expressed gratitude for the warm hospitality of local residents by sharing champagne and makgeolli, Korea's traditional rice wine.

This year's event will open with a performance reenacting the historic encounter.

Visitors will be treated to a diverse lineup of performances blending Eastern and Western artistic traditions, including classical music, vocal recitals, the traditional Korean dance Taepyeongmu, musical gala performances and French chanson concerts.

The festival will also feature a variety of hands-on programs, including tastings of makgeolli crafted by master brewers, sampling sessions for both champagne and makgeolli, opportunities to try "maktails" made by combining the two beverages, and photo zones where visitors can pose in 19th-century costumes.

The event will conclude with a performance of the "Bigeum Island Jumping Ganggangsullae," a representative item of the island's intangible cultural heritage.

European visitors and local residents are expected to join hands in the traditional circular dance, symbolizing harmony and cultural exchange beyond national borders.

A county official said the local government hopes to preserve and expand the legacy of the toast shared on Bigeum Island 175 years ago as a meaningful example of cultural diplomacy and artistic exchange.

[Copyright ⓒ K-VIBE. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution are prohibited.]