World Heritage Festival to be held from next month

▲ This photo, provided by the Cultural Heritage Administration, shows the poster for the World Heritage Festival. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This photo, provided by the Cultural Heritage Festival, shows the performance for “Buseoksa Myeongmujeon Proud Proud." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This photo, shows Suwon Hwaseong Fortress. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This photo, shows an inside view of 'Bengduigul Cave," one of the Geomunoreum Lava Tubes, a World Natural Heritage Site in Jeju. With the permission of the Cultural Heritage Administration, it was released on the July 29 through a press that it will be open for the Natural Heritage Festival. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, August 10 (Yonhap) -- A festival to see the UNESCO World Heritage up close while enjoying various cultural events including performances, exhibitions, and experiences will be held on autumn.

The Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation announced on Wednesday that they will be holding the “2022 World Heritage Festival” event under the theme of World Heritage in three regions, namely Andong, Yeongju, Suwon, and Jeju in Gyeongbuk Province from September to October.

The World Heritage Festival, which marks its third anniversary this year, was started in order to publicize the value and meaning of World Heritage in Korea. The purpose of these events is to enjoy a new world heritage through various performances and experience events.

Last year, it was held in four places, including the Baekje Historic Areas, and over 194,000 people enjoyed the event.

The festival will open with the theme of “World Heritage in Transit” in the Gyeongbuk region.

In Andong Hahoe Village, which has been designated as a World Heritage Site “Historic Village of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong,” one will be able to enjoy art exhibitions and Seonyu Julbul Nori at the “World Heritage Centre” designed by the architect Seung Hyo-sang opened on September 3.

Buyongdae, one of the highlights of Hahoe Village tourism, plans to present “I Am Confucianism: The Real Confucianism,” a performance performance based on the story of the birth of Hahoetal masks, three times from September 2 till September 4.

One will be able to feel the harmony of tradition and modern art at Buseoksa Temple, which is located in the middle of Bonghwangsan Mountain in Yeongju.

Choreographer Ahn Eun-mi will be moving around the grounds of Buseoksa and perform “Buseoksa Myeongmujeon Proud Proud,” a modern dance drama that expresses the story of the historical and cultural values of Buseoksa Temple through body movements for two days from September 10 to 11.

At the Buseoksa Museum, the media art exhibition “Blooming with Light Endless Emotion” will be held until August 25.

Confucianism experiences, music plays and Madangnori plays will be held in seowons (private educational institutions of Korea during the mid- to late Joseon Dynasty which combined the functions of a Confucian shrine and a preparatory school) including Sosu Seowon, Dosan Seowon and Byeongsan Seowon from September 3 till 25 and will be held until 10 p.m.

In October, a festival with the theme of "Uigwe Alive: Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, Enjoy" will be held in Suwon for 22 days.

Starting with the performance (October 1-2) of “Master - Holy Craftsmen,” which expresses the labor of artisans for the construction of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, games using augmented reality (AR), creative plays, tours, and royal food experience events will also be held.

Haenggung Square will also be open from 7 to 10 p.m. from October 1 till October 22, filling the autumn nights with light art exhibitions (lighting art). “Walking the night of Suwon Hwaseong Fortress,” where one will be able to enjoy the night view while walking through the fortress walls, is also worth noting.

The festival in October continues in the area around “Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes,” a World Natural Heritage Site.

One can directly participate in various programs including the “Breath of Fire, Walking Through 10,000 Years” tour that walks on the trail of lava that erupted from Geomunoreum 10,000 years ago, and the “World Natural Heritage Pilgrimage,” a tour arranged for 6 days and 5 nights.

The “World Natural Heritage Special Expedition Team” program (October 2- October 3, October 8- October 10), which explores Bengduigul Cave, Manjanggul Cave, and Gimnyeong Cave with experts, is expected to be a special experience as it allows visitors to explore sections that are not normally open.

(This article is translated from Korean to English by Haemin Kim.)

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