Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
January-February; Hwacheon-eup, Hwacheongun, Gangwon-do
Promoted as the nation’s largest and most popular winter celebration, this festival welcomes visitors to enjoy the beautiful scenery of ice and snow. In addition to ice fishing for sancheoneo (mountain trout), visitors can enjoy iceskating, snow sledding, sleigh race, snowmobile riding and other winter activities.
Narafestival.com
Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival
March (subject to change); Jeollanam-do
At Jindo Island, the sea parts once a year and visitors can walk from the main island to a smaller nearby islet — a miracle caused by the difference between high and low tides, which creates a 2.8km-long, 40-metre-wide road . The festival coincides with this natural phenomenon. Don’t miss the sea road beacon light parade.
Eng.jindo.go.kr
Jinhae Gunhangje Festival
March-April; Jinhae Jungwon Rotary Intersection and Jinhae area, Gyeongsangnam-do
Every year between late March and early April, visitors flock to Jinhae in Changwon to enjoy the endless canopy of cherry blossoms over the city. First held in 1952, the event now attracts about two million. Try on a uniform at the Republic of Korea Naval Academy.
Gunhang.changwon.go.kr (Korean only)
Muju Firefly Festival
June; Muju-gun area (Jinam Park, Bandi Land), North Jeolla Province
Usually held in mid-June each year, though it was August 29 to September 6 in 2015, the Muju Firefly Festival is now the nation’s second most popular event and attracts thousands of visitors from around the world. Among the various programmes, a night-time firefly exploration event is the most popular. You can also learn trout fishing by hand.
Firefly.or.kr
Boryeong Mud Festival
July; Daecheon Beach Mud Square in Boryeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do
A signature event held annually in Boryeong, around 200km south of Seoul. Visitors can jump in the huge pool of mud for more than just fun, as Boryeong mud is famous for its cosmetic properties. The festival offers various programmes such as the mud massage pack, coloured mud body painting, mud soap-making and more.
Boryeongmudfestival.com
Andong Mask Dance Festival
September 25-October 4; Gyeongsangbuk-do
Mask dances are an important part of the country’s heritage, especially the Hahoe byeolsingut talnori dance, which has been designated an Important Intangible Cultural Asset of Korea. This festival began in 1997 as a two-day event and has now grown into a ten-day major cultural attraction featuring local as well as international mask dance troupes.
Maskdance.com
Gimje Horizon Festival
October 7-11; Byeokgolje area, North Jeolla Province
Held in the vicinity of Byeokgolje Reservoir — the heart of the Honam rice bowl — this festival focuses on Korea’s agricultural history and offers guests a glimpse into the heritage that is being preserved by local agricultural communities. It enables visitors to experience the beautiful rural environment of Honam Plain, the largest grain producer in Korea.
Festival.gimje.go.kr
