Heritage Festival's fourth edition to spotlight Baekje dynasty

The 2023 World Heritage Festival, now in its fourth year, is set to continue to celebrate and promote Korea’s heritage from July to October. Organized and hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation...

Gugak (Korean classical music) singer Ha Yun-ju peforms the theme song for the Baekje Historic Areas, as part of the 2023 World Heritage Festival, during a press conference in central Seoul on Wednesday. [CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION]

The 2023 World Heritage Festival, now in its fourth year, is set to continue to celebrate and promote Korea’s heritage from July to October.

Organized and hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, this year’s events will take place in the three cities of the Baekje Historic Areas: Gongju and Buyeo in South Chungcheong and Iksan in North Jeolla; Suncheon in South Jeolla; Suwon in Gyeonggi and Jeju Island.

Baekje (18 B.C. to A.D. 660) was one of the dynasties in Korea’s Three Kingdoms Period (57 B.C. to A.D. 668).

From July 7 to 23, the Baekje Historic Areas kick off the festivities at venues that have proven historical significance during that period: Gongsanseong (Gongsan Fortress) and the tomb of King Muryeong (r. 501-523) in Gongju, the Jeongnim Temple site and the Naseong Fortress in Buyeo and the Mireuk Temple site and the royal palace site at Wanggung-ri in Iksan.

There will be performances, parades, lectures, tours, and hands-on programs available at these sites.

Then for the entire month of August, the festival will move to Suncheon with a focus on “connecting people and nature” via the Seonam Temple, one of Korea's sansa (Buddhist mountain temples), and the city’s getbol, or muddy tidal flats, both registered as Unesco World Heritage Sites.

It is the first time that a South Jeolla city is taking part in the World Heritage Festival.

Similar programs will take part in Suncheon as well, but to facilitate visitors’ transportation a shuttle bus will operate at a cost of 3,000 won ($2.30) for adults.

Performers for the Suncheon and Suwon legs of the 2023 World Heritage Festival pose during a press conference in central Seoul on Wednesday. [CULTURAL HERITAGE ADMINISTRATION]

It is Suwon’s third year participating in the festival, where it will take over the spotlight from Sept. 23 to Oct. 14 at Jangan Park and Hwaseong Fortress.

This year, the city is preparing programs that target visitors from overseas, including traditional cooking and etiquette classes as well as trying out martial arts.

Its “Suwon Hwaseong’s Walking the Memories” (translated) program, which involves touring the outskirts of the fortress and learning about the city’s history via a tour guide acting as a traditional storyteller, has been such a huge hit that Suwon decided to increase the number of sessions to four per day. While it used to only take place during the night, day tours are now available.

The Jeju programs will last from Oct. 3 to 8 and will focus on walking tours in places like Mount Halla, lava tubes, and the Seongsan Ilchulbong tuff cone.

Each year, the World Heritage Festival selects Unesco-designated world heritage sites in Korea and organizes various activities for visitors, such as performances, exhibitions, and hands-on programs in an attempt to educate the public about each site’s history and value.

Previous editions of the festival, which was inaugurated in 2020, were held in other landmarks or cities including the nine neo-Confucian academies, or seowon, across Korea; and Andong, Yeongju, and Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang.

Most events at the 2023 World Heritage Festival are free. More information can be found at worldheritage.modoo.at or by calling 042-481-4808 or 02-2270-1272.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]