[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Jeju Folk Village’s Hydrangea Festival　

The Hydrangea Festival, which started in June 1, is scheduled to run through June 30 at Jeju Folk Village in Seogwipo, Jeju Island.

With the traditional Korean straw-thatched houses, the festival welcomes the visitors to enjoy the colorful hydrangea while strolling around the tourist site.

Visitors can enjoy both the traditional games and have a chance to make your own hydrangea flowerpot.

Jeju Folk Village’s admission fees cost 11,000 won and 8,000 for adults and teenagers, respectively.

The tickets cost 7,000 won for children.

More information can be found at www.jejufolk.com. 

Pocheon Herb Island’s Lavender Festival

The Lavender Festival will start from June 18 and run through Aug. 31 at Herb Island in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province.

Herb Island seeks to mesmerize its visitors not only with the purple-colored fields, but also with the aromatic lavenders.

Aside from flowery photo zones, the festival offers various programs, including natural soap and cosmetics making, herb foot bath experience and more.

The tickets are 9,000 won, or discounted to 7,000 won for those under 16.

Updated information can be found at www.herbisland.co.kr.

Gimcheon Plum Festival

The second edition of the Gimcheon Plum Festival will be held from June 24 to 26 in areas of Sannaedeul Park in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province.

With an attempt to promote the city’s specialties, the festival is set to entertain both visitors and tourists with diverse programs, ranging from plum-related quiz shows, busking from local artists, chef and entertainer Lee Hye-jung’s cooking show, Gimcheon’s plum and grape auction event.

The cooking show will be presented in online-offline hybrid event only on June 25.

The visitors can freely view the plum trees at the farm near Sannaedeul Park.

Admission is free.

More information can be found at www.gcjadu.com. 

Daegu Chimac Festival

The Daegu Chimac Festival will start from July 6 and run through July 10 in areas of Duryu Park in Daegu.

In response to the Koreans’ enthusiasm for eating chicken with beer, the event is created by combining the two words “chicken” and “maekju,” meaning beer in Korean.

Visitors can enjoy electronic dance music performances and local artists busking, while gorging on the delicious combination of chicken and beer.

Anyone can enjoy the festival, though the purchase of alcoholic beverages is limited to adults.

More information can be found at www.chimacfestival.com. 

Welcome to Joseon Festival

The Welcome to Joseon Festival runs through June 26 at Korean Folk Village in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

Visitors can enjoy concerts, theatrical performances and hands-on experiences, including making natural scented candles, key rings and more, at the spring event.

In addition to the traditional programs, the serene hanok -- traditional Korean homes -- offer an amazing backdrop for Instagram photos.

Regular tickets are 32,000 won, or discounted to 26,000 won for those under 13.

More information can be found at www.koreanfolk.co.kr.

By Lee Si-jin(sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)