Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival 2024 in South Korea

For the average visitor the festival is an amusingly great exhibition of floating lanterns, variously shaped and colored, dotting both the city streets and the waters of the Jinju Namgang River. Yet for locals, it's as meaningful as it is beautiful. The most famous light festival in South Korea attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every October to the city of Jinju in the southern part of the country.

Festival Events

The annual street parade features thousands of Jinju residents carrying lanterns to commemorate fallen warriors. The parade has always been the main highlight of Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival. Another significant attraction is the lantern show, which doubles both as a ritual to commemorate 70,000 fallen Korean soldiers and an opening ceremony of the event. A magnificent fireworks show takes place at Jinju Fortress, creating stunning, colorful reflections in the water of the river below. More than 300 drones come together in a unique drone show. The event also features a light installation near the Cheonsu Bridge.

Other Entertainment

During the day, visitors can learn how to make young or Korean floating lanterns and hang wishing lanterns. The festival also features live music, various workshops, theater performances, fireworks, and other cultural events. Even just taking a stroll through the streets of the city is entertaining since you're able to witness numerous light installations in the shapes of characters, sculptures, or flowers.

Schedule & Dates

The festivities take place every year in the period between late September and early October around the Jinju Namgang River area. This year, the festival is set to begin on October 5th and span until October 2oth. All the light installations can be witnessed during the day but are especially beautiful at night. The parade is set to take place at 6:30 pm on October 5th.

Location

Most of the lanterns and light installations are centered on the banks of the Namgang River. There are several recommended routes to explore the festival, with a one-hour course starting at the Gongbungmun Gate of the Jinjuseong Fortress, moving towards the Yeongnam Pojeongsa Gate and the Chokseongnu Pavilion, and ending back at Jinjuseong Fortress. The two-hour route begins at the banks of Manggyeong-dong, crosses the bridge, continues at the Chokseongnu Pavilion, Hoguksa Temple, and Musical Fountain, and then finally circles back to Manggyeong-dong.

History of the Lantern Festival

The background story of the festival goes back to the late 16th century, namely to 1592, the bloody year of a Japanese invasion. The role of lighting lanterns was to ensure at least some communication between the family members that appeared to be on different bands of the Namgang River. However, today the lanterns are lit to honour 70,000 Korean warriors who sacrificed their lives for the sake of a free motherland.