Busan Fireworks Festival


The annual Busan Fireworks Festival gearing up for its 12th year, kicking off its festivities October 22 along Gwangalli Beach.

Along with its breathtaking fireworks display show, the festival will feature a myriad of diverse events, including live music and street performances. The annual festival is one of the city’s biggest and most popular events, attracting more than 1 million national and international visitors every year.

Although in the past the festival has been held for two days, this year’s festivities is slated to be held for one night only. For more information, visit www.bff.or.kr.

Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival


The annual Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival is a celebration of all things lotus flowers, while highlighting the importance of preserving wild flowers. As part of the festival celebrations, the event features a variety of lotus flower experience programs such as lotus paper origami and flower soap making. This year’s festivities will run until July 17 at Buyeo’s Seodong Park.

Although nowhere near as popular with tourists as Seoul and Busan, Buyeo continues to strengthen its image as a tourist destination. Located nearby the festival grounds are a number of Baekje cultural and historic sites such as the Baekje Wangneungwon (royal mausoleum), Nakhwaam and the Baekje Historical Museum.

Moonlight Tour at Suwon Hwaseong


Similar to that of the Seoul palaces’ nighttime tour openings, the Suwon Hwaseong Fortress will soon be available to visitors who want to take a nighttime stroll in the historic structure.

Until July 17, the Suwon Cultural Foundation will open the UNESCO World Heritage Suwon Hwaseong and Hwaseong Haenggung Palace to the public for a special nighttime program known as “Moonlight Tour at Suwon Hwaseong.” Participants can enjoy various programs such as poetry readings and traditional performances.

Tickets are listed at 20,000 won and must be purchased in advance at interpark.com.

Busan Sea Festival


The annual Busan Sea Festival is gearing up for its 21st year, kicking off this year’s weeklong festivities on Aug. 1.

The festival was launched 20 years ago in an effort to promote the harbor city of Busan as a port-side tourist destination and was Korea’s first general ocean festival. However, now the event has grown to be one of the city’s biggest festivals, offering visitors of all ages the opportunity to view and experience various cultural programs and performances. The festival will also feature a handful of star-filled concerts such as the Cass Summer Concert, Busan International Hip-hop Festival, the Busan International Rock Festival and the 7080 Family Love Concert.

Busan Sea Festival will be held on five beaches throughout the city: Haeundae, Gwangalli, Songdo, Dadaepo and Songjeong until Aug. 7. For more information, visit www.seafestival.co.kr.

Boryeong Mud Festival 


One of the country’s most highly anticipated festivals of the year, the annual Boryeong Mud Festival attracts the largest number of international visitors of all the country’s top festivals.

Not only can visitors enjoy a myriad of energetic and wild actives such as mud wrestling, mud sliding and even swimming in the mega mud tub, but festival participants can also take part in the marine mud-training course for some added competition and fun as well as enjoy a relaxing mud massage.

In the evening, visitors can head to the beach for a lively outdoor party atmosphere with live music and fireworks.

This year’s festival will be held until July 24.