One of the country’s most traditional cities, Jeonju, is gearing up to host its first “Walk in Jeonju (Heritage Night and Heritage Story)” nighttime sightseeing and walking tour event starting next month.

From Aug. 12 to 13 and Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, Jeonju’s Hanok Village will welcome visitors to attend night time festivities. The walking tours programs will include free outdoor performances, movie screenings and light shows as well as moonlight tours to some of the city’s most popular attractions, which will stay open late on those dates.

Some of the other festivities in Jeonju include performances of Korean traditional dancing along the picturesque Jeonjucheon River, Korean traditional opera about the history of Jeonju and an art installation at the historic Pungnammun -- the only remaining gate of the Jeonju Fortress.

Guests can join nighttime walking tours based on various themes and programs including the “Pilgrimage of Korean Catholic’s Martyrs’ Site” and the “Hanbyeokru” sightseeing tour, which takes visitors to eight of the most famous locations in Jeonju, including the historic Hanbyeokru pavillion.

The National Intangible Heritage Center will also be screening films at the building’s rooftop. As for photography buffs, there will also be a Hanok Village picture contest that aims to look for the best photos of the Jeonju Hanok Village.

This event is being introduced as part of the Korean Cultural Heritage Administration’s sightseeing attraction contest, which encourages Korean cities to develop night tour programs.

Tours will be made available for many of the city’s historic sites, including Gyeonggijeon where the portrait of Lee Seung-gye, the founder of Joseon, is kept; Omokdae, a pavilion built by Lee and Hyanggyo, a Confucian shrine and school which are all symbols of the 500-year history of Joseon. Visitors can also tour the century-old Jeondong Church, one of the most famous Catholic churches in Korea.

Jeonju is the capital of North Jeolla Province and it is approximately 200 kilometers south of Seoul. It is one of Korea’s top cultural heritage tourism destinations, with its famed Hanok Village that is home to hundreds of Korean traditional houses attracting more than 10 million local and international visitors a year.

The quaint hanok-filled village of Jeonju was also named Lonely Planet’s “Top Asia Spots” for 2016, coming in at the No. 3 spot following Hokkaido and Shanghai.

For more information on the upcoming “Walk in Jeonju” event, visit www.jeonju-night.kr.

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)