The Korea Herald

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[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

By Choi Si-young

Published : Aug. 30, 2024 - 09:00

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DongGang photo festival

The longest-running annual festival of photography in Korea since 2002, the DongGang International Photo Festival is the go-to for photography enthusiasts and hobbyists.

The festival -- held at the DongGang Museum of Photography in Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon Province, and around the museum -- looks at the history of photography and photos by artists from Korea and overseas.

The event will end Sept. 29. Admission costs 3,000 won. Go to dgphotofestival.com for more information.

Evening strolls at Sejong arboretum

The Sejong National Arboretum in Sejong City offers 50 percent discount on admissions for evening visitors through Oct. 12.

From 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, visitors will be invited to chamber music and “gugak” -- traditional Korean music -- plus a flea market.

Tickets are 2,500 won for adults. The first 500 to enter will be given lanterns. Find more info at sjna.or.kr.

Busking in Sillim-dong

Check out street music, a flea market and restaurants all in one venue right next to Sillim Station Exits No. 3 and 4, a vibrant commercial neighborhood in Gwanak-gu’s Sillim-dong.

The Sinsary Festival will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays until Nov. 9.

Interactive activities like terrarium-making are planned. Check out the festival’s official Instagram @sinsary100.

Design & Art at DDP

Through Sept. 8, artists will adorn Dongdaemun Design Plaza with their works, lighting up the Seoul landmark during the free-for-all annual Design & Art exhibit.

Artists whose works will be on display include Kim Whan-ki, a pioneer of abstract art in Korea, and Felice Varini, a Paris-based Swiss visual artist who paints on urban spaces.

The UK-based art and design collective Studio Vertigo will be installing a giant heart-shaped installation made with more than 11,000 mirrored tiles, called “Our Beating Heart.”

Gyeonggi Ceramic Biennale

Check out the 2024 Gyeonggi Ceramic Biennale in Icheon, a city in Gyeonggi Province known for Korean ceramics.

Twenty-six artists from 14 countries will showcase 75 pieces at the Gyeonggi Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, the main venue of several locations scattered around the province.

The event, running from Sept. 6 to Oct. 20, will recap the ceramic works of previous winners from the province-hosted international ceramics competition. For tickets and more, go to gcb.kr.