Seoul, known as the best destination!

          Seoul is the most popular city in Korea for tourists, so I'm going to give brief information about what to and how to enjoy in Seoul, which is capital of Korea.



List of  Events and Festivals in Seoul

January

 Seoul Lunar New Year - this big event happens in either January or February and brings the city to a halt, where locals celebrate with family and transport is choc-a-block

March


Seokjeondaeje Memorial Rite - this important religious festival honours Confucius, with performances by a traditional court orchestra. Officials dress in old ceremonial garb at the Confucius Shrine at Sungkyunkwan University


April

Yeouido Spring Flowers Festival - the festival is best known for the hundreds of King Cherry Trees that line Yeouido’s roads along with Han-River. After sunset, colored lights illuminate the cherry blossom trees and create a romantic nighttime view. Festival events include a selection of street performances and art exhibitions.

 

 Lotus Lantern Festival - honours Lord Buddha's birthday, with lantern-making, a flea market, and a Nori-Madang (outdoor stage) festival. Monks carry lanterns in procession from Chogyesa Temple and along Chongno Street

May
Hi Seoul Festival - this five-day event features drama performances, parades, traditional ceremonies, food fairs and light shows and is lots of fun

June


Prehistoric Cultural Festival - if you want to see another side of Korean culture, check out the Prehistoric Cultural Festival, which details the country's heritage through the re-enactment of Pawijol Folk Funeral Games. Food stalls and fireworks are also part of the festival


Seoul Tano Festival - games at this fun family-friendly event include rope skipping, stick-tossing (chachigi), and wrestling (ssirum), while traditional music and dance performances are also part of the event


July


Holiday Season - going from late July to early August, South Korea's holiday season is perhaps best avoided as the city, transport, attractions and hotels throng with holidaying locals


August
Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival - this enjoyable event is held in the COEX Centre every year and features six days of movie-watching


September


Baekje Tomb Festival (Hansong Paekche Cultural Festival) - celebrated over three days to commemorate the Hansong and Paekche Kingdom empires, who helped shape Korean culture. There is folk dancing, a folk fiesta, and a dazzling procession


Seokjeondaeje Memorial Rite - this same religious event is also held in March at Sungkyunkwan University


October
Seoul Performing Arts Festival - artists come to the city each October from the likes of Russia, Germany, and even Iran, for dance performances and competitions


Seoul Drum Festival - local and international artists perform with traditional and electronic drums and percussion instruments


December
Christmas - celebrated the world-over, Christmas is a special time for Korea's Christian population and sees Christmas carols in shopping malls, streets festooned with lights and trees, and present-giving on December 25th

Transportations of Korea


*Subway

                                       Please, Click!  → Seoul Metro Map Link
* Bus

Please, Click!  → Seoul Bus Guide

June Festival - Daegu International Musical Festival

     The Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF) is the only exclusive international musical festival in Korea. It aims at developing musical theater into an industry through which the beauty and joy of the arts can be appreciated by both international citizens and local residents. In pursuit of this dream, DIMF has made every effort to encourage domestically created musicals, nurture the upcoming musical generation, and reach new audiences.

     DIMF, despite being a relatively new cultural event of Daegu, has firmly established itself as a veritable marketplace where producers and directors can exchange ideas and experience a variety of new and diverse musical interpretations. DIMF is not only a stage for the performing arts, but also continues to develop in its role as a delightfully inspiring means of entertainment and recreation.

     In partnership with NYMF (New York Musical Festival), DIMF has taken a big leap into the world musical industry and continues to flourish as Asia’s musical Mecca.

     You will be able to experience the thrill and magic of the internationally beloved Daegu International Music Festival by taking your role as our honored guests!
 
Programs :
*DIMF Pre-festival Evening Event : open-air musical concert!

*Opening Ceremony and Musical Show

*World-Class international musicals

*Locally produced musicals : Korean modern musicals

*College Students' musicals

*Daegu Musical Awards

*Meet the Stars : An Unforgettable Meet and Greet with some of Your Favorite Musical Celebrities

*DIMF Musical Workshop : 4 days of intensive training and a debut performance

*Exhibition of the World’s Best Musical Memorabilia: Posters, Programs, CDs, and DVDs

*Musical Festival on the Street, The DIMFringe

*Musical Concert

*Backstage Tour

Period : 06.12.2010 ~ 07.05.2010

Location : Main and side stages located in downtown Daegu and the surrounding area

Telephone :
- Korea Travel Phone +82-53-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
- For more info +82-53-622-1945 (Korean)

Fax : +82-53-622-1948

Sponsors / Management : Daegu-si

E-Mail : dimf@dimf.or.kr

Homepage : http://www.dimf.or.kr/ (Korean, English)

Transportation :

* Subway

- Subway Line 1, Myeongdeok Station Exit 1 (15 minute walk)
- Subway Line 2, Seomun Market Exit 3 (10 minute walk)

* Bus
1) Samgakji Intersection Center
- Bus number 106, 300, 518, 609, Dalseo2 and get off at the Samgakji Intersection Center bus stop.
- Bus number 106, 300, 518, 609, 651, Dalseo 2 and get off at the bus stop in front of the

2) Front of Keimyung Universtiy Center
- Bus number Rotation 2-1, 202-1, 400-1, 650, 706, 836, Dalseo2 and get off at the bus stop in front of Keimyung Universtiy Center


3) Across from Keimyung Universtiy Center
- Circular bus 2-1 or bus number 202-1, 400-1, 650, 706, 836, Dalseo2 and get off at the bus stop across from Keimyung Universtiy Center

May Festival - Boseong Green Tea Festival

     Boseong province is the largest tea producing region in Korea and produces a wide variety of specialty teas. 
     Each spring visitors come from far and wide to wander through the vibrant expanse of green tea leaves. Aside from the festival’s entertaining and informative tea exhibitions, visitors can further experience the deep-seeded tea culture by taking part in tealeaf gathering and tea making. Food made from the famous Boseong’s tea will also be available to sample / purchase as well as a selection of the area’s specialty teas.

Programs :

* Official Events – Evening Festival (The Night of Many Scents), Downtown Parade, Torch Relay, Pre-Opening Ceremony, Celebratory Performance & Fireworks

* Illimsan Mountain Royal Azalea Festival - Sansinje Ritual, Family Mt. Climbing, Sampling Green Tea and Sharing Green Tea Rice Cake in pursuit of Unification , Tying “Love Mt” Ribbons

* Exhibitions – Exhibition of Proper Attire for Tea Etiquette, World’s Fine Tea Cups Exhibition, Exhibition “The Life of Tea”, Exhibition of Boseong Tea Collection & Special Offers, Boseong Tourist Photo Exhibition, Environmental Photo Exhibition, local specialties & produce, Exhibition of House Plants, Exhibition of Forestry Equipment, Exhibition of Illimsan Mt. Ecological Samples, Exhibition of Wild Flowers, photo show titled “Love Nature”

* Hands-on Experience Programs – picking tea leaves, making tea, making tea bowls, cooking tea food, making green tea kimchi, Green Tea Beauty Health, making green tea rice cake, planting your own green tea seedlings, writing a family motto, celebrity ‘meet and greet’ in promotion of green tea production, Trying out Nokdon (green tea pork), free sampling of green tea, making green tea soap, baking and sampling of green tea bread, trying out Hanji art craft, bus tour to green tea field

Period : 05.01.2010 ~ 05.05.2010

Location : Green tea fields

Telephone :

- Korea Travel Phone +82-61-1330 (English, Japanese, Chinese)
- For more info 061-850-5223~4 (Korean)

Fax : +82-61-850-5577

Sponsors / Management : Boseong-Gun 

Transportation :

From Yongsan Station, take a train headed towards Boseong (9:45am, 1 train daily / est. travel time of 5hrs 40min) and get off at Boseong Station.

From the Boseong Station Exit, you will see an overpass. Cross the overpass to reach the bus stop from where you can take a city bus to the green tea fields (6:00am~8:30pm, departs every 1hr 10min / est. travel time of 15min). You can also take a taxi from Boseong station to the green tea fields, which should take approximately 10mins.

Homepage : dahyang.boseong.go.kr (Korean only)

April Festival - Jindo Sea-parting Festival (Mystic Sea Road Festival) - Video

Video from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxsO_0sdwf8#watch-main-area

April Festival - Jindo Sea-parting Festival (Mystic Sea Road Festival)

     Once a year in Jindo in Jeollanam-do province, the seas mysteriously part just like Moses’ miracle and visitors can walk through the sea from the mainland to a nearby island. This phenomenon is caused due to the difference in high tides and low tides, which creates a 2.8-kilometer-long road measuring 40 to 60 meters in width. The Jindo Sea-parting Festival takes place at the same time as this phenomenon. Visitors can enjoy walking along the sea road, gathering abalone and various other fun activities that make up the festival program. The spectacular sight of the waves parting is widely known and many people travel to Korea from all over the world, especially to witness it.




Period : 03.30.2010 ~ 04.01.2010

Location : Jeollanam-do Jindo-gun Gogun-myeon Hoedong-ri ~ Uisin-myeon Modo-ri Gagye Beach

Telephone :

- Korea Travel Phone +82-61-1330 (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)
- For more info +82-61-544-0151 (Korean)


Additional Events :
- Festival opening ceremony, Cultural experience programs for foreigners, Sales of local agricultural produce and seafood, Food market, Minbaks (private households providing rooms for lodging), which are available in nearby farming and fishing villages


Transportation :
- From Seoul’s Central City Terminal, take an express bus headed towards Jindo (4 buses daily at 7:35am, 9:00am, 3:30pm, 4:35pm / est. travel time of 5hrs 20min) and get off at the Jindo Bus Terminal. From the terminal, take a city bus (towards Hoedong-ri in Gogun-myeon) or a taxi (est. travel time of 30~40 minutes) to the festival location.

March Festival - Cheongdo Bullfighting Festival

Korea has a long tradition of 'bullfighting'.


The Gyeongsangbuk-do province, in particular, has a bullfighting competition that dates back 1000 years, and is now the home of the country’s largest bullfighting festival.


The highlight of the Cheongdo Bullfighting Festival is the bullfighting competition, in which over 100 bulls compete and there is even an event between Korean and Japanese teams. The festival program also includes a genuine US rodeo featuring members of the armed forces who are stationed in Korea and there will be a performance by the US rodeo team.

Period : 03.17.2010 ~ 03.21.2010


Location : Gyeongsangbuk-do Cheongdo-gun Sossaum(Bullfighting) Stadium

Telephone :
- Korea Travel Phone +82-54-1330 (English, Japanese, Chinese)
- For more info +82- 054-370-6376 (Korean)


Admission/Participation Fees :
- Advance Purchase: Adult 4,000 won / Youth 3,000 won
- On-site Purchase: Adult 5,000 won / Youth 4,000 won


※ Free Adimission - Child (ages under 7), Born in Ox year (2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961, 1949) and disabled visitors


Ticket Reservations :
Local offices in Cheongdo-gun area, Nonghyup Bank in Daegu & Gyeongsangbuk-do area and Daegu Bank (Jan.18-Mar.16)


※ On site during the Festival: Ticketbox at the festival venue




Transportation :
- From Seoul Station, take a train to Cheongdo station (6:15am~ 9:30pm, 15 trains daily / est. travel time of 4hrs 30min).

- From Cheongdo Station, cross the street to the bus stop and take a city bus going to Punggak. Get off at the Chilseong 3-way Junction (Samgeori) Bus Stop (departs every 20min / est. travel time of 15~20min).

Map of South Korea

 While you're planning to go to any local festival and event, you might want to know where the city holding the event is, so here is a simple map of South Korea.

Simply Speaking, between the two biggest cities of Korea, from Seoul to Busan, it takes about 2.5 hours by KTX, which is the fastest transportaion. Its fairs are under 55,000 won (about $50).
If you choose to take just regular buses, the trip will be about 4 hrs to 4.5 hrs and costs are about 30,000won(about $27).


When you're interested in visiting local festivals or you're planning to leave to somewhere in Korea,
you might be able to get a lot of information, even for ticketing,  from these two websites.


Korail official website - http://info.korail.com/2007/eng/eng_index.jsp
Korean Express Bus official website - http://www.kobus.co.kr/web/eng/index.jsp