Seoul Shinmun | Fancy a Life Photo in Hanbok at Gwanghwamun?
Seoul's Jongno-gu announced on the 17th that it will hold the '2018 Jongno Hanbok Festival,' combining hanbok and traditional culture content, at Gwanghwamun Plaza. On the first day of the festival, sideline events will include hanbok painter Kim Hyun Jung painting directly on hanbok.
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Ahead of the Chuseok holiday, a festival centered on hanbok, the essence of Korean culture, will unfold at Gwanghwamun in Jongno, the heart of Seoul.
Seoul's Jongno-gu announced on the 17th that it will hold the '2018 Jongno Hanbok Festival' at Gwanghwamun Plaza on the 21st and 22nd. Billed as the nation's largest hanbok festival combining hanbok and traditional culture content, it was selected under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's 2018 Festival Cultivation category.
The festival began in 2016 when Jongno-gu Mayor Kim Young-jong took the lead in promoting the everyday use of hanbok, a symbol of traditional culture. Visitors can experience everything related to hanbok, including traditional performances, parades and citizen experience programs.
As a preliminary event, the district will hold ganggangsullae (a traditional Korean circle dance) instruction and demonstrations, led by officially recognized ganggangsullae performers from Jindo, for two evenings starting on the 18th at 7 p.m. at Marronnier Park in Daehak-ro. On the festival's first day, the 21st, at noon, sideline events including 'Hanbok Nadeuri,' in which hanbok painter Kim Hyun Jung paints directly on hanbok, will be held at the central plaza of Gwanghwamun Plaza. This will be followed after 6 p.m. by a Jindo buk-dance (drum dance) parade featuring 200 professional dancers, including certified Jindo buk-dance performers, and a lighting ceremony marking the start of the festival. Visitors can also enjoy a citizen hanbok showcase and a hanbok fashion show by master craftsman Kim In-ja.
On the 22nd, Andong, Jongno-gu's sister city, will present the Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori (National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 69), and at 6 p.m., a hanbok concert with world-renowned conductor Geum Nan-sae will be held on the main stage at the north plaza. It is a Western orchestral performance in which the conductor, soloists and all performers wear hanbok. The same day, from 7:30 p.m., the 'Culture Festival of Confucian Students' program '2018 Gohanora' will be held with roughly 270 members of Sungkyunkwan University's Confucian student culture-planning group 'Cheongnang.' It continues the tradition of Confucian students petitioning the king to benefit the world.
On both nights of the festival, the finale program 'Ganggangsullae of Peace and Love' will be held at 9 p.m. as the festival's highlight. About 60 dance students from Seoul Arts High School, citizen leaders, and domestic and international visitors will bring the event to its close under the guidance of officially recognized ganggangsullae performers, a National Intangible Cultural Heritage (No. 8).
Additionally, for citizens without hanbok, there will be a hanbok rental experience, a 'hanbok playground' for trying traditional games, a traditional market selling traditional crafts, and photo zones ideal for hanbok photos. Wearing hanbok during the festival period will grant free or discounted admission to palaces, museums and art galleries, and restaurants participating in Jongno-gu's 'Love for Hanbok' program will offer a 10% discount on food.
Mayor Kim said, "Hanbok is a precious cultural heritage carrying the wisdom, culture and spirit of the Korean people," adding, "Through this festival, Jongno, home to numerous landmarks including Cheong Wa Dae and Gyeongbokgung Palace, will take further initiative in promoting the elegant charm of traditional hanbok."