Festivals, sights across Korea

The 2025 World Heritage Festival runs until Oct. 22, with events centered in Jeju City, Jeju Island, and other designated heritage sites across Korea. The festival celebrates UNESCO-listed World Heritage sites through immersive programs that reflect their "Outstanding Universal Value." On Jeju, visitors can join walking tours along volcanic landscapes and nighttime hikes at Hallasan and Seongsan Ilchulbong. Programs also include busking by local musicians, interactive exhibitions and community storytelling at heritage villages. For younger participants, guided explorations into restricted lava caves offer rare educational experiences.

The Hueree Summer Hydrangea Festival in Jeju’s Hueree Natural Park offers a refreshing retreat from the summer heat. Visitors can stroll through a scenic trail lined with vibrant blue, purple and pink hydrangeas. The park also features a greenhouse with rare species, making it a prime spot for nature lovers and photographers. Activities include animal feeding, traditional games and a wildflower learning program. The festival runs through July 27. Admission is 13,000 won for adults and 10,000 won for children.

Semiwon’s Lotus Cultural Festival in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, celebrates the beauty of lotus and water lilies through Aug. 10. Held in a water garden dedicated to ecological harmony, it features nighttime concerts, traditional performances, art exhibits and hands-on classes such as lotus tea making. Admission is 7,000 won for adults, 4,000 won for children, teens, seniors and groups.

The Yangpyeong Catfish Whiskers Festival in Sumimaru Village, Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province runs through Sep. 7. Known for its clean water and presidential award-winning rural charm, the festival offers hands-on experiences such as catfish fishing, fruit syrup making, ATV rides and more. Visitors can enjoy bubble play zones, picnics and traditional meals like spicy fish stew. Admission ranges from 19,000 won to 49,000 won, depending on activity packages.

The Hwadam Forest Summer Hydrangea Festival, located in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, runs through Aug. 22, showcasing more than 70,000 hydrangeas across 100 varieties. Set against lush greenery and cascading waterfalls, the 4,500-square-meter Hydrangea Garden is the centerpiece of the event, featuring mountain hydrangeas, mophead hydrangeas, oakleaf hydrangeas and more. The festival includes guided forest tours and hands-on programs like bonsai classes, moss terrarium crafting and insect observation. General admission is 11,000 won for adults, 9,000 won for teens and seniors, and 7,000 won for children.