The Best Fall Festivals in South Korea

As September arrives, South Korea transforms with cooler air and crisp breezes, perfect for diving into the season’s rich traditions. Autumn in Korea is more than just a change in weather; it’s a celebration of the harvest, culture, and community. This post uncovers the must-see Fall festivals that make this season unforgettable.

Table of Contents

• 1. Must-See Fall Festivals in South Korea
• 2. Chuseok
• 3. Andong Mask Dance Festival
• 4. Jinju Namgang Yudeung Lantern Festival
• 5. The Busan Fireworks Festival

Must-See Fall Festivals in South Korea

Best Festivals For Fall Fun

Name it and there is probably a festival for it in South Korea. From fish to films, South Korea enjoys celebrating everything. Here are 4 Must-See Fall Festivals within a few hours from Camp Walker in Daegu South Korea. Most of them reflect the Autumn harvest, the people’s dedication to their culture and traditions as well as its new-found influence on the rest of the world. Although there are a dozen festivals I can think of, here are four of my personal favorites.

Chuseok 

All Over South Korea
September 23 – September 26, 2018

This is not your typical festival. Chuseok is the South Korean equivalent of the American Thanksgiving holiday. It’s a three-day festival devoted to the harvest and ancestors. Chuseok foods have ceremonial relevance, as does their placement on the dinner table. It’s all very visual and complicated (to foreigners) simultaneously.

Chuseok is mainly celebrated at home with family and friends. However, there are also public performances: singing, dancing, and storytelling. And if you are lucky enough to be invited, I wholeheartedly recommend that you go. But don’t forget a gift. Common Chuseok gifts include pears, apples, grapes, and Spam. Yes Spam.

Andong Mask Dance Festival 

Andong
September 28 – October 7, 2018

The festival has over 50 events, but the highlight is the National & International Mask Dance Performances and World Mask Competitions. Competitors come from all around the world. We went the day they had performances by the Philippines and Japan. A taste of Thailand just before our first of three trips: Phuket, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai.

There are dozens of vendors hawking everything from sneakers to kitchen spoons to soaps and perfumes. Fresh and dried fish, octopus, silkworms, and fresh fruits and vegetables baked under the intense sun. Nuts, spices, berries, and something that resembled rice crispy treats toppled into tall towers… easily toppled by unsteady hands. Hands-on demonstrations of mask making, dance groups including very young (and possibly mildly inappropriately dressed) belly dancers.

Jinju Namgang Yudeung Lantern Festival

Jinju
October 1 – October 14, 2018

 I loved the lantern festivals the most. This beautiful festival features brightly colored lanterns floating on the glassy stream. Visitors can make their own wish lanterns and send it downstream or even submit an entry to the most innovative lantern contest. Traditional lanterns from all over the world are on display as well. But the festival’s main draw is the simple beauty of thousands of lanterns lighting up the night near the Jinjuseong Fortress.

If you can’t make the lantern festival in Jinju, check out the Seoul Lantern Festival next month. The 10th annual festival will be held from November 2nd through the 18th. And although, I haven’t been to this one. But I have walked the 1.2 km long water path along the Cheonggyecheon Stream from Cheonggyecheon Square to Supyogyo Bridge where it will be held.

The Busan Fireworks Festival

Busan
October 27, 2018

Fireworks are always fun. An hour of fireworks synchronized to music is amazing. And laser lights over the longest suspension bridge in South Korea, adding to the excitement of millions of people, are a spectacle.

The Busan Fireworks Festival takes place every October on Gwangalli Beach in Busan. The festival has cultural events and entertainment, high-tech laser light shows, and culminates with one of the, if not the best, fireworks display I’ve ever seen. It is one of the area’s most popular festivals, drawing crowds of more than 1 million visitors every year. As a result, most people flock to the beach for a closer view of the festivities. However, nearby Hwangnyeongsan Mountain also offers the best panoramic view of the fireworks This year, the festival was held on October 22nd. Click here for the video.

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