The 2025 Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival - the most famous cultural tourism festival in the land of kimchi - takes place for 16 days, from October 4 to October 19, with the theme "H historic River, containing peace".
According to the organizers, the opening ceremony, also known as the "Chohon Lighting Ceremony", took place extremely vibrantly on the evening of October 4 (local time) with performances, drone performances and spectacular fireworks.
This year, the festival brings a variety of content, combining the beauty of traditional lanterns and advanced technology.
More than 70,000 lanterns light up the night sky on Jinjuseong Citadel and Namgang River, with areas decorated with separate themes, bringing unique experiences. The highlight of this year is the appearance of moving lanterns and lanterns integrated with 3D hologram technology.
Speaking at the event, the Mayor of Jinju City - Mr. Cho Gyu-il, said: "Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival is a crystallization of history, tradition and the enthusiasm of the people. We have completed all preparations so that 70,000 lanterns can bring unforgettable memories to people and tourists. I hope many people will come and enjoy Jinju autumn together".
Representing the Vietnamese tourism business delegation attending the festival, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Dung - CEO of Sunny Vietnam, said that the scale of the festival this year is much larger than last year. The impressive point is that this year the festival attracted many international tourists.
"Jinju City is increasingly becoming an attractive destination for Korean and international tourists, including Vietnamese tourists, thanks to its location close to Busan, and tourism strengths such as traditional historical stories and modern, approachable expressions," Ms. Thuy Dung expressed.
According to Mr. Seo Young Soo - Chairman of the Jinju City Culture and Arts Association, the city always targets the younger generation to continue to maintain and develop a traditional festival for hundreds of years. The festival space has booths serving cuisine and dining for young people starting a business under the age of 35.
During the festival, the "74th Gaecheon Arts Festival" and "2025 Korean Television Film Festival" will also open on October 10, promising to make the festival atmosphere more vibrant.
Jinju City aims to enhance security, safety and convenience for this year's festival by introducing "Smart Map Service", integrating real-time street density and information about festival locations.
At the same time, launching "Easy Payment Service", allowing ordering and pre-payment via mobile or QR code.
Special event at Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival 2025
Large-scale light show: On October 18, the highlight event was a performance combining drones and fireworks. There will also be more drone performances on October 8 and fireworks on October 10.
In particular, this year the festival will have more drone performances combined with fireworks, promising to create an unforgettable experience.
Another new point is the "Adoor Exit room" program. The game revolves around the Jinju battle, involving the completion of ten missions across the Jinjuseong Citadel.
The program takes place seven times a day. Tickets can be purchased online by searching for "Guardians of Jinju" or by registering at the "Gongbukmun" counter - the starting point.
