Gangneung Event Information
2024 Gyeongpo Cherry Blossom Festival
- Gangneung’s premier spring event, the Gyeongpo Cherry Blossom Festival, is set to take place will be held from April 5 to April 10, around the Gyeongpodae Pavilion and Gyeongpoho Lake—locations renowned for their spectacular cherry blossoms.
- This year’s festival theme, “Gyeongpo Cherry Blossom Picnic,” aims to provide a plethora of activities and designated picnic areas for attendees to relish the cherry blossoms in comfort. Picnic baskets, mats, and additional essentials will be available at the Gyeongpo Wetland Square. Furthermore, the festival will feature around 10 cherry blossom-themed experience programs, including dalgona candy carving, card flipping, and various games, alongside an LED Wish Tree Event, a flea market, a busking stage, and competitions in photography and singing. The evening will bring the cherry trees along Gyeongpoho Lake to life with beautiful illuminations. Adjacent to the Gyeongpodae Pavilion, an open area will transform into a market showcasing local delicacies and specialties.
- 2024 Gyeongpo Cherry Blossom Festival
- Date : April 5(Fri)~April 10(Wed), 2024
- Location : Gyeongpodae Pavilion and Gyeongpoho Lake
- Starting in April, every weekend, Ojukheon House becomes the stage for traditional cultural performances. Visitors have the unique opportunity to experience Gangneung Gwanno Gamyeongeuk (Gwanno Mask Drama of Gangneung) and Gangneung Nongak (Farmers’ Performance of Gangneung) at this historic site, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Gangneung.
- Gangneung Gwanno Gamyeongeuk (Gwanno Mask Drama of Gangneung) is a masked drama performed by the gwanno (state bond servants) during the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. It stands out as Korea’s sole nonverbal traditional theater, eliminating language barriers for international audiences through expressive dance, movement, and music.
- The drama unfolds a story where the romance between Yangban and Somaegaksi is thwarted by Sisittakttagi, leading to a dramatic attempt at suicide by Somaegaksi, eventual reconciliation, and a collective dance involving the audience.
- Typically, Gwanno Gamyeongeuk can be seen during the Gangneung Danoje Festival period, but it is also regularly performed at Ojukheon House, offering weekend shows from April.
- Gangneung Nongak(Farmers’ Performance of Gangneung), the other cultural emblem of Gangneung presented at Ojukheon House, is recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Korea. This is a leading representation of the Yeongdong Nongak (Farmers’ Performance of Yeongdong) tradition, emanating from the regions east of the Taebaek Mountain Range. It artistically mirrors the agricultural cycle and the community’s aspirations for a bountiful harvest, playing a vital role in reinforcing community bonds amid farming adversities. This performance is a window into Gangneung’s vibrant Nongak traditions, which continue to thrive in local villages.
- Sundays at Ojukheon House are especially festive, with two sessions of Gangneung Gwanno Gamyeongeuk and Gangneung Nongak—once before noon and another in the afternoon. Visitors can start their day with Gangneung Gwanno Gamyeongeuk at 11:00 a.m., explore Ojukheon House, and then enjoy the Gangneung Nongak later in the day. Admission to these performances is included with the Ojukheon House entrance fee, offering an enriching cultural experience.
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- Gangneung Gwanno Gamyeongeuk(Gwanno Mask Drama of Gangneung)
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Date :April 6(Sat) ~ October 27(Sun), 2024, Saturdays at 15:00 or Sundays at 11:00
(Exceptions) 15:00 May 6(Mon) and May 15(Wed), 11:00 performances on May 11(Sat) / no May 12(Sun)
- Gangneung Nongak(Farmers’ Performance of Gangneung)
- Date : Sundays at 14:00, from April 7(Sun) - July 21(Sun). 2024
- Location : Ojukheon House Outdoor Stage
Traditional Performances at Ojukheon House
Gangneung Gwanno Gamyeongeuk & Gangneung Nongak
