The 72nd Baekje Cultural Festival kicked off in Buyeo, South Chungcheong Province, on the 3rd, embarking on a 9-day festival schedule.

Governor Park Soo-hyun attended the “Opening Ceremony of the 72nd Baekje Cultural Festival in Buyeo,” held at the main stage of Jeongnimsa Temple Site in Buyeo-gun on this day, to celebrate the event and welcome visitors who came to the venue.

Attended by major dignitaries including Governor Park and festival-goers, the opening ceremony proceeded in the order of the Sabi Transfer Procession, the Jeongdo-goyu-je (ritual celebrating the capital relocation), themed and celebratory performances, and a drone art show.

In his remarks, Governor Park welcomed tourists who visited Buyeo, the ancient capital of Baekje, and emphasized, “We will properly foster the National Historical and Cultural Zone Promotion Agency and establish Buyeo as the central hub connecting South Korea’s nine historical and cultural zones.”

He added, “We will also promote premium nightly permanent performances of Baekje culture to revive the beauty of Baekje and transform Buyeo into a tourist city where visitors can stay and enjoy, so that the dazzling history of Sabi Baekje will bloom even more brightly.”

The Baekje Cultural Festival is a representative historical and cultural festival of the province held annually in Buyeo and Gongju to revive the history and culture of Baekje and widely promote its value. This year, the festival runs from the 3rd to the 11th.

This year in Buyeo, under the theme “Beautiful Baekje, Shining Sabi,” various programs are being promoted across the Buyeo urban area, including rituals and Buddhist services such as Gocheonje (sky-worship ritual), traditional folk performances, the Buyeo Artists' Madang, Sabi Autumn Trot, international exchange performances, the exciting Baekje Yeonhidan, world fusion instrument performances, media art, and exhibitions and experiences.

In Gongju as well, under the theme “Bronze Mirror, Illuminating the Light of 1,500-Year Baekje,” centered around the Gongju Geumgangsin-gwan Park, Gongsanseong Fortress, and the royal city center, a wide variety of programs ranging from rituals such as the collection of the Baekje Hunbul (spirit fire) to various performances including the Woongjin Fantasia “Bronze Mirror,” as well as academic conferences, education, exhibitions, and hands-on experiences, are being showcased during the festival period.

Moving forward, the province plans to link the Baekje Cultural Festival with Baekje's historical and cultural resources, such as the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Gongju and Buyeo, to expand stay-type tourism resources, attract domestic and international tourists, and continuously promote the revitalization of the local tourism industry.

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