Gyeongju, South Korea — The ancient capital of Silla, a city imbued with a millennium of history, is set to become the stage for the "2025 World Heritage Festival Gyeongju Historic Areas." Kicking off on September 12 and running until October 3, the 22-day festival will transform Gyeongju into a vibrant hub of culture, bringing its world-class heritage to life through a series of unique events and performances.
Organized by the Cultural Heritage Administration and hosted by the Korea Heritage Agency, the World Heritage Festival is a premier national initiative designed to celebrate the universal value of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Since its pilot run in 2020, the festival has welcomed approximately 1.95 million visitors, offering both domestic and international audiences engaging and accessible ways to experience Korea's cultural treasures.
This year, the festival is being held simultaneously in four locations: Jeju (Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes), Gyeongju (Gyeongju Historic Areas, Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple, Historic Villages of Korea, and Oksanseowon Confucian Academy), Suncheon (Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea, and Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats), and Gochang (Gochang Dolmen Sites and Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats). As a standalone host city, Gyeongju holds a special significance, boasting the largest number of World Heritage sites in the country. Its four designated sites include Bulguksa and Seokguram Grotto (1995), the Gyeongju Historic Areas (2000), Yangdong Historic Village (2010), and Oksanseowon Confucian Academy (2019). This year's event is co-hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, and Gyeongju City, with the Korea Heritage Agency and the Silla Cultural Heritage Research Institute co-organizing.
The festival’s theme, "A Thousand Years of Light, Coexistence of Generations," commemorates the 30th anniversary of the inscription of Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Historic sites across Gyeongju, including Namsan Mountain, Wolseong Palace, Daereungwon Tomb Complex, and the Hwangnyongsa Temple Site, will serve as the backdrop for a new kind of cultural experience that seamlessly blends the past with the present.
The opening ceremony on September 12 will take place at the Jjoksaem District, east of the Daereungwon Tomb Complex. A grand parade will wind its way from Bonghwangdae Mound to Hwangnidan-gil Street, leading to a stage built to replicate the central gate of Hwangnyongsa Temple. Here, a magnificent narrative of the Unified Silla era will unfold, followed by a musical titled 'Hwangnyong, Soaring Again' and a drone light show to herald the beginning of a new millennium.
On September 13 and 14, the festival will feature a contemporary reinterpretation of the traditional "Palgwanhoe" event, based on historical records from the Samguk Sagi and Samguk Yusa. Beyond traditional preservation, the festival presents heritage as a living culture through performances, exhibitions, hands-on experiences, and digital content. Highlights include "Finding Myself at Seokguram," a meditation experience within the grotto, and "A Story Written in Light at Bulguksa," which allows visitors to symbolically walk on the temple's iconic Cheongungyo and Baegungyo bridges using light projections.
The festival also offers a rich array of nighttime programs designed to enhance the autumn evenings. Visitors can participate in "Seondeok's Starry Story," a constellation observation program at Cheomseongdae Observatory; "Night Stroll at Yangdong Historic Village," an evening tour of the village and the Dokrakdang House; "Bunhwangsa Concert," a musical event shared by moonlight, starlight, and people; "New Kushnameh," a performance blending Silla's hyangga poetry and Cheoyongmu dance with Persian narratives; and "Oh, Silla's Night," a storytelling tour following the legend of the birth of Kim Alji.
With the 2025 APEC Summit fast approaching, the Gyeongju festival is poised to attract significant international attention. The city government plans to leverage the event to expand its cultural diplomacy and strengthen its position as a global cultural capital.
Gyeongju Mayor Joo Nak-young expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "It is deeply meaningful that Gyeongju, the capital of the Silla millennium and the city with the most World Heritage sites in Korea, is hosting this festival to mark the 30th anniversary of Bulguksa and Seokguram's designation. We hope this festival will not only revive our glorious Silla heritage in contemporary life but also inspire future generations to continue its legacy."
For more information on the "2025 World Heritage Festival Gyeongju Historic Areas," including detailed schedules and program listings, please visit the official website at https://gjwhf.kr/.
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