2026 Year of Visiting Islands
Mar 1 – Dec 31, 2026 · Happening now · Gwangju & Jeollanam-do
Overview
The 2026 Year of Visiting Islands newly highlights the ecological and cultural assets of Korea's islands and marks a full-scale leap for Korea toward becoming a global island tourism powerhouse that draws the world's attention. In particular, 2026 is linked with the '2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo,' the world's first expo themed around islands, offering even richer sights and experiences. Through a variety of programs unfolding throughout 2026 — from island travel expense support promotions to Culture Week events — the excitement of the expo will spread to islands nationwide, offering the chance to directly experience the true relaxation and renewed vitality that islands provide.
Photos
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization
Other festivals in Gwangju & Jeollanam-do
Gwangju & Jeollanam-do
2026 Namdo K-Garden Festival
Sep 11 – Oct 31, 2026
The 2026 Namdo K-Garden Festival is a nighttime garden festival held around Yeomun Culture Street and Yeoseo Migwan Square in Yeosu-si. The festival's theme is 'Yeosu's Night Garden, Embracing the Islands,' and the event runs for a total of 51 days, from September 11 to October 31, 2026. The festival aims to make use of the spatial characteristics of the old downtown area through content that connects gardens with nighttime scenery, and to provide citizens and tourists with an opportunity to enjoy garden culture. About 40 gardens, including signature gardens, designer gardens, and citizen-participation gardens, are created at the venue, and the space is designed to be enjoyed both day and night through a variety of plants and landscape displays. At night, lighting design is applied to highlight the gardens' scenery, providing a viewing environment connected to Yeosu's nighttime tourism resources. During the event period, various programs are run, including garden guide programs, cultural performances, experience programs, and citizen-participation programs, and programs linked to the local commercial district and tourism resources are also carried out together.
Gyeongsangnam-do
Hadong Bukcheon Cosmos and Buckwheat Flower Festival
Sep 22 – Oct 5, 2026
In the season when deep pink cosmos and dazzling white buckwheat flowers blanket the fields, the '20th Hadong Bukcheon Cosmos & Buckwheat Flower Festival' will be held. Since its start in 2007, the Bukcheon flower complex has given countless visitors unforgettable autumn memories for 20 years, and it will now be presented in an even more diverse and abundant form. There are plenty of walking paths through waves of blooming flowers, a warm rural landscape, and a wide variety of performances and hands-on experience events prepared for the 20th anniversary. Visitors can create a special twentieth autumn story with beloved family or partners in beautiful Hadong Bukcheon.
Gyeongsangnam-do
Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival
Oct 3 – Oct 18, 2026
The tradition of yudeung, or floating lanterns, dates back to the Battle of Jinjuseong Fortress, one of the three major victories of the Imjin War (Japanese invasions of Korea, 1592–1598). During the battle, lanterns were floated on the Namgang River as military signals to communicate with Righteous Army forces outside the fortress and as a means for families to exchange messages and check on one another. Jinju has carried on this tradition by organizing the Yudeung event as part of the Gaecheon Art Festival, first held in 1949 and regarded as Korea's first comprehensive regional arts festival. Since 2000, the festival has been held independently as the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival.
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Dates and programs can change. Check the official site before you go. Official site