Korea Festivals

Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Culture Festival

Oct 17 – Oct 18, 2026 · Gyeonggi

Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Culture Festival
Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Culture Festival. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization

Overview

The Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Cultural Festival is themed around the life of Jeong Yak-yong (penname Dasan). The festival takes place in the area surrounding the Jeong Yak-yong Historic Site and Dasan Ecological Park. During the festival, various performances and hands-on programs will be prepared for visitors. In addition, busking performances and markets are held at Dasan Ecological Park, and it is a festival where you can experience Jeong Yak-yong's historical and cultural content, performances, and hands-on activities together.

Why go

This festival celebrates the life and legacy of Jeong Yak-yong (Dasan), a major Joseon-era scholar, through performances and hands-on cultural programs at his historic site and the adjoining ecological park. Busking acts and markets add a casual, community feel alongside the more historical content, and admission is free.

Getting there from Seoul

The festival is held in Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do, which is reachable from Seoul via the Gyeongui-Jungang commuter line; Neungnae Station is the nearest stop to the Jeong Yak-yong Historic Site, with a short walk or taxi ride to the venue. Driving or taking a taxi from Seoul is also an option given the suburban location.

Tips

  • Admission is free, so no advance tickets are needed.
  • Programs run 10:00–17:30 on both days (17–18 October 2026), so arrive earlier in the day to see more.
  • Activities are spread across two connected sites, the Historic Site and Dasan Ecological Park, so allow time to walk between them.

Best for: history buffs, families, culture, free activities.

  • Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Culture Festival
    Photo: Korea Tourism Organization
  • Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Culture Festival
    Photo: Korea Tourism Organization
  • Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Culture Festival
    Photo: Korea Tourism Organization
  • Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Culture Festival
    Photo: Korea Tourism Organization

Other festivals in Gyeonggi

  • Gyeonggi

    Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Cultural Festival

    Oct 17 – Oct 18, 2026

    The Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Cultural Festival is a festival held in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, themed around the life and thought of Jeong Yak-yong and the spirit of Silhak (Practical Learning). The 40th Dasan Jeong Yak-yong Cultural Festival will be held from October 17 to 18, 2026, in and around the Jeong Yak-yong Historic Site and Dasan Ecological Park. The main programs include a flower-offering and tea ceremony, the opening ceremony, a special fashion show and commemorative concert marking the 40th anniversary, the Jeong Yak-yong Robot Creation Contest, and a literary contest. On the 17th, designer Lie Sang Bong's special fashion show is scheduled, and on the 18th, a commemorative concert featuring Eoks, Park Hye-won, and Urban Zakapa is planned. The hands-on programs include 'Yeoyudang Hunters,' in which participants complete missions around the venue to find treasure; the 'Digital Detox Exile Experience'; the 'Jeong Yak-yong Future Workshop,' where visitors encounter artificial intelligence and robots; and traditional games and hanbok experiences. In addition, busking performances and a market will be held at Dasan Ecological Park, making this a festival where visitors can experience Jeong Yak-yong's historical and cultural content together with performances and hands-on activities.

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    Semiwon Water Lily Culture Festival

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    The Semiwon Water Lily Culture Festival is a leading autumn garden culture festival held at Semiwon, located in Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do. Semiwon is a garden of water and flowers surrounded on three sides by Paldang Lake, and it holds the designation of Gyeonggi-do Local Garden No. 1, featuring traditional East Asian garden styles and a wide variety of aquatic plants. The Water Lily Culture Festival is an event centered on water lilies, Semiwon's signature aquatic plant, offering a festival of distinctive autumn garden sights. It presents a uniquely varied garden landscape combining the Victoria water lily, known as the 'Queen of Flowers,' along with the exotic Australian water lily, colorful tropical water lilies, and other diverse water lilies and aquatic plants. Visitors can admire the beauty of water lilies blooming on the water's surface while enjoying a relaxing escape in the heart of the city. In particular, as the host site of the 2026 Gyeonggi Garden Culture Expo, it is set to present even richer garden culture content. The Semiwon area is a place steeped in the history of the Baedari (floating bridge) built by Jeong Yak-yong, a Silhak (practical learning) scholar of the late Joseon period, and is equipped with various facilities such as the Lotus Flower Museum, the Jangdokdae (earthenware jar terrace) Fountain, Sehanjeong, and the Baedari, serving as a multicultural space where nature, ecology, and culture and the arts come together, as well as a year-round garden tourist destination.

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    2026 14th Gyeonggi Garden Culture Expo

    Oct 16 – Oct 19, 2026

    The 2026 14th Gyeonggi Garden Culture Expo is a garden culture festival held against the backdrop of Dumulmeori, where the Namhangang (South Han River) and Bukhangang (North Han River) meet, and Semiwon, Regional Garden No. 1. This year's expo theme is 'Dumulmeori Sa:saek,' which uses four colors representing the four seasons to show the cycle of nature while also conveying a reflection on the essence of life. Within the garden connecting Dumulmeori and Semiwon, visitors can stay and feel the colors of the season, experiencing a special time of self-reflection.

Festivals: Gyeonggi

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Dates and programs can change. Check the official site before you go. Official site