National Heritage Media Art Yeosu Jinnamgwan
Oct 9 – Nov 8, 2026 · Gwangju & Jeollanam-do
Overview
The 2026 National Heritage Media Art Yeosu is a nighttime cultural event that presents Yeosu's national heritage and the stories of Yi Sun-sin and the Jeolla Left Naval Headquarters through media art. Under the theme 'Jinnamgwan, Rebuilt with Light,' it will be held from October 9 to November 8, 2026, in the area around Jinnamgwan, Gosodae, and Yi Sun-sin Square. Based on the historical background and spatial characteristics of the main sites, it expresses the Nanjung Ilgi (War Diary), Yi Sun-sin's spirit of caring for the people, and the voyages of the turtle ship through video and light. The event consists of media art exhibitions using the architecture of Jinnamgwan, the memorial pavilion (bigak) and protected tree at Gosodae, and the turtle ship at Yi Sun-sin Square, and it runs programs linking viewing and hands-on experience, including an AI metahuman Yi Sun-sin, interactive content using visitors' photos, and a stamp tour. The stamp tour involves visiting Jinnamgwan, Tarubi, and the turtle ship, and on weekends during the event period, experience programs and a flea market will also be held.
Why go
This is a nighttime media art show projected onto Yeosu's actual Joseon-era heritage sites, telling the story of Admiral Yi Sun-sin and the Jeolla Left Naval Headquarters through light and video. The mix of historic architecture (Jinnamgwan, Gosodae) with interactive tech, including an AI metahuman Yi Sun-sin and photo-based interactive content, makes it a distinctive evening outing rather than a typical museum visit.
Getting there from Seoul
Take the KTX from Yongsan (or Seoul) Station to Yeosu-Expo Station, a journey of roughly 3 hours. Express or intercity buses also run from Seoul's bus terminals to Yeosu bus terminal, taking somewhat longer. From either station, the Jinnamgwan/Gosodae/Yi Sun-sin Square area in central Yeosu is a short taxi or local bus ride away.
Tips
- Go after dark, since this is a nighttime media art event centered on light projections.
- Follow the stamp tour route through Jinnamgwan, Tarubi, and the turtle ship to see all three main installations.
- Visit on a weekend if possible, as extra experience programs and a flea market run only then.
Best for: history buffs, photographers, couples, families.
Other festivals in Gwangju & Jeollanam-do
Gwangju & Jeollanam-do
2026 Year of Visiting Islands
Mar 1 – Dec 31, 2026
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.
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
German Village Beer Festival
Oct 9 – Oct 11, 2026
The 14th Germany Village Beer Festival is a flagship cultural tourism festival of Namhae-gun, held based on the exotic scenery of German Village and the historical significance of Koreans who were sent to work in Germany. German Village is a village where Korean expatriates who were dispatched to Germany in the 1960s-1970s to work as miners and nurses settled after returning to Korea, and it preserves the history of these dispatched workers' lives and the exchange between Korea and Germany. Modeled after Oktoberfest, Germany's leading beer festival, the festival features a variety of German food, beer, music, parades, and experience programs. In particular, by connecting the history of workers dispatched to Germany and the identity of German Village with the festival's content, it promotes the region's historical and cultural value, and is developing into a global cultural tourism festival that both domestic and international tourists can enjoy together.
Reach travelers heading to Gwangju & Jeollanam-do: sponsor this page.
Dates and programs can change. Check the official site before you go.