Gyeongju Tourguide

Which season do you think Gyeongju looks the prettiest? The answer is definitely spring. Gyeongju hosts its annual “Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival” in April every year when the cherry blossoms start to bloom and turn the entire city of Gyeongju pink. You can enjoy Gyeongju’s beautiful cherry blossoms at the Bomun Tourist Complex, Daereungwon, Cheomseongdae, or Donggung and Wolji complex. So, keep your schedule open this April, and head over to the Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival!

• DateIn line with the annual cherry blossom season (typically early-April)
• VenuesEastern Historic District (Cheomseongdae, Gyerim, and surrounding area), Bomun Tourist Complex
• EventsOpening ceremony, Cherry Blossom Busking program, Cherry Blossom Sports Day event, various hands-on activities (Wishing Note tagging, Silla Great Bell tolling, Silla costume-wearing, etc.)
• InquiriesGyeongju Foundation of Arts and Culture 054.748.7721

When the cherry blossoms start to fade away in late-April, waiting for you just around the corner is the Gyeongju Silla Ceramics Festival. The Gyeongju Silla Ceramics Festival is the perfect place to learn and experience the true value Gyeongju’s ceramics culture, which can be traced back all the way to the Silla Kingdom when Gyeongju served as the Kingdom's capital for a millennium. At the Festival, you’ll get a chance to see and buy thousands of products items created by ceramists and potters working out of Gyeongju.

• DateLate-April (annual)
• VenuesOpen area in front of the indoor gymnasium at the Gyeongju Hwangseong Park (may change at the discretion of the host)
• EventsEarthenware/Ceramics Production demonstration, Hands-on Raku Kiln Experience program, Hands-on Ceramics Making and Painting program, Tea Ceremony
• InquiriesGyeongju Baro Call 054.779.8585

Bomun Lake features a beautiful, 7km-long walking trail (Bomunhoban-gil) that can take you all the way around the lake. Every month, from spring to autumn, the Moonlight Walk by Bomunho Lake event invites locals and tourists to come and take long, leisurely walks along the shores of Bomunho Lake. The event also features a variety of special events, activities, and programs, including a Mission Relay, and Healing Concert.

• DateSpring ~ autumn (annual)
• VenuesBomun Tourist Complex and the local area (Walking Event starts at the Bomun Water Stage)
• EventsBomunhoban-gil Circumnavigation program (7km course), Special Events, Mission Relay, Healing Concert
• InquiriesGyeongsangbuk-do Culture and Tourism Organization 054.740.7330
• Websitewww.gtc.co.kr

Gyeongju hosted its signature comprehensive cultural and art festival, the “Silla Cultural Festival,” this year with vastly updated content and much bigger size. One of the most popular events at this year's Festival was the Cheomseongdae Building event. In 2018, Gyeongju made a commitment to add a variety of new content to the Silla Cultural Festival each year to keep the event fresh and interesting. Moving forward, the Festival is expected to feature more associated performances, exhibitions, and activities in addition to the main events. So, don’t forget to check the Silla Cultural Festival out next year!

• DateOctober (annual)
• VenuesAll districts across Gyeongju
• EventsMain events, special (themed) performances, ancillary events, hands-on experience programs, other events
• Inquiries054.779.6072
• Websitewww.sillafestival.com

Inspired by the deep, sorrowful, and longing sounds of the “Bell of King Seongdeok,” the Silla Sound Festival - Emile Exhibition celebrates the arrival of autumn in October every year at venues near the Cheomseongdae Observatory. The Festival promotes the value and spirit behind the Bell of King Seongdeok, which is widely regarded as the most magnificent bell in existence, with various exhibitions and hands-on experience activities.

• DateOctober (annual)
• VenuesOpen grass lawn to the west of Cheomseongdae
• EventsEmile Exhibition Hall, special (themed) performance, bell tolling program, Silla Wishing Lantern (Lotus Lantern) Lighting event, other hands-on traditional culture-related
• Inquiries053.427.5114
• Websitewww.emille.kr

When the calendar flips to autumn each year, you can head over to the Cheomseongdae Observatory to enjoy some aromatic tea at the Choongdamjae Festival. Choongdamjae is a tea culture festival that celebrates the legacy of a great Buddhist monk named Choongdamsa who lived during the Silla period. According to legend, Choongdamsa climbed to the Samhwaryeong Pass in Namsan Mountain on the third day of March and ninth day of September (based on the lunar calendar) every year to honor Buddha with tea and pray for peace and tranquility across the Kingdom. Choongdamjae offers a variety of tea ceremony programs to carry on the spirit of Choongdamsa’s loves for tea.

• DateOctober (annual)
• VenuesOpen grass lawn to the west of Cheomseongdae
• EventsTea Ceremony Experience program, Tea Cup and Utensils Exhibition, Hwajeon Nori (folk game), Queen Costume Wearing program, etc.
• InquiriesSilla Cultural Institute 054.777.1950

On the last day of the year, Gyeongju hosts its Watch-night Bell Tolling Ceremony at the Silla Great Bell Park, which sits on the opposite side of the beautiful “Bonghwangdae” ancient tomb in downtown Gyeongju. The Ceremony began last year with some great fanfare. Thanks to this success, Gyeongju is looking to turn the Ceremony event into an annual event. You can welcome the new year with the hopeful sounds produced by the Silla Great Bell and a grand chorus featuring 500 choir members from Gyeongju.

• DateDecember 31 (annual)
• VenuesSilla Great Bell Park (767, Taejong-ro, Gyeongju-si)
• EventsGyeongju Citizen's Choir (500 members), Silla Great Bell Tolling event, other ancillary events
• InquiriesGyeongju Foundation of Arts and Culture 054.748.7721

Gyeongju hosts a sunrise festival every year near the Tomb of King Munmu, which is known as a great place to see the sunrise. The Haeryong Sunrise Festival begins on new year’s eve (December 31) with a variety of performances, a count-down, and then a sunrise ceremony in the morning. The Festival also features other ancillary events and programs, including calligraphy demonstrations and Wishing Lantern Lighting events.

• DateDecember 31 ~ January 1 (annual)
• VenuesBonggil Daewang-am Beach
• EventsNew Year Count-down event, various performances, Wishing Lantern Lighting event, etc.
• InquiriesGyeongju Baro Call (054.779.8585)