Gyeongju 'Silla Cultural Festival' Wins Grand Prize in Korea's Prestigious Regional Festival Category

Overshadowed by Gyeongju Expo, 58-Year Tradition Fails to Thrive
Mayor Jun Nak-yeong's Pledge Project Builds New Paradigm 'Evaluation'

Choi Haeyeol, Director of Culture and Tourism Bureau of Gyeongju City (right), is taking a commemorative photo after receiving the award.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Dong-wook] The Silla Cultural Festival, the largest cultural tourism festival in the thousand-year-old city of Gyeongju, won the Grand Prize in the Local Festival Brand category at the '2020 Korea Prestige Brand Awards' hosted by the Korea Consumer Association on the 10th.

This award is given annually in various categories to products and cultural festivals, specialties, etc., that consistently lead the domestic market and significantly contribute to regional economic development. According to Gyeongju City, the recent award for the Silla Cultural Festival was recognized as a result of big data analysis last year, which showed it was the most popular festival in Gyeongbuk Province.

Started in 1962, the Silla Cultural Festival expanded in scale during the 1970s and attracted nationwide attention. However, since 1998, it was overshadowed by the two major events, the Gyeongju World Culture Expo and the Gyeongju Korea Liquor and Rice Cake Festival. Nevertheless, with the inauguration of the 7th elected administration, which dreams of the vigorous revival of the thousand-year kingdom of Silla, the Silla Cultural Festival regained its former glory through establishing a new paradigm and content contests.

Mayor Joo Nak-young of Gyeongju said, "The great honor that Gyeongju City has achieved is a remarkable accomplishment made possible by the collective wisdom of all 260,000 citizens," and added, "We will also strive to successfully hold this year's Silla Cultural Festival to further enhance the status of our cultural city."

Meanwhile, the '2020 48th Silla Cultural Festival' will be held for seven days from October 8 to 14 at Hwangseong Park and throughout the city under the theme "Awaken! The Secret of the Birth of the Thousand-Year Capital Silla." A total of 42 events in 11 categories, including the Silla founding myth based on the legend of Silla's birth, will be prepared.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.