Mujugun and Anseong to Preserve Tradition with Establishment of 'Nakhwanori' Transmission Center

December Completion Target, Anseong-myeon Geumpyeong-ri Area

This is a reference photo of the Anseong Nakwhanori at the Muju Firefly Festival.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Go Dallyoung] Muju-gun, Jeollabuk-do, is constructing a transmission center to inherit and preserve Anseong Nakwhanori, a traditional village-level game.

On the 14th, the county announced that it will build the Anseong Nakwhanori Transmission Center at 448-2 Geumpyeong-ri, Anseong-myeon, Muju-gun, aiming to complete it within this year.

To expand the base of traditional culture of Anseong Nakwhanori, Jeollabuk-do Intangible Cultural Property No. 56, the county is investing 1.189 billion KRW (including 500 million KRW from the provincial government) to construct a two-story transmission center.

The Nakwhanori Transmission Center, which began construction last month and is scheduled to be completed in November, will be equipped with an experience education room, Nakwhanori stick workshop, demonstration hall, outdoor performance hall, and rest facilities.

The head of the Cultural Heritage Team of the Culture and Sports Department said, “Muju Anseong Nakwhanori has played a significant role in fostering harmony and inheriting tradition through the residents of Anseong Dumun Village making Nakwhanori sticks and performing village-based shows. The transmission center is being built to revive its legacy and expand the base of traditional culture.”

Muju Anseong Nakwhanori is a traditional Korean folk game held on the lunar calendar’s first full moon day, before rice planting, or on the early April Buddha’s Birthday and the full moon in July. Nakwhanori sticks, made by hanging charcoal powder, fine sand, salt, dried mugwort, and other materials on a long string, are set on fire, and participants enjoy the shapes of the flames and the bursting explosive sounds together.

Meanwhile, the Nakwhanori of Dumun Village in Geumpyeong-ri is estimated to have started around the late Joseon Dynasty. It was passed down in Dumun Village but was suspended around 1939 during the Japanese colonial period. It was restored in 2007, and in 2009, the Nakwhanori Preservation Society was formed. It is also called ‘Julbulnori’ or ‘Julbuli’.

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