Gokseong World Rose Festival Selected as Jeonnam Representative Festival for 2 Consecutive Years

Published 13 Feb.2023 14:41(KST)

This Year, a Powerful and Captivating Performance Is Scheduled to Be Presented

[Gokseong=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Cha Jong-sun] The Gokseong World Rose Festival in Jeollanam-do has been selected as the representative festival of Jeollanam-do for the second consecutive year.

This is because more than 280,000 tourists flocked to the 2022 Gokseong World Rose Festival, held for the first time in three years due to COVID-19, and the admission fee revenue alone recorded 1.2 billion KRW, proving it to be a genuine driving force in Jeonnam's tourism industry.

The Gokseong World Rose Festival has been selected as the representative festival of Jeollanam-do for two consecutive years. [Photo by Gokseong-gun]

The Gokseong World Rose Festival was unique from the planning stage. The rose festival, held after three years, was called a "ball." It invited local residents and citizens weary from COVID blues to a beautiful rose ball to enjoy together and soothe their tired hearts.

First, local residents, who had been stagnant due to the long pandemic, were given priority participation in experience booths, agricultural and specialty product markets, and food truck operations to revitalize the local economy.

Also, to allow all visitors to enjoy the ball, dresses, tuxedos, and masks were lent free of charge. The "Waltz Party," where the audience and performers danced the waltz together while walking the red carpet, was a unique program not seen at other rose festivals.

Gokseong County announced that the 13th Gokseong World Rose Festival, to be held from May 20 this year, will be promoted under the theme "The Red." The plan is to captivate tourists by implementing the intense and attractive colors unique to roses as content.

In addition, to increase awareness of Gokseong, specialized spaces featuring local culture such as art, food, and figures, which are the main elements of the region, will be prepared.

Lee Sang-cheol, the mayor of Gokseong County, said, "A festival is the face of a region where its culture, art, and resources can be seen in one place. As the representative festival of Jeollanam-do, we will prepare safely and meticulously to proudly showcase the beauty of the region."

The Gokseong World Rose Festival is held annually at the Seomjingang Train Village located in Ogok-myeon, Gokseong County. Tens of millions of flowers from 1,004 varieties of world-class roses, rarely seen elsewhere, bloom simultaneously, attracting many tourists every year.

In particular, the festival site, which was about 40,000㎡, has been expanded to 75,000㎡. Additionally, more than 50,000 flowering plants are planned to be planted, promising even richer attractions.