"One Wish Will Surely Be Granted" ... Gyeongsan Gatbawi Wish Fulfillment Festival Held

Mountain Temple Music Concert, Singer Nam Jin Appearance

Gyeongsan City will hold the ‘2023 Gyeongsan Gatbawi Wish Fulfillment Festival’ for two days on September 2nd and 3rd at the Gatbawi Public Parking Lot area in Wachon-myeon.

The ‘Gyeongsan Palgongsan Gwanbong Stone Seated Buddha Statue (commonly known as Gatbawi),’ located at the summit of Gwanbong (850m above sea level) on Palgongsan Mountain in Wachon-myeon, Gyeongsan City, is famous for granting one lifelong wish, attracting many visitors.

The festival, which started voluntarily in 1998 by the Daehan-ri Merchants’ Association of Wachon-myeon, the hometown of Gatbawi, has continued to grow and is now established as a representative festival of Gyeongsan City.

The scene from the Gatbawi Festival held last year.

This year’s festival has expanded programs and experiences that audiences can directly participate in, increased convenience facilities such as shade tents, children’s play areas (air bounce), flea markets, rest areas, and food trucks, making it a festival where visitors can eat, enjoy, and relax comfortably.

On September 2nd, the festival will begin with a tea ceremony offered to the Gatbawi Buddha at the summit of Gwanbong, followed by a farmers’ music performance praying for a bountiful harvest at the festival site. This will be followed by a youth dance festival, Taekwondo demonstrations, and refreshing vocal performances.

In the evening of the 2nd, the festival’s opening will be commemorated with a wish balloon release performance and the ‘Gatbawi Mountain Temple Music Concert,’ featuring performances such as Daegum Sanjo, Gayageum Byeongchang, vocal music, trot band (Jeongdam Band), and a congratulatory performance by popular singer Nam Jin, offering a healing time to fully experience the atmosphere of Palgongsan.

On the 3rd, there will be children’s Gayageum performances, a youth music festival, Zumba dance, magic performances, a weight-loss performance by ‘Mombaegirls,’ and an exciting show by DJ DOC’s Lee Ha-neul, creating a program that people of all ages from seniors to youth can enjoy together.

Additionally, various audience participation programs are prepared, including the ‘Plum Seed Spitting Contest’ using Wachon-myeon’s specialty, the robust plums, the quiz game ‘Challenge! Gatbawi Golden Bell,’ and ‘Gatbawi Ding Dong Dang,’ where participants guess songs by listening to the background music. These programs allow on-site participation, and participants will receive small souvenirs.

Other activities include a wish paper drawing game, wish postcard writing, Oh My Gat! (making Gat hats), making Wachon plum syrup and sandwiches, feeding horses, mini terrarium making, rubbing print experience, gel nail beauty care, free photo printing, wish path walking, wish prayer photo zones, and sales of local specialties (Wachon plums and Rubies mini apples), offering a variety of enjoyable experiences.

Cho Hyun-il, Mayor of Gyeongsan City, said, "As the hot summer days pass and the early autumn, perfect for outings, arrives, I hope families, relatives, couples, and friends come to the Gyeongsan Gatbawi Wish Fulfillment Festival to make wishes to the Gatbawi Buddha, walk the wish path, take care of their health, and create beautiful memories for a happy time.”

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