Imsil-gun, Over 160,000 Visitors to Okjeongho and Cheese Theme Park During Chuseok Holiday

Published 05 Oct.2023 13:51(KST)

Imsil-gun in Jeonbuk is bustling with tourists flocking like clouds from all over the country.

According to the county on the 5th, during the Chuseok holiday period marking the 1st anniversary of the opening of Okjeongho Suspension Bridge and Bungeo Island Ecological Park, about 40,000 visitors came, while the Imsil Cheese Theme Park, ahead of the Imsil N Cheese Festival, attracted about 120,000 visitors during the same period, heating up the pre-festival atmosphere even before the event began.

During the six-day Chuseok holiday, a total of about 160,000 tourists visited Okjeongho and the Imsil Cheese Theme Park, which is six times the entire population of Imsil-gun, reaffirming its status as a newly emerging representative tourist destination in Jeonbuk.

Imsil-gun is bustling with tourists flocking like clouds from all over the country. <br>[Photo by Imsil-gun]

Imsil-gun is bustling with tourists flocking like clouds from all over the country.
[Photo by Imsil-gun]

The county is fully preparing for the Imsil N Cheese Festival held from the 6th to the 9th, expecting about 520,000 tourists, which is 20 times the entire population of the county, similar to last year.

This year, it is anticipated that tourism will be linked not only to the cheese festival but also to Okjeongho, with a large number of tourists expected to visit Imsil in October, exceeding expectations.

In fact, tourists continue to visit places such as Okjeongho Suspension Bridge and Bungeo Island Ecological Park, which are in full bloom with about 12,000 chrysanthemum pots and cosmos and Korean aster flowers, as well as Ssangam-ri Park, where about 40,000 pyeong of cosmos flowers are in full bloom and a temporary parking lot has been set up.

On the 27th of last month, the 1st anniversary event of the opening of Okjeongho Suspension Bridge attracted about 3,000 tourists, with high-quality performances by trot singers such as An Seong-hoon, Hong Ji-yoon, Chu Hyuk-jin, and Kang Ye-seul, combined with the scenic views of Okjeongho, playing a leading role in promoting the era of Okjeongho tourism.

Additionally, at the Imsil N Cheese Festival venue, Cheese Theme Park, Cheese Village, and the Imsil-eup area, where the festival will be held from the 6th, about 32,000 chrysanthemum pots will be displayed, offering a spectacular show of over ten million chrysanthemum flowers.

Hosted and organized by the Imsil N Cheese Festival Organizing Committee, this festival will operate with 10 themes and 70 programs, filled with unique sights, entertainment, and hands-on experiences.

Especially this year, unlike previous years, a 50kg large aged cheese will be prepared on the first day of the festival, the 6th, to satisfy tourists' curiosity about large aged cheese and to promote the excellence of Imsil N aged cheese through a free tasting event.

At the opening ceremony, national singer Park Chang-geun, janggu master Park Seo-jin, trot goddess Hong Jin-young, Wonchu, and The Wind will perform, marking a successful start to the festival.

Representative programs include making a large rice pizza with national representative Imsil N cheese, the Imsil N Cheese Eclo Parade, Imsil N Cheese auction, and Imsil N Cheese stretch-it-yourself, all designed for tourists to participate and enjoy together, providing lively sights and entertainment.

The county believes that if tourists visiting the cheese festival also visit Okjeongho, and those visiting Okjeongho also attend the cheese festival, it will create significant tourism synergy, and is putting full effort into promoting tourism in Imsil.

County Governor Shim Min said, “October is expected to be the best season to enjoy tourism in Imsil,” adding, “If you come to the cheese festival and enjoy it to the fullest, then cross the Okjeongho Suspension Bridge and visit Bungeo Island Ecological Park to fully immerse yourself in the autumn atmosphere, you will be able to take home unforgettable autumn memories.”