Gwanak Gang Gamchan Festival Selected as the Only Preliminary Cultural Tourism Festival in Seoul

Historic Cultural Festival Featuring Korea's Origin 'Goryeo' Selected as Preliminary Cultural Tourism Festival Achievement
Only Festival Selected from Seoul Among Over 1,200 Regional Festivals Nationwide, Expanding Beyond Local to National... This Year Held on a Larger Scale Around Nakseongdae Park, Birthplace of General Gang Gamchan in Gwanak-gu

Recently, various TV programs such as ’Goryeo-Khitan War‘, centered on the famous Goryeo general ’Gang Gam-chan‘, have been gaining popularity. Viewers learn about General Gang Gam-chan through historical stories on TV and vividly experience the sacred history of Goryeo.

There is a place in the heart of Seoul where you can feel the spirit of General Gang Gam-chan. That place is Gwanak-gu.

Gwanak-gu (District Mayor Park Jun-hee) is the ’Gang Gam-chan City‘ where the famous Goryeo general Gang Gam-chan was born and raised. Gwanak-gu’s ’Nakseongdae‘ is named after a legend that a great star fell from the sky on the day General Gang Gam-chan was born, and it is also the site of his birthplace.

The district has been making various efforts since the 7th local government term to develop General Gang Gam-chan, a historical and cultural resource, as a representative brand. For example, Dorimcheon Stream has been renamed ’Byeolbitnaeruncheon‘ (Starlight Fallen Stream), and Nakseongdae Station is also referred to as ’Gang Gam-chan Station‘. Additionally, the Gang Gam-chan character has long been familiar in everyday life throughout the district.

Thanks to these efforts, the district’s representative festival, the ’Gang Gam-chan Festival,‘ was recently selected as a ’2024-2025 Preliminary Cultural Tourism Festival‘ by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This marks the second consecutive selection since 2020.

This ’Preliminary Cultural Tourism Festival‘ selection was made from over 1,200 local festivals nationwide, with only 20 festivals chosen. Among Seoul’s festivals, the ’Gwanak Gang Gam-chan Festival‘ is the only one selected.

The Gwanak Gang Gam-chan Festival is a historical and cultural festival honoring the patriotic spirit and achievements of General Gang Gam-chan, the hero of the Battle of Gwiju. The festival features performances, forums, and markets based on Goryeo culture, along with experiential programs planned and operated directly by citizens.

It also strives to promote coexistence with local alleyway businesses and artists by linking traditional markets with flea markets held during the festival.

The ’2023 Gwanak Gang Gam-chan Festival,‘ held last year around Nakseongdae Park and Byeolbitnaeruncheon (Dorimcheon Stream), was a great success with over 230,000 residents attending. Visitors praised it as a “unique historical and cultural festival.”

The district plans to continue creating a diverse ’Gwanak Gang Gam-chan Festival‘ so that all residents can feel the history of General Gang Gam-chan and Goryeo anytime and anywhere, and experience the passionate energy of the festival.

Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, said, “Recently, General Gang Gam-chan and Goryeo culture have been attracting nationwide attention,” adding, “Gwanak-gu will do its best to develop the ’Gwanak Gang Gam-chan Festival‘ into a historical and cultural festival representing South Korea, beyond just a district-level festival, as the hometown of ’Goryeo culture and history‘ content.”

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