Gwangyang Maehwa Festival, Introduction of Admission Fee

by Heo Seonsik

Published 15 Feb.2024 15:40(KST)

Updated 14 Aug.2025 19:23(KST)

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Admission Fee 5,000 Won, Fully Refunded as Festival Gift Certificates

The Gwangyang Maehwa Festival is attempting multifaceted changes to become a festival that benefits the local community and is sustainable.

Gwangyang City in Jeollanam-do announced on the 15th that it will implement paid admission for the 23rd Gwangyang Maehwa Festival, which will be held for ten days from the 8th to the 17th of next month at the Gwangyang Maehwa Village area.

Photo by Gwangyang-si

Ahead of the first-ever transition to paid admission since its inception, the city set the entrance fees for the Gwangyang Maehwa Festival at 5,000 KRW for adults (ages 19-64) and 4,000 KRW for adolescents (ages 7-18).

Exemptions apply to children under 6, seniors aged 65 and over, Gwangyang citizens under 19, persons with disabilities, national merit recipients, veterans, and basic livelihood security recipients, all of whom must present identification or other proof.

The full amount of the entrance fee will be returned as festival vouchers, allowing visitors to enjoy the festival without financial burden while revitalizing the local area, aiming to become a mutually beneficial festival that breathes and satisfies together.

The festival vouchers can be used at stores located in Daap-myeon, where the festival site is situated, booths inside the festival grounds (excluding street vendors), and stores established by the city such as the Gwangyang Seafood Distribution Center.

The voucher usage period is from the festival opening day, March 8, until the day after the closing, March 18, and any remaining balance will not be refunded.

Kim Seongsu, Director of Tourism, said, “As a representative festival of Jeollanam-do, the Gwangyang Maehwa Festival is exploring various measures to leap beyond a cultural tourism festival to a global festival with the vision of benefiting the local community and being sustainable. Since this is the first time the festival will charge admission, we are fully prepared to provide content and tourism services that can only be experienced at the Gwangyang Maehwa Festival and that will satisfy visitors.”

Meanwhile, marking its 23rd year, the Gwangyang Maehwa Festival will welcome citizens and tourists for ten days under the theme “Gwangyang Maehwa, Embracing K-Culture / The Prelude to Spring: Maehwa,” offering fresh and differentiated content that can only be enjoyed at the Gwangyang Maehwa Festival.