Suncheon Cultural Heritage Night Tour, Becoming a Milestone of Night Tours

A Commemorative Ceremony Filled with Meaning and Emotion, Featuring a Well-Structured Program

Suncheon City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu) announced that the Cultural Heritage Night Tour held over four days from the 15th to the 18th in Hyangdong (Seonbi Village) and Maegok-dong (Seongyo Village) areas of Suncheon concluded its beautiful summer night journey with about 48,000 visitors.

This Cultural Heritage Night Tour expanded beyond the existing Palmabi to Suncheon Hyanggyo section to include the Maesandong area, showcasing a differentiated attempt to highlight the value of traditional cultural heritage left by ancestors and modern medical, educational, and missionary heritage left by missionaries from 100 years ago.

Professor Yoo Hyun-joon's Lecture on Architecture and Humanities [Photo by Suncheon City]

A total of about 15 types of experience programs were conducted, each thoughtfully organized to embody the meaning of architecture and heritage. Additionally, three invited lectures were held on the themes of architecture, cultural heritage, and gardens.

The highlight of this night tour was the commemorative performance held on the theme of Maesandong Seongyo Village, which was opened to the public for the first time in 100 years.

The performance began with a monologue by the missionary Gorabok (Koit)* as the narrator, meeting the people of Joseon, and showed the traces of 100 years of missionary work, medical care, and education.

The process of creating the Maesandong area and the value of modern heritage were vividly conveyed through a reading performance, video, orchestra ensemble, laser art, and installation art.

A citizen who watched the performance said, “I have experienced many night tours, but this commemorative ceremony was the first to be so meaningful and emotionally moving,” adding, “It was a place where the value and emotion of our heritage were conveyed simultaneously.”

Despite the midsummer heat, the night tour became a pinpoint attraction targeting family visitors during the vacation period.

In popular experience programs, participants even wrote down their phone numbers themselves while waiting.

Moreover, it had a positive impact on the local economy.

The food trucks at the event site sold out their prepared supplies every day, and nearby cafes and restaurants stayed open until 10 p.m.

To promote coexistence with nearby commercial districts, the food trucks at the event site did not sell beverages.

In particular, this Cultural Heritage Night Tour stood out for its collaboration with various organizations.

The Suncheon Fire Station participated in operating experience programs such as CPR training, and residents of Hyangdong and Maegok-dong participated as support staff, lighting up the night of the tour together.

Related organizations such as the Suncheon Police Station, Model Drivers Association, Cultural Heritage Care Center, Suncheon Maesan High School, Maesan Girls' High School, Maesan Middle School, and Suncheon Hyanggyo cooperated to support the successful progress of the event.

A city official said, “This event was a meaningful time to rediscover the value of local cultural heritage and to bring the local community together,” adding, “We will continue to improve and enhance citizen satisfaction to make future events even more meaningful.”

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