This Weekend, Why Not Visit the 26 Billion Won Golden Bat Statue at Hampyeong?

Golden Bat Statue exhibited at Hampyeong Expo Park. Provided by Hampyeong County, Jeollanam-do

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As the 27th Hampyeong Butterfly Festival, themed 'Meeting Butterflies and the Golden Bat,' approaches, the 'Golden Bat Statue,' whose value has soared to hundreds of billions of won, is drawing attention.

The Golden Bat Statue, which has established itself as a popular tourism attraction due to the skyrocketing price of gold, has been relocated to Hampyeong Expo Park, the venue for the Butterfly Festival. This move is expected to enhance the festival experience by offering more attractions and entertainment.

According to Hampyeong County, Jeollanam-do, on April 21, the 27th Hampyeong Butterfly Festival will be held at Hampyeong Expo Park from April 25 to May 6. The Golden Bat Statue, valued at approximately 26 billion won, is located at the Memory Workshop within the park.

Previously, the Golden Bat Statue was only displayed during the spring and autumn festivals for security reasons. However, since being relocated to its current location in April last year, it has been on permanent display.

The Golden Bat Statue measures 1.5 meters wide, 90 centimeters long, and 2.18 meters high. Its production took 10 months, from May 2007 to March 2008.

The statue was created to raise awareness about nature conservation after the golden bat, previously thought to have disappeared from the Korean Peninsula, was discovered in 1999 at Gosanbong in Daedong-myeon, Hampyeong. The golden bat, known for its reddish-gold color, is currently classified as a first-grade endangered species and a designated natural monument.

At the time of its creation in 2008, the statue was made using 162 kilograms of pure gold and 281 kilograms of silver, costing 2.7 billion won. However, with the recent surge in gold prices, the value of the Golden Bat Statue is now estimated at approximately 26 billion won. As of this day, the price of pure gold (24K, 3.75g) is 670,000 won for purchase and 557,000 won for sale.

The sculpture, depicting six golden bats in flight, was once criticized, but as gold prices have soared, it is now regarded as a successful investment. In particular, bats symbolize longevity, and the golden bat is also said to 'bring great happiness,' raising expectations that it will contribute to the popularity of the Hampyeong Butterfly Festival.

Nightscape of Hampyeong Expo Park. Provided by Hampyeong-gun, Jeollanam-do

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Hampyeong Expo Park, home to the Golden Bat Statue, also attracts tourists with its diverse facilities, including the Subtropical Agriculture Hall, Nature Ecology Hall, Butterfly and Insect Ecology Hall, and Hampyeong County Art Museum.

This year's Butterfly Festival is notable for expanding programs that allow visitors to experience flowers and butterflies. The festival will feature 200,000 butterflies from 17 species, including the swallowtail butterfly, and 500,000 spring flowers of various kinds.

Other attractions include: indoor and outdoor 'Butterfly Release' experiences; the Butterfly Concert; the parade show 'Butterfly Fantasia'; the 'Butterfly and Insect Ecology Hall,' where visitors can see live butterflies; a pop-up store for the Golden Bat character 'Hwangbaki'; butterfly costume experiences; and a dairy farm tour.

For tourists coming from the Seoul metropolitan area and Chungcheong region, temporary KTX stops have been added at Hampyeong Station. The train schedule is as follows: southbound trains from Haengsin (7:18 a.m.) to Hampyeong (10:03 a.m.), and from Yongsan (8:20 a.m.) to Hampyeong (10:34 a.m.) and northbound trains from Hampyeong (4:05 p.m.) to Haengsin (7:05 p.m.), and from Hampyeong (6:18 p.m.) to Yongsan (8:46 p.m.), with a total of four runs, two in each direction.

Visitors arriving by train will be offered various benefits, including a shuttle bus service between Hampyeong Station and the festival venue, as well as on-site discounts on admission tickets.

A county official said, "We are preparing a variety of benefits to ensure a pleasant and comfortable trip for visitors coming to the Butterfly Festival from all over the country. We hope for your great interest and participation."

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