![Poster for the 2026 Pohang Nakwha Night festival. [Pohang City]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/09/28/news-p.v1.20260928.1d26b9b6522749509646d942608e9623_P1.jpg)
Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, will host a nighttime tourism festival centered on "nakwha," a traditional fire-drop performance, across three evenings — Oct. 9, 10 and 17 — at Flower Tree Square along the Pohang Canal, the city announced Monday.
The "Pohang Nakwha Night" festival will run from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. each evening, with the nakwha display beginning in earnest at 7:30 p.m.
Nakwha is a traditional form of fire art in which charcoal powder is wrapped in hanji (traditional Korean paper) and suspended on lines strung above the water, burning slowly and gently and casting a soft, continuous glow.
The reflection of the nakwha flames on the surface of the Pohang Canal is expected to be the festival's main attraction.
On the opening night, Oct. 9, performances by Handong University's folk music and traditional dance clubs will precede a communal lighting ceremony with citizens at 7:15 p.m.
The same program will continue Oct. 10, with the "Pohang International Bread Festival," organized by Handong University, running concurrently nearby.
On the final evening, Oct. 17, local artists will perform ahead of the nakwha display.
Throughout the festival, a food market called "Bulbit Jangteo" — featuring stalls run in partnership with local businesses — will offer visitors a range of food and activities.
"The Nakwha Night is a festival where visitors can soak in the atmosphere of a cool autumn evening by the gentle glow of slowly burning lights, rather than flashy fireworks," a Pohang city official said. "We will do our utmost to ensure that citizens and visitors can enjoy the festival safely and take away special autumn night memories from the Pohang Canal."
kbj7653@heraldcorp.com
