'The Sound of Jeongseon, Endless Flight' opens Thursday
Grand Arirang chorus, drone show and fireworks on the program
114 events and 143 food booths to fill the festival grounds
If spring belonged to "The King's Warden" and the Danjong Festival, autumn belongs to Arirang — the symbol of the Korean people that became a global cultural icon through BTS's "Arirang."
The 51st Jeongseon Arirang Festival runs Thursday through Sunday at Jeongseon Public Stadium, the Arirang Center, Arisaemteo and Arari Park, among other venues across Jeongseon-eup.
As the hometown of Korea's Arirang tradition, Jeongseon-gun is pulling out all the stops — 114 programs and 143 food booths designed to stir the spirits and appetites of visitors from across the country.
This year marks the centennial of Na Woon-gyu's film "Arirang," which first screened on Oct. 1, 1926. The festival will honor that milestone while looking ahead to the future of Jeongseon Arirang.
BTS, the world's biggest pop group, scored a global hit with their post-military-service comeback album "Arirang," drawing fans worldwide to sing along in hangul. The Jeongseon Arirang Festival is poised to carry that energy forward.
Arirang, as is widely known, spans tens of thousands of variants — from the songs of the Cherokee people of the Americas, whose name is said to mean "the highest-soaring young one," to traditions across East Asia, Central Asia and Turkic-speaking West Asia.
Though the geographic reach of the Korean people has shrunk considerably over the past thousand years, Jeongseon has long been one of Arirang's key heartlands — a place that holds within it the distinctive "han," the deep sorrow and longing at the soul of the tradition.
This year's festival, themed "The Sound of Jeongseon, Endless Flight," builds on 50 years of history while opening a new half-century.
On opening day Thursday, a vision proclamation ceremony for the next 50 years will be held alongside a grand Arirang chorus.
Residents and tourists will share a common pledge: to pass the original spirit of Jeongseon Arirang to the next generation and to connect the region with the world through music and culture as Jeongseon pursues its future as a UNESCO Creative City of Music.
That night, more than 1,200 drones and a fireworks display will light up the skies over Jeongseon.
Over the four days, 114 programs across 11 categories — performances, competitions, community participation and hands-on experiences — will keep the grounds alive.
Friday brings the National Arirang Choir Competition, while Saturday features an Arirang parade through the streets of Jeongseon-eup and an A(rirang)-POP dance competition, adding a youthful, dynamic energy to the traditional repertoire.
Also on Saturday, at 3 p.m. at Arisaemteo, the 51st anniversary academic symposium will convene under the theme "From a Legacy of Sound to the Melodies of the Future: Jeongseon, a Music City Embracing the World." Participants will discuss Arirang in the age of AI, its globalization, and Jeongseon's strategy and vision for becoming a UNESCO Creative City of Music.
A dedicated Jeongseon Arirang Theme Pavilion will also be set up near the public stadium, where visitors can explore the history of Jeongseon Arirang, its lyrics and five decades of festival milestones through photographs, video and archival materials — alongside a look at Jeongseon's ambitions as a UNESCO Creative City of Music.
Food will be plentiful. Some 45 vendors will operate 143 food booths at the festival grounds, letting tourists sample a wide range of Jeongseon flavors while enjoying performances and activities. Festival schedules, venue maps, tourist attractions, food options, hands-on programs and stamp events can all be checked through the Samsung Card Monimo app.
Getting there will also be easier. Visitors can park at the comprehensive sports complex and walk across Arari Bridge to the festival grounds at Jeongseon Public Stadium in about 10 minutes; shuttle buses will also run throughout the festival.
Choi Jong-su, chairman of the Jeongseon Arirang Culture Foundation, said the festival this year is "a meaningful occasion where the 100-year legacy of the film Arirang meets 50 years of festival history." He added: "With the grand Arirang chorus, the parade, A-POP, more than 1,200 drones and fireworks, the Jeongseon Arirang Theme Pavilion and an abundance of food, I hope everyone comes to Jeongseon this autumn with family, friends and loved ones to create yet another unforgettable memory."
abc@heraldcorp.com
