The second Bonghwasan Onggi Culture Festival takes place Saturday at the Bonghwasan Onggi Culture Yard, featuring traditional pottery experiences, performances, craft workshops and a market.
Jungnang-gu will hold the 2nd Bonghwasan Onggi Culture Festival on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Bonghwasan Onggi Culture Yard.
The Bonghwasan Onggi Culture Yard spans about 15,000 square meters and is home to Seoul's only traditional onggi kiln where pottery can actually be fired. Jungnang-gu held the inaugural edition of the festival in April and will again divide the grounds into three zones — Bit (light), Sum (breath) and Shim (rest) — offering programs ranging from traditional pottery experiences and performances to craft workshops and a market.
The Bit zone, where the festival's main programs take place, will host a traditional kiln firing ceremony, a demonstration by a master onggi potter and a wish-log burning starting at 2 p.m. From 3 p.m., a "fire-gazing lounge" will open for visitors to relax while watching the kiln flames. At 4 p.m., wish logs submitted by college entrance exam candidates and their families will be burned in a show of support, accompanied by a "Tadak Tadak Busking" street performance.
The Sum zone, dedicated to craft experiences, will offer hands-on activities including perfume making, mini onggi pottery, face painting and leathercraft. Local workshops and artists will also participate in a 15-studio craft experience zone and an open craft market showcasing a variety of handmade works and creative activities.
The Shim zone will feature food trucks and the Onggi Culture Yard café. Visitors can stroll through the onggi garden, take photos at a pottery-themed photo spot and browse a market selling traditional onggi ware.
"I hope this becomes a festival where residents can directly experience traditional onggi culture and enjoy it together," Jungnang-gu District Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi said. "Through the Bonghwasan Onggi Culture Festival, we will spread awareness of Jungnang-gu's unique cultural heritage and develop it into a defining cultural tradition for the district."
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