Visitors weave apple-blossom garlands at the 20th Cheongsong Apple Festival. [Cheongsong-gun]
Visitors weave apple-blossom garlands at the 20th Cheongsong Apple Festival. [Cheongsong-gun]

The Cheongsong Apple Festival, one of South Korea's premier regional festivals, wrapped up its five-day run to an enthusiastic reception from visitors who traveled from across the country.

About 530,000 people attended the festival in person, according to Cheongsong-gun, while online visitors surpassed 3.44 million, drawing strong interest both on the ground and online.

The 20th edition of the festival ran from Wednesday through Sunday at the Hyeonbiam area along Yongjeoncheon stream in Cheongsong-eup, under the theme "Right Now, Cheongsong! Painted in Apples," featuring a wide range of performances, hands-on programs and attractions.

Apple sales booths drew steady crowds throughout the festival, with visitors eager to buy high-quality Cheongsong apples at affordable prices.

Stock sold out quickly and had to be replenished throughout the day. Subsidized delivery services were also offered to make purchasing more convenient, boosting visitor satisfaction.

Signature programs — "Challenge: Apple Sorting Lotto," "Fun: Apple Nanta" and "Find the Golden Apple" — proved particularly popular.

Visitors took part in various activities and wandered the festival grounds carrying Cheongsong apples they had won as prizes.

The festival also featured a Cheongsong Apple Parade, a community singing contest and the National Cheongsong Apple Blossom Garland Weaving Competition, among other events and performances.

Residents of Cheongsong-gun played a central role as participants rather than mere hosts, mingling with visitors and creating a sense of community between locals and guests.

Visitor-focused amenities and on-site management also drew praise. Additional women's restrooms were installed, and large information banners were put up to help visitors easily locate facilities and a complaint center.

The complaint center offered free mobile phone charging and accepted reports of price gouging and other unfair commercial practices, with issues addressed promptly to minimize visitor inconvenience.

On the final day, the Republic of Korea Air Force aerobatic team, the Black Eagles, performed an air show that brought the festival to a spectacular close.

Despite rain and strong winds, Cheongsong-gun officials distributed ponchos and worked to keep the festival grounds in order, ensuring smooth operations throughout.

The festival successfully met its original goals — delivering rich content, encouraging active community participation, improving visitor amenities and boosting the local economy through apple sales — reaffirming its standing as one of South Korea's top festivals.

"I am deeply grateful for the warm attention and support shown at the 20th Cheongsong Apple Festival," Cheongsong-gun County Chief Yun Gyeong-hui said. "We will continue to develop thoughtful amenities tailored to visitors' expectations and distinctive content to further elevate the Cheongsong Apple Festival's reputation as one of South Korea's finest festivals."


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