Feature Experiencing a Royal Parade from 231 Years Ago in the City Center...Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival Opens on the 4th

The 63-year-old Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival and King Jeongjo's Royal Procession, which reenacts a royal parade from 231 years ago, will launch its grand journey as a global festival starting on the 4th. Over 8 days, this representative festival of the Republic of Korea will paint Suwon's autumn in vivid, joyful, and diverse colors. The 'Ininhwarak' (harmony and joy for all people) envisioned by King Jeongjo, who loved his people, will be realized, and an 8-day festival that will captivate people worldwide invites everyone.

The 63rd Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival, Suwon 'Bustles' for 8 Days
The 63rd Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival will be held for 8 days from October 4 to 11 throughout the Suwon Hwaseong area. The main theme that runs through this festival is 'New Light, Red People.' It combines 'New Light,' Suwon's representative policy brand, with 'Red People,' King Jeongjo's spirit of benevolence, creating a joyful place for all participants.

This year's Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival is characterized by an expanded festival space. The entire interior of Suwon Hwaseong's fortress walls, the geographic center of Suwon City, will be utilized as the festival venue. This includes Haengung Square, Hwaseong Haengung Palace, Yeonmudan, Yongyeon, and the Traditional Culture Hall. Various events, programs, and street performances will fill the alleyways of Seongan Village with vitality.

The festival period is 8 days. Following historical verification of King Jeongjo's 8-day journey in 1795, the period was extended to 8 days from last year, and this tradition continues this year. With a longer duration comes diverse programming. Over 30 programs will operate. Main programs change daily and venues are spread widely, so there is plenty to enjoy with daily visits.

This year, the main characters of the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival are citizens and participants. Since 2024, Suwon City has established 'New Light' as the festival's main theme and expanded the role of citizens from mere participation to becoming the protagonists of the festival.

Citizens will build Hwahong Gate from cardboard boxes at Haengung Square ('Citizens' Great Architecture 'Hwahong''), hold sedan chairs for unusual races (Sedan Chair Race), paint Hwaseong Royal Procession screens themselves (Citizens' Painting Studio), learn the fortress construction process through play (Construction Play Zone), and participate in special banquets (Elder Respect Banquet) and civil service examinations (Special Examination Day).

There are also recommended courses for tourists to enjoy according to their preferences. Those interested in history and storytelling should choose the 'A Day Following King Jeongjo' course. For those wanting to spend the day focused on performances and experiences, follow 'A Day Devoted to the Festival.' Tourists who enjoy eating and taking photos will appreciate the 'A Day Tasting Suwon' course. Refer to the courses introduced on the homepage and guide materials.

To fully enjoy the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival, wearing traditional Korean dress (hanbok) is recommended. Visitors in hanbok can enter Hwaseong Haengung Palace free of charge for a time travel experience and the first showing of Suwon Hwaseong Media Art at Hwaseo Gate (7:30 p.m. screening) is also free. Those who rent hanbok at the 'Hanbok Masil' experience booth at Haengung Square receive admission tickets to the featured performance 'Night Watch.'

Adding Newness to History and Tradition! 'Complete Festival Package'
The Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival has evolved to expand opportunities for visitors to engage more deeply with the festival's story. Particularly this year, performances combining traditional art forms with modern production techniques add depth to the story of King Jeongjo, the festival's roots. The festival carries Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival's unique identity so that anyone can feel Suwon's charm created through King Jeongjo's filial piety and love for his people.

A representative new offering is 'Night Palace Performance,' a newly introduced time travel experience. This is a mobile nighttime immersive content that completes one story through time-sequenced performances at 5 locations within Hwaseong Haengung Palace. It's a new way to travel back to 1795. Visitors can experience King Jeongjo's dreams, sorrows, aspirations, filial piety, and benevolence through traditional performances—solo dances, traditional instrument performances, dance, and storytelling—at Uwhagwan, Hwaryeong Hall, Naknam Hall, Bongsudang, and Yuyeotaek.

After passing through Shinpungnu Gate, the palace entrance, follow the route starting from Uwhagwan on the right at 10-minute intervals. It runs daily from the day before the festival (October 3) through the last day (October 11) for 3 sessions (7 p.m., 8 p.m., 9 p.m.), and is available to anyone who pays the Hwaseong Haengung Palace admission fee (2,000 won).

The water performance 'Seonyu Dream' is a special content unique to the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival where light, water, sound, and landscape harmonize. Following last year, this year it will also enchant audiences against the backdrop of Banghwasurooyjeong and Yongyeon, renowned as the most scenic spots of Suwon Hwaseong. All spectators become immortals and experience 'Seonyu Dream,' enjoying 50 minutes of elegance while wandering in dreams with King Jeongjo. Visitors can enter King Jeongjo's dream at Yongyeon at 7 p.m. from the 5th to 11th.

The featured performance 'Night Watch' has significantly increased to 5 performances. Inspired by nighttime military training commanded by King Jeongjo himself, it presents a comprehensive artistic stage to approximately 2,000 spectators at a special stage at Yeonmudan at 8 p.m. from the 7th to 11th. Torch processions, mounted performances, military group dances, fireworks, and sound effects are signature content viewable only at Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival. About 100 citizen performers recruited in advance participate in various roles including court ladies, generals, and soldiers, which is particularly special.

Detailed information about all programs, reservation methods, course recommendations, and more can be accurately confirmed on the official Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival website (https://shfestival.com/INDEX).

Beyond South Korea to the World! Abundant Entertainment for Foreign Visitors

To leap toward becoming a global festival, Suwon City has expanded programs and products for foreign visitors. Convenience has been enhanced from content allowing foreign tourists to create special memories in Suwon to convenient transportation support.

Suwon Traditional Culture Hall, selected as a wellness tourism destination in Gyeonggi Province, will operate as the hub 'Global Village' for foreign tourists. It operates in a traditional Korean house where visitors can freely enjoy traditional experiences and games while feeling the unique beauty of Korean architecture. About 120 volunteer interpreters 'Gringie' stationed at Global Village support smooth communication with foreign visitors. They guide the festival in various languages while enjoying it together like friends, serving as tourism companions.

The lawn area inside Global Village entrance fills with laughter and music. During the day, 'Hanok Play Zone Mar-ple' features traditional games like tuho, and on holidays and weekend evenings, diverse performance programs 'Hanok Stage On Sound' entertain global tourists. At Hongjae Hall, visitors can experience 'A Cup of Tea at Hongjae Hall,' learning how to brew and drink tea. At the etiquette room, 'Baessi Daengi Atelier' operates where visitors create accessories themselves. These two experiences are standing programs available for participation after paying on-site.

Two programs are exclusively for foreigners: 'A Cup of Festival,' experiencing spirits loved by King Jeongjo, and 'K-Festival, Cooking Banquets,' a cooking class for festive dishes. Only foreigners who pre-register through the official website and Naver reservations can participate.

Global online travel agencies like Klook are also selling daily tour packages that include highlight programs by date. The reviews have nearly perfect ratings with many satisfied testimonials, making them highly recommendable to foreign friends.

Special shuttle buses are available for foreign visitors staying in Seoul to attend the festival. During the festival period, round-trip service operates twice daily from Hongdae, Myeongdong·Dongdaemun, and Gwanghwamun to the festival venue. The shuttle service, which increases accessibility for foreign tourists, can be booked through 15 online sites including Tripadvisor and Klook.

King Jeongjo's Royal Procession Reenacting Joseon Royal Parade—The Highlight
King Jeongjo's Royal Procession, the 'crown jewel' of the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival, will take place on the 4th opening the festival with splendor. While joint reenactments between Seoul and Hwaseong have occurred for the past 10 years, Suwon City, representing the 'original' of Joseon royal parades, opens the K-Culture Road.

This year, 60 horses and 1,000 reenactors will recreate the Eulmyo Royal Journey, and 1,200 citizens will complete the parade. Group military dances will adorn the streets brilliantly, stately military processions will be staged, and performances harmonizing tradition and modernity will be added.

Nosong Pine Tree Area, the starting point of Suwon's section, begins with a pre-performance at 12:30 p.m. At 1 p.m., the historic scene of Prime Minister Chae Jegong greeting King Jeongjo is shown. The procession, led by the Suwon Hwaseong parade, departs again from Suwon Sports Complex at 3:30 p.m., passes through Jangan Gate at 4 p.m., and at 5:30 p.m. reenacts the greeting of King Jeongjo, the water inspector of Suwon, in front of Jangan Gate. Afterward, the reenactment procession completes the ceremonial event with a King Jeongjo entrance performance at Haengung Square at 6 p.m.

Spectators can enjoy various pleasures before and after the official reenactment procession passes. Pre-performances and citizen parades by section add martial arts demonstrations, artificial intelligence robot dances, and congratulatory performances from international sister cities. Street performances continue throughout the day along various sections including Suwon SK Artrium and Manseok Park, making Jeongno an all-day entertainment destination.

Haengung Square, where the procession arrives, transforms into a spectacular finale stage for King Jeongjo's Royal Procession. A closing performance unfolds on the massive stage filling the royal garden. Artists include fusion traditional music band Art Coûdo, National Intangible Cultural Property Pyeongtaek Horse Dance Group, and dance crew Team Honey J. Finally, participants and tourists engage in a community celebration creating scenes of 'Ininhwarak' (harmony and joy for all) among all attendees.

Meanwhile, Seoul and Hwaseong, which are jointly participating in the reenactment of King Jeongjo's Royal Procession, will also conduct the procession the same day. Seoul's urban section departing from Gyeongbokgung Palace at 9 a.m. arrives at Nodulnaru Park at noon, and the Geumcheon section departs from Geumcheon District Office at 5 p.m. for a 30-minute event. Hwaseong's section begins the departure ceremony at Central Park at 10 a.m. and arrives at Jeongjo Filial Piety Park around 2 p.m.

Suwon Special Mayor Lee Jaejun stated, "The 63-year-old Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival has sufficient potential to develop into a global festival," and added, "We will develop Suwon's excellent tourism content, including the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival and King Jeongjo's Royal Procession, into a K-Culture Road."