Jinju's "Wora Mountain Forest Pearl" Surpasses 1 Million Annual Visitors Ahead of Schedule

Impact of Garden Expo and Hydrangea Festival
Cumulative Visitors Reach 2.74 Million Since 2018 Opening

"Wora Mountain Forest Pearl," a multi-use forest recreation facility in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, surpassed 1 million annual visitors earlier than ever this year.

According to the city, reaching 1 million visitors is the fastest record since the facility’s opening. The city analyzed that the registration as a local garden in April, as well as garden and forest-related events such as the "2026 Jinju Garden Expo" and the "Hydrangea Festival" held in June, contributed to the increase in visitors.

[Photo by Jinju City] Citizens and tourists are sitting on the lawn plaza watching a performance held at the outdoor concert hall in Wolasans Forest, Jinju. An orchestra performance unfolds amid night lighting and candle decorations harmonizing with the forest, enhancing the ambiance of the summer night.

"Wora Mountain Forest Pearl" operates as a multi-use forest recreation complex, offering a forest garden, a natural recreation forest, woodland, a forest leisure sports complex, a children's library in the woods, and a garden by artists.

The city stated that around 190,000 people visited during the four days of the garden expo, and approximately 450,000 people attended during the 11-day period that included the hydrangea garden festival.

The city also believes that a variety of experiential programs—including forest healing programs, forest experiences, woodworking activities, and forest leisure sports—helped drive the increase in visitor numbers.

To celebrate surpassing 1 million visitors, Jinju City will hold an event through the official social network service (SNS) of "Wora Mountain Forest Pearl" from July 13 to August 15. A total of 7 winners, selected by lottery, will receive a one-night glamping accommodation voucher valid for use on October 3.

The city announced plans to continue expanding programs that link garden culture with forest welfare, and to keep offering seasonal festivals, cultural events, and forest recreation programs.

In the area of the hydrangea garden in the forest of Wolsan Mountain, in Jinju, a flea market is being held alongside the fully bloomed hydrangeas, where citizens and tourists are enjoying walking and various experiences.

A Jinju City official said, "We thank citizens and tourists for their interest and support," adding, "We will continue to present seasonal gardens and forest culture content so that this remains a forest recreation space people want to return to."

Meanwhile, the annual number of visitors to "Wora Mountain Forest Pearl" was 600,000 last year, and the cumulative number of visitors since its opening in 2018 has reached approximately 2.74 million.

Achieving 1 million visitors is not the end, but a new starting point that requires the city to prove its sustainable tourism competitiveness.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.