'Korea Night Festival' Kicks Off in Busan... Night Tourism Relay Across 10 Cities

Culture Ministry and Korea Tourism Organization Launch Festival to Boost Stay-Type Tourism
Nationwide Tour Continues Through October; Candlelight Concerts and Book Talks Featured

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization are hosting the '2026 Korea Night Festival Season 2', which connects ten cities across the country that specialize in night tourism. By combining local culture, arts, and festivals with nighttime tourism, the goal is to expand stay-type tourism and revitalize local economies.

The Candlelight Concert at the Korea Night Night Festa held on the 18th at Busan Cinema Center. Photo by Korea Tourism Organization

According to the Korea Tourism Organization on July 20, the festival began in Busan on the 18th and will be held in relay across ten cities nationwide—including Tongyeong, Gangneung, Jeonju, Gongju, Daejeon, Incheon, Yeosu, Jinju, and Seongju—until October 10. Launched last year, the 'Korea Night Festival' is a nationwide project that connects night tourism cities as a unified tourism brand.

Programs tailored to the unique characteristics of each city have been arranged. In Tongyeong, Dipirang and the music fountain will be featured; in Gangneung, Anmok Beach and the nighttime opening of Ojukheon; in Jeonju, the Korea Reading Festival and Yeonhwajeong Library; in Gongju, Gongsanseong Fortress and Jemicheon Stream; and in Jinju, the Namgang Yudeung Lantern Festival and the National Jinju Museum, all of which will be part of the night tourism content.

All host cities will also feature common programs such as candlelight concerts, the 'Bam Bam Travel Library', and book talk events. Additionally, there are plans to expand nighttime operations at municipal art museums and private exhibition venues, and to increase tourist stay duration and spending through online stamp tours and programs linked to local businesses. After the festival concludes, books used during the event will be donated to welfare facilities and other social contribution activities will be carried out.

Kang Yooyoung, head of local tourism development at Korea Tourism Organization, said, "The Korea Night Festival is a relay project that connects the nights of ten cities specializing in night tourism as a single tourism brand. We will actively promote the expansion of nighttime tourism fever, which began in Busan, nationwide so that it leads to longer tourist stays and the revitalization of regional tourism consumption."

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