23rd Hamyang Yeonam Cultural Festival Kicks Off in Splendor... A Wave of Festivity Fills Anui’s Night

Attended by National Assembly member Shin Seongbeom, Hamyang County Mayor Jin Byeongyoung, and County Council Chairperson Lim Chae-sook
A vibrant lineup: From reenactment of the Yeonam Arrival Parade to the National Song Contest and celebratory performances
Residents and tourists unite... The festival reaches its peak with a spectacular fireworks display

The pre-festival and opening ceremony of the 23rd Hamyang Yeonam Cultural Festival, an event to reflect on the legacy of the late Joseon practical scholar Yeonam Park Ji-won as well as the history and culture of the Anui area, were held on September 12 at the sports park in Anui-myeon, Hamyang-gun, Gyeongnam.

Under the theme "Yeonam’s Legacy, Anui: The Land of Waterwheels," the event was attended by National Assembly member Shin Seongbeom, Jin Byeongyoung, mayor of Hamyang-gun, Lim Chae-sook, chairman of Hamyang County Council, as well as county council members, heads of local organizations and social groups, and many residents, who gathered to celebrate the opening of the cultural festival.

Hosted by Hamyang-gun and organized by the Hamyang Yeonam Cultural Festival Committee, the festival aims to preserve the history and traditions of Anui as local cultural assets, widely promote the ideas and achievements of Yeonam Park Ji-won, and offer a cultural festival in which local residents participate directly.

[Photo by Soon Kyung Choi] Jin Byeongyoung, mayor of Hamyang County, declared the opening at the 23rd Hamyang Yeonam Cultural Festival's eve and opening ceremony held on the 12th at the Sports Park in Anui-myeon, Hamyang County, Gyeongnam.

The highlight of the pre-festival evening was the "Yeonam Arrival Parade," which began at 6 PM at the Anui-myeon Community Service Center.

The parade reenacted the scene of Yeonam Park Ji-won arriving to take up his post as magistrate, starting at the community center and proceeding along Jongro-gil, Chukhyeop intersection, Anui Terminal, Anui Bridge, and Hwarim Mansion, before reaching the Anui Sports Park.

At the center of the parade was an impersonator portraying the magistrate Yeonam Park Ji-won, accompanied by sedan chair bearers, standard bearers, military band, royal guards, police officers, samulnori (Korean percussion troupe), as well as members of local Confucian organizations and many residents. All contributed to recreating the magistrate’s procession of the Joseon era.

Once the arrival parade reached the sports park, the official pre-festival program began at the special main stage.

Preceding the main event, local cultural clubs presented a variety of performances, including singing classes, a harmonica choir, saxophone ensemble, and traditional Janggu drumming, providing diverse attractions for attendees and tourists.

The official opening ceremony, which started at 7 PM, was attended by National Assembly member Shin Seongbeom, Hamyang County Mayor Jin Byeongyoung, County Council Chairperson Lim Chae-sook, county council members, and leaders from local organizations and social groups.

The opening ceremony consisted of a declaration of opening, introduction of guests, a welcoming address by the chairperson of the Hamyang Yeonam Cultural Festival Committee, a welcoming speech by Mayor Jin Byeongyoung, and congratulatory messages from distinguished guests. An award ceremony for winners of the Yeonam Book Report Competition, focusing on the works of Yeonam Park Ji-won, was also held.

After the opening ceremony, the main stage of the festival hosted the final round of the "Yeonam National Song Contest."

Thirteen teams that advanced through public application and preliminary rounds competed on stage, vying for the grand prize of 3 million won, the excellence prize of 1 million won, the encouragement prize of 500,000 won, and popular prizes of 200,000 won each for two recipients.

Invited singers Kim Hye-yeon, Kim Yang, and Choi Jeonseol then performed on stage, exciting the audience and heightening the festive mood. The accompanying fireworks display lit up the night sky over Anui, concluding the pre-festival evening on a high note.

Within the venue, the "Yeonam Tavern" was operated jointly by the Anui-myeon Saemaeul Association and the Living Improvement Association, while nighttime landscape lighting installed near Anui Bridge and Anui Sports Park added to the festival atmosphere.

Earlier that morning, a "Well-being and Safety Prayer Ceremony for Residents" was held in front of the memorial stele at Anui Elementary School, to honor the achievements and philosophy of Yeonam Park Ji-won, pray for the success of the festival, and wish for the well-being of the local community.

In the afternoon, the "Happy Anui Spring Center" hosted an academic conference on topics such as current progress in commemorating Yeonam Park Ji-won, revisiting his historical significance and the direction of the commemoration projects.

On the second day of the festival, September 13, the Yeonam Gymnasium will host the Yeonam Console Competition, while the special main stage at Anui Sports Park will feature performances by local clubs, programs for township and town residents’ self-governing committees, and the Yeonam OX Quiz Contest, among other programs encouraging resident participation.

The Hamyang Yeonam Cultural Festival continues today as a regional cultural event, sharing the legacy of Yeonam Park Ji-won’s time as Anui magistrate, his practical philosophy and cultural values, along with the history and tradition of Anui, with both residents and tourists.

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