Hampyeong Chrysanthemum Festival's 'Walk and Relax' Theme Strikes a Chord... Acclaimed as an Ecological Festival in Harmony with Nature

Created an eco-friendly healing destination with chrysanthemum sculptures

The 2026 Korea Chrysanthemum Festival, taking place at Hampyeong Expo Park in Hampyeong County, Jeonnam-Gwangju Special City, is earning rave reviews from visitors as an ecological healing festival in harmony with nature.

Hampyeong County said on October 30 that the 2026 Korea Chrysanthemum Festival, which opened on October 23, is attracting autumn visitors with the subtle fragrance of chrysanthemums and its distinctive themed spaces.

Visitors take commemorative photos at the 2026 Korea Chrysanthemum Festival, held at Hampyeong Expo Park in Hampyeong-gun, Jeollanam-do, on the morning of the 23rd. Photo by Min Changi

This year’s festival has boldly moved away from the previous exhibition format, which concentrated displays in the central plaza, transforming the entire festival grounds into an ecological forest where visitors can enjoy walking and relaxing. A butterfly pond has been newly renovated so visitors can stroll leisurely along forest paths and unwind. Colorful chrysanthemum sculptures have been naturally arranged along a dense pine forest trail, creating an eco-friendly healing destination.

Oversized chrysanthemum artworks installed throughout the festival grounds are drawing gasps of admiration from visitors. The “Mysterious Waterfall Garden,” a multi-purpose observation facility where visitors can climb stairs and take in a panoramic view of the festival grounds, and “Goddess of Water,” this year’s centerpiece sculpture standing tall in the middle of the butterfly pond and sending up a mist, have emerged as signature landmarks, attracting a flurry of camera flashes every day.

Photo zones capturing the full mood of autumn are also packed with visitors. “Hands of Love,” a favorite stop for couples featuring a red heart held between two giant hands; “Unicorn’s Silver Grass Garden,” set against a fantastical backdrop of silvery waves of silver grass; and “Mysterious Mirror Cave,” which uses light and reflections to create three distinctive atmospheres, have become popular spots among young people for taking the perfect photo. “Guardians of Myth,” a collection of sculptures depicting figures including a white tiger and a blue dragon, is also a big hit with children.

Mun Jeongmo, director of the Hampyeong County Agricultural Technology Center, said, “We have carefully prepared this year’s Chrysanthemum Festival so visitors can set aside their hectic daily routines for a while, stroll along pine forest trails, and enjoy a special respite amid scenery from mythology. We hope visitors will take home unforgettable romance and memories from Hampyeong, filled with the fragrance of chrysanthemums beneath the clear autumn sky.”

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