Fireworks Rain Over Masan's Night Sea Amid Chrysanthemum Fragrance... Citizens Cheer

First-ever Maritime Nakhwa Nori held at 3.15 Marine Nuri Park

Sparks from 1,500 Nakhwa sticks accompanied by woodwind quintet

Police, coast guard and fire service help ensure visitors' safety

The night sea in front of 3.15 Marine Nuri Park in Masan, South Gyeongsang Province, lit up as fireworks rained down from the sky amid the scent of chrysanthemums, drawing cheers from citizens.

Changwon Special City held the Maritime Nakhwa Nori event, a special program of the 26th Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival, at 7 p.m. on November 4 at 3.15 Marine Nuri Park.

Changwon Special City Mayor Kang Kiyoon delivers remarks at the Nakhwa Nori event on the water at 3·15 Haeyang Nuri Park. [Photo provided by Changwon City]

Held for the first time this year, the Maritime Nakhwa Nori is an event in which "Nakhwa sticks," made by wrapping charcoal powder in hanji, or traditional Korean paper, are hung from lines installed over the sea and lit, sending sparks drifting through the air. It was planned to offer visitors a unique nighttime spectacle that captures the atmosphere of the autumn sea.

The event began with a lighting countdown joined by citizens at 7 p.m. Sparks poured down like flower petals from a total of 1,500 Nakhwa sticks suspended over the sea in front of 3.15 Marine Nuri Park, illuminating Masan's night sea.

The Nakhwa Nori lasted about an hour, accompanied by a woodwind quintet that added to the romantic atmosphere of the autumn night. Visitors watched the event from the coastal promenade, with the night sea as its backdrop.

A woodwind quintet is performing at the seaside Nakhwa Nori. [Photo courtesy of Changwon City]

To ensure visitors could enjoy the event safely, the city deployed a total of about 600 safety personnel, including 223 city officials as well as police, coast guard and fire service personnel. It secured a safe distance between visitors and the Nakhwa sticks by fully closing the pedestrian bridge and installing safety lines, and guided visitors to move safely through areas where crowds had gathered.

Police helped restrict access around the control lines and maintain order, while the Changwon Coast Guard deployed a coastal rescue boat and the Masan Fire Station stationed an ambulance to prepare for emergencies.

The city also worked with the three mobile carriers to deploy mobile base stations at the festival site, taking into account that communications had been somewhat disrupted by the large crowds at the opening ceremony. The measure was intended to facilitate emergency calls and contact in the event of an incident, as well as improve visitors' access to mobile phone calls and data services.

Changwon Special City Mayor Kang Giyun said, "I hope the Maritime Nakhwa Nori, set against the backdrop of chrysanthemums and the autumn sea, will leave visitors with special memories." He added, "We will do our utmost to manage the site so that visitors can enjoy the rest of the festival safely and comfortably."

Changwon City deserves praise for thoroughly preparing, in cooperation with relevant agencies, to ensure that not a single accident occurred among the crowds expected to gather to watch the Maritime Nakhwa Nori.

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