▲ The Baekje Cultural Festival

Sep. 26 ~ Oct 5, 2014
 
Gongju-si and Buyeo-gun of Chungcheongnam-do are places to show intensively traces of Baekje culture, which was once brilliant. A region where river Geum winds to the north and a fertile and extensive plain unfolds to the south, which made Gongjuand Buyeo become the capital of Baekje one after another. Baekje Cultural Festival, which takes place in the ancient city that deeply holds the Baekje history, reveals Baekje as more unique and richer.
 

Baekje Kingdom Remembered as a Cultural Power of East Asia
 Baekje was a cultural power of ancient East Asia. Baekja had created a beautiful and original culture in the background of the Korean Peninsula for 700 years (18-660 BC) and a marine kingdom that plays the role of a bridge in cultural exchanges through active marine exchanges with China and Japan. The brilliant history and culture of Baekje arouses the spirit of Baekje from 1,400 years ago in us with today's Baekje Cultural Festival.
 
Baekje Cultural Festival is the largest historical and cultural festival with twelve thousand personnel appearing on average annually.  Around 1,600,000 came to the festival site to see the real value of Baekje culture last year.
 
Now, the Baekje Cultural Festival greets the 60th anniversary in 2014. As this number possesses a very significant meaning because of the Korean tradition of an individual＊s meaningful 60th birthday, the 60th Baekje Cultural Festival is planning to raise itself into a world festival on the basis of historicity, traditions, and internationality. 
 

A Representative History and Culture Festival Carrying the Spirit of Baekje of 1,400 Years Ago
The Baekje Cultural Festival originated from the Baekje great religious service,  performed by the Baekje Great Religious Service Executive Committee, which was established by the leadership of private organizations following the wishes of the local in Buyeo, Chungnam in 1955.

At that time, various programs were held, including a religious service for three loyal subjects, Seongchung, Heungsu, Gyebaek, of the late Baekje era; the service was an offering ritual for land and water for pacifying the souls of Baekje women who had drowned in Baengmagang River. The name for this event changed to the ※Baekje Cultural Festival§ in 1965, and it has carried over to this day after Gongju of Chungnam took part in it the next year of 1966.

The Great Baekje World Festival of 2010 laid the foundation for the Baekje Cultural Festival to leap into the world class historical and cultural festivals. Various attempts were made to shed new light on Baekje culture and restore the identity of the history; the economic impact of approximately 239,900,000,000 won was created, and the number of visitors reached 3,700,000 people. A total earnings of 11,900,000,000 won were gathered.
 
Baekje, the Origin of Korean Wave, Reborn with Excitement and Style 
The 60th Baekje Cultural Festival is held in the whole area of Gongju-si and Buyeo-gun, as well as in Baekje Cultural Heritage in Gyuam-myeon, Buyeo-gun for 10 days from September 26 to October 5, 2014.

This cultural festival, which will unfold with the theme of ※Baekje, Meeting the World!§, has arranged 70 programs in total by embodying Baekje, the origin of Korean wave, exciting and fun Baekje cultural party, Baekje culture and Baekje people's style as wave, excitement and style respectively.
 
Especially in the Three States (Baekje, Goguryeo, Silla) Cultural Exchange Festival and the Korea-China-Japan Cultural Exchange Festival, there will be an opportunity for confirming the originality and superiority of the Baekje culture through comparison with various characterful cultures of other ancient East Asian countries.

You can find a differentiated program in which the past and present coexist. As for the ※Spirit of Baekje! Media Façade", an artistic video with diverse images and lights is arranged to be projected on the outer wall of the Baekje Cultural Heritage, which is the largest historical theme park in Korea. It is drawing attention because it is expected to create a new emotional charge. 
 
The abundance of cultural events that fascinated spectators up to now is another source of pride for the Baekje Cultural Festival.

The Woongjin Castle Parade, Ceremony for General Gyebaek Going to War, Great Baekje Exchange Kingdom Parade, and Procession of Baekje King Seong's Transfer of Capital to Sabi are events that reenact historic events in the present reality, which help people enjoy the Baekje culture merrily and entertainingly. Besides, the diversified exhibitions and experience programs, and performances that harmonize with the cultural remains of Baekje have been prepared.
 
The Baekje Cultural Festival, already greeting the 60th anniversary as a history and culture festival that represents Korea. Let us invite you to the special trip to Baekje in which the beauty of the Baekje culture shines along with a long history that will unroll.
 

Baekje Cultural Festival Promotion Committee (Buyeo, Chungnam) Tel : +82-41-635-6980 
Website : http://www.baekje.org