Jangheung Water Festival Opens on July 25 with K-POP Concerts by BTOB and CHUNGHA

The 19th Jeongnamjin Jangheung Water Festival, South Korea’s premier summer festival, will run for nine days from July 25 to August 2. The event takes place along the Tamjin River, in the pine forest Woodland area, and at Papiyon Zip, combining water-based experience programs with K-culture content to create a global summer festival that integrates healing, tourism, and Hallyu culture. The festival’s slogan is “Healing is all in the water! Summer is all in the water! An exciting Jangheung.”

On the opening day, a street parade called the “Water Battle Parade” will kick off the festival in the downtown area of Jangheung-eup. This year’s parade will offer even more spectacular views through storytelling conveying wishes for prosperity and performances showcasing traditional cultures from various countries. During the festival, popular water festival programs such as “The World’s Largest Water Fight” and “Catch the Golden Fish,” along with wooden boats, banana boats, and water bikes, will be available daily.

The scale and content of the festival have been expanded by linking it to the “MyK FESTA” program sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. On July 30, a K-POP concert titled “Jangheung Summer Splash with MyK FESTA” will be held, featuring top-tier K-POP artists including BTOB and CHUNGHA. Following that, the Jangheung Rock Festival will take place on July 31, and the Jangheung Water Beat will follow on August 1, keeping the festival nights lively.

At Papiyon Zip, unique experience programs such as K-drama content based on locations used for Netflix series and dramas, along with AR mission tours, will be offered. To enhance stay-based tourism, various programs for day and night, including camping stays, a starlight youth zone, and a water-themed outdoor area, have been prepared to extend visitors’ time in the region.

Instead of a local food hall at the festival site, the Jeongnamjin Jangheung Saturday Market and local restaurants have been connected to allow visitors to enjoy representative Jangheung dishes such as Jangheung Hanwoo Samhap and doenjang mulhoe, thereby helping to boost the local economy. For convenience, shuttle buses will operate between Jangheung Station and major transportation hubs like Gwangju, Mokpo, Suncheon, and Busan to transport visitors to the festival site. Full precautions will also be taken to ensure safety, including setting up a joint disaster safety command center and an emergency medical system.

Jangheung-gun Governor Sa Sun-mun said, “This year’s water festival aims to become South Korea’s top summer festival that combines water play with healing, culture, and Hallyu, going beyond simple swimming. I hope visitors can create the best memories with their families, friends, and partners by the refreshing waters of the Tamjin River.”