It’s been snowing again this week in Korea, but fear not, soon things are going to heat up! The annual Jeju Fire Festival will be held from March 1st to 4th this year.
The Jeju Fire Festival originated from banggae, an old pastoral culture where farmers set fire to the mountainous grasslands to control pests and encourage new grass to grow. This year is the festival’s 21st anniversary. You can expect to see flaming torches, fireworks and a whole lot more of firey goodness. People write their wishes to be burned during the festival, and foreigners are encouraged to join many of the contests and events on the day.
The festival is held at the Saebyeol Oreum, a small dormant volcano located in Bongseong-ri. It’s around twenty minutes from Jeju airport by car, or shuttle bus. Special shuttle buses will be running during the festival period.
For more information check the official website’s English pages here. KTO also has some helpful information about the event.
