The annual Chunhyang Festival was held from April 30 to May 6 at Gwanghalluwon Garden and Yocheon Stream in Namwon, Jeollabuk-do Province. (Namwon City Hall)

By Margareth Theresia

Namwon, Jeollabuk-do Province, is the setting of the traditional folk tale "Chunhyangjeon" (The Tale of Chunhyang), a love story between Chunhyang, the daughter of a retired courtesan, and Mongryong, the son of a provincial governor.

Under the theme "The Sound of Chunhyang Opens the World," the annual Chunhyang Festival marked its 95th edition from April 30 to May 6 at Gwanghalluwon Garden and Yocheon Stream in Namwon, featuring 153 events including traditional and contemporary themes.

Launched in 1931 as the nation's first provincial festival, the event every May turns Namwon into a stage for the characters from the tale. Over its nearly 100 years, the celebration has grown into a leading cultural happening for the public comprising artistry and popularity.

Honorary Reporters on May 1 take a group photo in front of Gwanghalluwon Garden in Namwon, Jeollabuk-do Province. (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

Eighteen Korea.net Honorary Reporters on May 1 visited Namwon to experience the festival for themselves.

That morning, the city was busily preparing for the opening ceremony and gilnori, or traditional street performances. Amid clear skies, the Honorary Reporters wore Hanbok (traditional clothes) and walked around Gwanghalluwon Garden to trace the steps of Chunhyang and Mongryong.

The tranquil scene was shortlived, however, due to abrupt heavy rain, leading to the cancellation of select street events. The Honorary Reporters returned the outfits they borrowed and headed indoors to take part in other programs.

For lunch, they had the famed Namwon specialty chueotang, or a broth made with the freshwater fish pond loach. The tasty smell from the steaming earthenware pot and the soup's thick taste warmed up the Honorary Reporters amid the fickle weather.

The media art exhibition "Light of Namwon Blooms Anew" was opened on April 30 at the exhibition hall Fiorium. (Margareth Theresia)

In the afternoon, the Honorary Reporters visited regional culture and art venues starting with Namwon City Kim Byungjong Art Museum. The exhibition "Room of Records: Chunhyang's Time," which runs through July 13, features documents and visual materials on the history, changes and cultural heritage value of the festival.

Next was Fiorium, a media art exhibition that was opened on April 30 under the theme "Light of Namwon Blooms Anew." The immersive content combined traditional culture and cutting-edge technology for a contemporary reinterpretation of Namwon's identity through the work's engaging lighting and sound.

The highlight of the Chunhyang Festival is a beauty pageant, and for the first time in the event's history, a foreign contestant won this year. (Namwon City Hall)

The last event of the day was the opening ceremony for the Chunhyang Traditional Beauty Pageant at 6 p.m., but it was postponed due to heavy rain. Thus the Honorary Reporters could only see the first performance before heading to the train station to return to Seoul.

Mathilde Lafage, an Honorary Reporter from France who attended the event, said, "I think the event was well organized, and it was a perfect day despite the unexpected weather."

Honorary Reporter from Poland Dominika Jankowska added, "I'm glad to have made longlasting memories."

Ending on May 6, the weeklong festival also featured a Hanbok fashion show, gugak (traditional music) contest, large-scale street parade and fireworks. For the first time in the pageant's history, an Estonian became the first foreign winner of the title of Miss Chunhyang.

margareth@korea.kr