Finding the heart of Chuseok beyond Seoul

The Korea Tourism Organization has launched a national Chuseok campaign encouraging travelers to explore cultural destinations beyond Seoul. The initiative features free-admission sites, nature reserves, heritage programs and holiday festivals for multigenerational families. It also adds digital search tools for festival schedules and park hours. Lee Sun-woo said the goal is to help citizens reconnect with regional culture and rural provinces.

The campaign is being promoted through VisitKorea, the Korea Tourism Organization’s official travel portal.

Featured destinations include the Yeongneung Royal Tombs in Yeoju, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Cheongju, the national arboretums in Bonghwa County, and Mount Deokyu in Muju.

Namsangol Hanok Village in central Seoul will hold its annual Chuseok Festival from Friday to Sunday, with folk performances, crafts and seasonal foods.

The Asia Culture Center Foundation will host interactive puppet shows, circus art performances and augmented reality games in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City.

The tourism authority has linked its digital hub with national cultural databases so travelers can check local festival schedules and park operating hours on smartphone applications.

Published Sep 24, 2026 7:00 am KST

Grace Garden at Baekdudaegan National Arboretum in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province / Korea Times file

As millions of families across Korea prepare to pack highways and train stations as they move around the country for the Chuseok holiday, tourism officials are encouraging travelers to look past predictable destinations toward the country’s rich cultural heartlands.

The Korea Tourism Organization launched a national campaign this week through its official travel portal VisitKorea, highlighting sites with free admission, outdoor nature reserves and immersive heritage programs tailored or multigenerational families. The curated list arrives at a time when domestic travelers are increasingly seeking authentic cultural experiences over expensive international getaways.

Key destinations featured in the initiative span both historical and contemporary cultural landmarks.

Travelers heading through Gyeonggi Province can visit the majestic Yeongneung Royal Tombs in Yeoju, the resting place of King Sejong the Great, while art enthusiasts can venture south into central Korea to explore the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Cheongju. Further off the beaten path in the mountainous eastern and southern regions, national arboretums in Bonghwa County in North Gyeongsang Province and Mount Deokyu in Muju, North Jeolla Province, offer alpine forests and sweeping mountain views.

The initiative also spotlights holiday festivals across the country.

In central Seoul Namsangol Hanok Village will host its annual Chuseok Festival from Friday to Sunday, featuring traditional folk performances, crafts and seasonal foods. In Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, the country's southwestern arts and cultural hub, the Asia Culture Center Foundation will host interactive puppet shows, circus art performances and augmented reality games designed specifically for young children.

To streamline holiday planning, the tourism authority has integrated its digital hub with national cultural databases, allowing travelers to search local festival schedules and park operating hours via smartphone applications.

"We hope citizens across the nation take this holiday to reconnect with regional culture and discover the distinct charms of our rural provinces," said Lee Sun-woo, head of domestic digital marketing at the Korea Tourism Organization. "Whether exploring royal heritage sites or mountain retreats, these curated destinations offer something memorable for every generation."

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

韩国旅游发展局发起了一项全国性的中秋节推广活动，鼓励游客探索首尔以外的文化目的地。该活动包括免费景点、自然保护区、文化遗产项目以及适合多代同堂家庭的节日庆典。此外，该机构还提供数字搜索工具，方便游客查询节日日程和公园开放时间。李善宇表示，此举旨在帮助民众重新认识地方文化和乡村地区。

该活动通过韩国旅游发展局的官方旅游门户网站 VisitKorea 进行推广。

特色景点包括骊州的永陵王陵、清州的国立现代美术馆、奉化郡的国立植物园以及茂朱的德丘山。

首尔市中心的南山谷韩屋村将于周五至周日举办一年一度的中秋节庆祝活动，届时将有民俗表演、手工艺品和时令美食。

亚洲文化中心基金会将在全南光州特别广域市举办互动木偶戏、马戏艺术表演和增强现实游戏。

旅游部门已将其数字中心与国家文化数据库连接起来，以便游客可以通过智能手机应用程序查看当地节日的日程安排和公园的开放时间。

发布于2026年9月24日 上午7:00（韩国标准时间）

庆尚北道奉化郡白头大干国立植物园恩典花园 / 韩国时报档案

值此中秋节假期之际，韩国数百万家庭将涌上高速公路和火车站，前往全国各地旅行。旅游官员鼓励游客们跳出常规旅游目的地的局限，探索韩国文化底蕴深厚的腹地。

韩国旅游发展局本周通过其官方旅游门户网站VisitKorea发起了一项全国性推广活动，重点推介免费景点、户外自然保护区以及适合多代家庭的沉浸式文化遗产体验项目。这份精心挑选的清单正值韩国国内游客越来越倾向于体验地道文化而非昂贵的国际旅行之际推出。

该计划重点推介的目的地涵盖了历史和当代文化地标。

途经京畿道的游客可以前往骊州参观雄伟的永陵，这里是世宗大王的陵寝；艺术爱好者则可以南下前往韩国中部，探访清州国立现代美术馆。在人迹罕至的东部和南部山区，庆尚北道奉化郡的国立植物园和全罗北道茂州的德久山国家植物园则拥有茂密的森林和壮丽的山景。

该活动还重点介绍了全国各地的节日庆典。

首尔市中心的南山谷韩屋村将于周五至周日举办一年一度的中秋节庆祝活动，届时将有传统民俗表演、手工艺品和时令美食。在韩国西南部的艺术文化中心——全罗南道光州特别广域市，亚洲文化中心基金会将举办互动木偶戏、马戏艺术表演以及专为儿童设计的增强现实游戏。

为了简化假期规划，旅游部门已将其数字中心与国家文化数据库整合，使游客能够通过智能手机应用程序搜索当地节日的时间表和公园的开放时间。

韩国旅游发展局国内数字营销负责人李善宇表示：“我们希望全国人民都能利用这个假期重新感受地方文化，发现我们乡村各省的独特魅力。无论是探索皇家遗址还是山间静谧之所，这些精心策划的目的地都能为每一代人带来难忘的体验。”

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。