Busan is good

Busan International Rock Festival, Dongnae Eupseong History Festival, and Gwangalli Fishing Village Festival Selected as MCST Cultural Tourism Festivals for 2026–2027!

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that, according to the results of the “2026–2027 Cultural Tourism Festivals” selection released by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), three festivals—Busan International Rock Festival, Dongnae Eupseong History Festival, and Gwangalli Fishing Village Festival—have been officially designated.

Based on evaluations conducted over the past two years, MCST comprehensively reviewed factors such as the competitiveness of festival content, visitor satisfaction, and ripple effects on local communities, and selected a total of 27 festivals nationwide as Cultural Tourism Festivals.

With a diverse lineup of festivals encompassing both music and history selected at the same time, Busan has once again reaffirmed its status as one of the Republic of Korea’s leading tourism cities.

In particular, this year saw the newly designated selection of Busan International Rock Festival and Dongnae Eupseong History Festival, while Gwangalli Fishing Village Festival was re-designated, marking its eighth consecutive year of selection since 2020.

Busan International Rock Festival is the longest-running rock festival in Korea and a signature event that has played a pivotal role in Busan’s evolution into a world-class music city. Each year, top-tier artists from Korea and abroad participate, heightening the excitement of an urban music festival and attracting large numbers of visitors to Busan.

Dongnae Eupseong History Festival is a major local cultural event that vividly brings Busan’s history and traditions to life. Through parades and hands-on programs centered on the Battle of Dongnae Fortress during the Imjin War, the festival fosters a strong sense of pride among local residents.

Gwangalli Fishing Village Festival is a representative festival that reinterprets Busan’s fishing culture in a modern context. Set against the scenic backdrop of Gwangalli Beach, it has firmly established itself as a participatory festival where residents and visitors come together.

For festivals designated as Cultural Tourism Festivals, MCST will provide a range of support measures, including annual national funding of 40 million won per festival, international promotion, tourism product development, and improvements to visitor readiness through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

In addition, beginning in 2026, MCST plans to comprehensively overhaul its support system centered on Global Festivals by strengthening thematic and regional linkages among festivals, thereby laying the foundation for local festivals to grow into events of world-class stature.

In line with these policy changes, Busan Metropolitan City plans to step up preparations so that Busan International Rock Festival, Dongnae Eupseong History Festival, and Gwangalli Fishing Village Festival can advance to Global Festival status.

The City is exploring various measures to ensure that all three festivals develop into representative events sought after by people around the world, by highlighting the unique history, culture, and artistic character of the region.

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated, “The designation of these three festivals is an achievement made possible through the combination of Busan’s diverse cultural assets, citizen participation, and creativity,” adding, “Busan Metropolitan City will spare no administrative or financial support to establish Busan as a global festival hub city leading K-culture.”