Provincial News Jeju to host fire festival

By John Redmond

A traditional fire festival will take place on Jeju Island this Thursday to Sunday.

The annual festival, known by a variety of names such as Jeongwol Daeborum Festival, Jeongwol Field-Burning Festival or Jeju Fire Festival, originally marked the first full moon of the new lunar year.

“It is now a celebration of the arrival of spring and features a variety of events including concerts, kite flying, a torch march and bonfire,” the event organizer says in a press release.

“A traditional farming practice of burning fields to burn off old and wilted grass and rid the fields of vermin, has been given a modern turn to become a major tourist attraction.”

To get there from Jeju International Airport, take bus 100 to Jeju Intercity Bus Terminal. From the terminal, take an intercity bus bound for Pyeonghwaro. Get off at Hwajeon Village.