Yeoju Ceramic Festival captivating visitors

By Kang Seung-woo

Since 1990, Yeoju Ceramic Festival has established itself as one of the nation's leading local festivals, exhibiting unique and high quality ceramic artwork and products.

And marking its 31st edition, the annual event ― designed to promote the excellence of its ceramics, develop the ceramic industry in the Gyeonggi provincial city and, furthermore, raise awareness for Yeoju ceramics ― is continuing its successful run, attracting droves of visitors.

Yeoju is one of the regions where quality ceramics have been made due to the area's rich soil, which is an important component of the process.

The festival that will run through Sunday at a park near Silleuk Temple drew in 17,000 people on the opening day on April 27.

“Yeoju's ceramic ware has a long history, as its quality was even recorded in geography records during the King Sejong era,” Yeoju Mayor Lee Hang-jin said at the opening ceremony. “The ceramic masters' passion and dedication have helped the region hold onto its reputation.”

The event is in the home stretch, but it is still worth visiting with a lot of programs available.

Amid a growing appetite for live experiences, this year's event has added more hands-on programs to its repertoire.

First of all, visitors can get their hands dirty by spinning a pottery wheel and making their own pieces to be fired in a traditional kiln, and they can also color ceramic wares.

Along with the making and coloring programs, a “ceramic breaking” event that has established itself as a signature program in the pottery event is definitely something not to miss out on. Participants can throw flawed and unsalable ceramic pieces at a wall to break them into pieces.

For children who inevitably come to the festival with their ceramic-fond parents, a variety of programs are available, most notably playing with the earth that is used in the ceramic-making. This program is receiving rave reviews from their parents because it gives a new experience that cannot be had in urban life.

Also, people can participate in an event where they angle for ceramic mugs in a pool.

The festival has served as a venue allowing people to purchase a variety of celadon products at cheaper prices than in the market by offering special discounts. On the sidelines of the festival, a total of 92 booths are set up to sell ceramics.

Along with those experience programs, a workshop featuring three veteran potters and four young artists will be held on Saturday and Sunday, during which they showcase the ceramic-making.

The highlight of the event may be an exhibition putting ceramic artworks by master craftsmen, including those designated as national intangible cultural assets, on display, ― an event providing a rare change for visitors.

Along with the aforementioned programs, the ceramic festival is also offering diverse cultural events and programs.

Yeoju has been producing ceramics ever since the Goryeo Kingdom that ruled ancient Korea from 918 to 1392, playing an important role in developing the early ceramic industry.

Those who plan to visit the festival can take an intercity bus to Yeoju Terminal at Dong Seoul Terminal in eastern Seoul and then transfer to a local bus bound for Silleuk Temple at Yeoju Bus Terminal or take a cab to the festival venue.