Korea’s fiery tradition of nakhwa ritual reemerges as contender for cultural heritage status

Falling sparks reflect off the pond at Mujinjeong Pavilion in Gosan-ri, Haman County, South Gyeongsang Province, during last year’s nakhwa ritual, creating a spectacular display. Courtesy of Haman County

Once a fading ritual, the traditional Korean fire art "nakhwa" is blazing back into national consciousness on the back of social media and soaring attendance at local festivals.

With crowd sizes rivaling major heritage events, cultural authorities are now considering the potential of the falling fire ritual for designation as an official national intangible heritage, possibly even to match the status of Korea’s "Yeondeunghoe," also known as Lotus Lantern Festival, which was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2020.

According to Sejong City officials, the Nakhwa Preservation Association and Haman County in South Gyeongsang Province, nakhwa festivals will take place on Saturday at Sejong Central Park and on May 5 at Mujinjeong Pavilion in Haman.

Traditionally held as a Buddhist purification rite during Yeondeunghoe, the nakhwa ritual involves lighting fire wands — bundles of "hanji" (traditional Korean paper) and charcoal — hung from pine branches. As the fire crackles and burns, sparks float in the wind, creating a dreamlike spectacle that has evolved into a modern performance and festival event.

The festival in Sejong is expanding significantly this year, with organizers preparing 10,000 fire wands, double the amount used in 2023. “We want to grow this into Sejong’s signature festival,” said an official from the Nakhwa Preservation Association.

Visitors watch the nakhwa ritual during the Sejong Nakhwa Festival at Sejong Central Park on May 20, 2023. Originally held at mountain temples, the ritual moved to the urban park during the 2022 Sejong Festival to reach a wider audience and has since been held annually ahead of Buddha’s Birthday. Korea Times photo by Chung Min-seung

Spectator boom ignites momentum

A February nakhwa ceremony held at Yeongpyeong Temple in Sejong revealed the scale of the growing interest. Organizers had expected 3,000 to 5,000 attendees due to the cold weather, but more than 30,000 people showed up, paralyzing traffic and prompting the city to issue emergency alerts.

Safety concerns are now pushing organizers to consider an advance reservation system for future events. Sejong currently hosts nakhwa in two forms: temple ceremonies in February and October, and the official Sejong Nakhwa Festival in Central Park, co-hosted by the city to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday.

The park’s vast open space and long-burning wands, which can last over two hours, allow the festival to accommodate more than 100,000 visitors.

In Haman County, the event’s popularity has surged as well. Known for the way its sparks reflect across the pond at Mujinjeong, Haman’s version of nakhwa is passed down through the local community rather than Buddhist temples.

Last year, the unexpected arrival of 60,000 visitors caused communication blackouts and logistical chaos, prompting organizers to adopt a reservation system. “We had to pilot a paid ticketed version because we simply couldn’t handle the crowd with one event,” said a county official, adding that the festival has since attracted growing interest from foreign tourists, particularly from Japan and Taiwan.

Building on that experience, Haman will host six paid nakhwa festivals through October this year in partnership with the Korea Tourism Organization.

“All 6,500 seats for the first event sold out within a minute,” said Kim Mi-hwa, a tourism official. The city is working with designated inbound travel agencies to attract more foreign visitors who can contribute to the local economy.

A scene from the Haman Nakhwa Festival, a traditional fire ritual said to have begun during the reign of King Seonjo (1552-1608) of Joseon Dynasty by then-Haman governor Jeong Gu to ward off misfortune and pray for peace and a bountiful harvest. Courtesy of Haman County

Path to national recognition

Unlike other regional events, Sejong’s nakhwa is rooted in its Buddhist ceremonial origins and has been designated as a municipal intangible heritage. Buddhist leaders argue that to restore Yeondeunghoe to its historical form, nakhwa, once a central part of the festival, must also be preserved.

“Lighting lanterns and burning nakhwa wands were once part of the same celebration,” said monk Wonhaeng of Gwangje Temple. “But due to colonial-era suppression, nakhwa disappeared and was not included in the national heritage listing. Restoring it is essential.”

The central government is also taking interest. “This tradition deserves further research as a candidate for national heritage recognition. We will consider budget support and other measures," a senior official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said. Although the ministry allocated funding in its 2025 proposal, the budget was later cut by the National Assembly.

With its rising popularity, spiritual roots, and striking visuals, nakhwa may soon become a celebrated part of Korea’s cultural heritage revival.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.