At a glance
| Dates | Expected May 2027Early May 2027, most likely 1–5 May around Labour Day and Children's Day; this will be the 50th edition. 2026 dates were public by mid-April 2026 and 2024 dates by mid-April 2024, so expect an announcement between February and April 2027. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Early May 2027, most likely 1–5 May around Labour Day and Children's Day; this will be the 50th edition. 2026 dates were public by mid-April 2026 and 2024 dates by mid-April 2024, so expect an announcement between February and April 2027. |
| Weather | May average 24/11 °C (74/52 °F), 122 mm of rainComfortable: light layers. Monthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Jangheung station, about 15 km away. |
| Admission | Entry to the festival grounds and the Korean Tea Culture Park is free; Daehan Dawon plantation next door charges ₩4,000 for adults.Festival admission: Free · Daehan Dawon plantation (adult): ₩4,000 (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Korean Tea Culture Park전라남도 보성군 보성읍 녹차로 775 |
| Nearest station | Boseong Station (Gyeongjeon Line, Mugunghwa services) (보성역), Korail Gyeongjeon LineNot walkable; about 15 minutes by taxi or local bus to the Korean Tea Culture Park (Nokcha-ro 775) |
| From Seoul | about 3 h 30 min · KTX + Bus + TaxiLeave from Seoul StationFull route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Boseong Green Tea Festival Organizing Committee (host: Boseong Green Tea Producers Association)보성다향대축제추진위원회 (주최: 보성차생산자조합) |
| Usual timing | Five days around the early-May holidays (1 May Labour Day to 5 May Children's Day): 3–7 May 2024, 2–6 May 2025, 1–5 May 2026. The county publishes the dates and theme between February and mid-April. Browse May festivals. |
| First held | 1985 |
| Last checked | 16 October 2026Checked against 20 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Boseong is the county most Koreans picture when they think of green tea, and this festival is its annual showcase, timed to the early-May holiday cluster when the first-flush leaves are being picked. The grounds are the Korean Tea Culture Park on Nokcha-ro: lawns, the Korean Tea Museum, the Dahyang Art Valley and a small tea-field terrace, a few minutes by road from Daehan Dawon, the terraced plantation that appears in most photographs of Boseong. In 2026 the theme was matcha, with a matcha brand pavilion on the lawn plaza, matcha cocktail tastings and a Tea Master Cup for drink developers. The hands-on core repeats every year: picking leaves in the fields, pan-firing them into finished tea, a traditional tea ceremony, foot baths in green-tea water, and the 'Afternoon Tea Field' grand tea party, a 90-minute seated tea-and-dessert session that is booked in advance. Families get an air-bounce zone, tea-field treasure hunts and a small train between the museum and the art valley. A main stage runs singing contests and concerts in the afternoon, and the first day doubles as Boseong County Residents' Day. Honest caveats: the park is not the famous terraced plantation, so for those views you pay to enter Daehan Dawon or drive to the Botjae pass fields; most programs run in Korean only; the tea party and camping packages fill before the festival; and early May can be hot and bright in open fields, so bring a hat and water.
Highlights
- Tea-leaf picking and pan-firing sessions in the park's tea fields, run daily through the five days
- 'Afternoon Tea Field' grand tea party: a 90-minute seated tea and dessert session with music, booked in advance (expanded to four days in 2026)
- Boseong Matcha Brand Pavilion on the lawn plaza with matcha drinks, desserts and cocktail tastings (2026 theme)
- Boseong Tea Master Cup, a judged competition for new tea-based drinks, with public tasting of the winners
- Children's Day program on 5 May (10:00–15:00) with an air bounce, treasure hunt and soap and keyring making
- Daehan Dawon terraced plantation next door (₩4,000, 09:00–18:00) for the hillside views the festival park lacks
Who it suits. Best for tea drinkers who want to see the leaf-to-cup process and for families with small children during the May holidays; less suited to travelers expecting the terraced-field postcard view inside the festival grounds (that is a separate paid plantation) or to anyone who needs English-language guided programs.
Getting there
From Seoul
KTX from Seoul Station to Gwangju Songjeong (about 2–2.5 h), then an intercity bus from Gwangju U-Square terminal to Boseong Bus Terminal (about 1 h); or KTX to Suncheon and a 40-minute bus. Direct buses from Seoul to Boseong take about 3.5–4 h. From Boseong terminal it is about 15 minutes by taxi or local bus to the Korean Tea Culture Park and Daehan Dawon.
From Busan
Intercity bus from Busan Seobu (Sasang) Terminal to Boseong, about 2–2.5 h; or a Gyeongjeon Line train from Bujeon Station to Suncheon (4 a day, about 2 h 40 m–3 h 20 m by Mugunghwa or Saemaeul; there is no KTX on this line), then a 40-minute bus to Boseong.
Last leg from Boseong Station (Gyeongjeon Line, Mugunghwa services)
Korail Gyeongjeon Line. Not walkable; about 15 minutes by taxi or local bus to the Korean Tea Culture Park (Nokcha-ro 775)
Festival shuttle
Shuttle buses with staff at the stops operated during the 2026 festival (routes and times not published on the pages opened).
Getting home
Direct express buses from Boseong to Seoul Central City are few and leave early, so after the 19:00 close go back via Gwangju: a Mugunghwa train from Boseong Station to Gwangju Songjeong (about 1 h 20 m), then a KTX to Yongsan or Suseo (about 2 h); or an intercity bus from Boseong Bus Terminal to Gwangju U-Square (about 1 h 20 m–1 h 45 m), which has express buses to Seoul Central City late into the evening. Check the last train in the Korail app (코레일+ / Korail+) or at the station, and the last bus at the terminal, before the festival day. The tea park is about 15 minutes from town by taxi, so leave as soon as the program ends.
Parking
Festival car park at the Korean Tea Culture Park with two ATMs; Daehan Dawon has its own lot with a separate area for large vehicles.
How to switch Naver Map and Kakao Map to English
Google Maps shows train, subway and bus routes in Korea but not walking or driving directions yet, so for the walk from the station Naver Map or Kakao Map is more reliable.
Before you go
1330 · Travel hotline
The Korea Tourism Organization’s helpline answers in English, Japanese and Chinese around the clock, and in several other languages from 08:00 to 19:00. Dial 1330 from a Korean phone, or +82-2-1330 from a phone registered abroad.
112 / 119 · Emergencies
112 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance. Both are free from any phone. Police on 112 can add an English or Chinese interpreter to the call.
T-money card
Buy one at a convenience store such as GS25, CU or 7-Eleven and top it up there with cash. It pays for subways and buses in most cities, and for most taxis.
Maps
Use Naver Map or Kakao Map for walking and bus directions; Google Maps does not yet give walking directions in Korea. Both apps can be switched to English. Naver Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → Language (Japanese and Chinese also available). Kakao Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → App settings → Language. If the option is missing, change your phone’s language and reopen the app. Small shop names and some reviews stay in Korean.
Trains and buses
Book trains on Korail’s English site and express buses on Kobus. Holiday weekends sell out first.
Checked 18 October 2026.
Tickets, prices and practical details
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Festival admission | Free | Free per KTO |
| Daehan Dawon plantation (adult) | ₩4,000 | Separate private plantation next to the park; youth and seniors ₩3,000, under 6 free |
| Afternoon Tea Field grand tea party | — | Paid, advance reservation or on-site sign-up; price not published on the pages opened |
- Booking
- The Afternoon Tea Field grand tea party, the hanok stay, private 'campnic' and the 'Moon over Boseong' backpacking package are booked in advance through the festival site (teafestival.clickn.co.kr), with some on-site sign-up; whether a Korean phone number is required is not stated.
- English on site
- Programs are run in Korean; the KTO English listing and vendor menus exist in English, but no on-site interpretation is documented.
- Crowds
- Busy on all five days in 2026, four of which were weekends or public holidays (Labour Day 1 May, Children's Day 5 May; Monday 4 May was a working day); the final day (Children's Day) stayed crowded.
- Best time to go
- Morning for tea picking before the sun is high; late afternoon for the main-stage contests (15:00–17:00) and evening outdoor cinema.
- What to bring
- Hat, water and sunscreen for open tea fields; comfortable shoes for sloped paths.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Early May 2027, most likely 1–5 May around Labour Day and Children's Day; this will be the 50th edition. 2026 dates were public by mid-April 2026 and 2024 dates by mid-April 2024, so expect an announcement between February and April 2027. | expected | No 2027 announcement found as of 16 October 2026. |
| 2026 | 1–5 May 2026 | ended | Main grounds at the Korean Tea Culture Park; zones in the southern tea fields, the tea museum, Dahyang Art Valley and the Tium tea field. Shuttle buses, staff at bus stops and two ATMs in the car park were in operation. |
| 2025 | 2–6 May 2025 | ended | 48th edition; about 80 programs; theme 'The promise of a thousand years of tea blooming in Boseong'. |
| 2024 | 3–7 May 2024 | ended | Nine county festivals were combined into one program of 72 events in eight fields. |
Before or after the festival
Places you can fit in before or after the festival without missing the shuttle or the last train or bus back.
Boseong's best-known tea plantation: rows of tea bushes terraced up a hillside, the view in most photographs of Boseong, with paths you climb between the rows. Go in the morning before the festival's afternoon programme: KTO lists it open every day, 09:00–19:00 from May to August, adults ₩4,000. It is privately run and separate from the free festival grounds, with its own ticket office. Tip: the paths are sloped and unshaded, and early May can be hot, so bring a hat and water.
Getting there: On foot: about 535 m along Nokcha-ro from the Korean Tea Museum in the festival park (KTO), under 10 minutes; ₩4,000 entry
The county's museum of tea on the festival grounds: five floors above ground covering tea culture, tea history and tea in daily life, with tea-ceremony and tea-making programmes, and green-tea therapy sessions during the festival. It fits any time in the festival day: KTO lists 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30), adults ₩1,000, closed Mondays, so check before you go if a festival day falls on a Monday. Tip: go at midday, when the open tea fields are hottest.
Getting there: On site: Nokcha-ro 775 in the Korean Tea Culture Park; the festival's small train links it with Dahyang Art Valley; free to reach
- Getting awayAfter
The tea park is about 15 minutes by taxi or local bus from Boseong town, and direct buses to Seoul are few and leave early. To get home the same night, leave when the programme ends (19:00 in 2026) and go via Gwangju: a Mugunghwa train from Boseong Station to Gwangju Songjeong, or a bus to Gwangju U-Square. Check the last train in the Korail+ app (코레일+) before you go and book the KTX in advance.
Questions travelers ask
When is the Boseong Green Tea Festival 2027?
Not announced yet. It has run 3–7 May 2024, 2–6 May 2025 and 1–5 May 2026, so early May 2027 is likely; the 2026 dates were public by mid-April.
Is the Boseong Green Tea Festival free?
Yes, entry to the Korean Tea Culture Park grounds is free (KTO 2026 listing). Daehan Dawon plantation next door charges ₩4,000 per adult, and the grand tea party is a paid, reserved program.
Can I pick tea leaves at the festival?
Yes. Tea-leaf picking and tea-making (pan-firing your own leaves) ran daily in the park's tea fields in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
How do I get to Boseong from Seoul?
KTX to Gwangju Songjeong (about 2–2.5 h) then a 1-hour bus from U-Square to Boseong, or a direct bus of about 3.5–4 h. From Boseong terminal the park is about 15 minutes by taxi.
What is the difference between the festival park and Daehan Dawon?
The festival uses the Korean Tea Culture Park (free). Daehan Dawon is the privately run terraced plantation about 535 m up Nokcha-ro, open every day 09:00–19:00 from May to August and 09:00–18:00 from September to April, adults ₩4,000 (KTO data).
What are the festival hours?
10:00–19:00 in 2026 per KTO; some evening programs (outdoor cinema, stargazing camp) ran later.
What is the weather like at Boseong Green Tea Festival in May?
May in Boseong: average high 24 °C (74 °F), low 11 °C (52 °F), 122 mm of rain (Jangheung station, about 15 km away, KMA 1991–2020 normals). Comfortable: light layers.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
16 October 2026, against the sources listed below.
This page is desk research from the sources below, not a firsthand report of the 2027 edition. Confidence in the current facts: high.
- KTO VisitKorea (EN) — Boseong Green Tea Festivalkto — 2026 dates 1–5 May, hours 10:00–19:00, free admission, organizer/host, program list, phone, address
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror) — 보성다향대축제kto — Coordinates 34.7198/127.0817, 주최 보성차생산자조합 / 주관 추진위원회, program details including tea party length and backpacking package, nearby places
- KPI News 2026-04-14 — 녹차수도 보성, 말차로 승부수…다향대축제 5월1일 팡파르news — 49th edition, 2026 dates, matcha theme, program names, Afternoon Tea Field expanded to 4 days
- Wikitree 2026-05-04 — MZ세대 홀린 보성의 반전 매력news — Children's Day program times, singer contest 15:00–17:00, busking, zones, shuttle buses, ATMs, small train, history (1985 origin, renamed 2009, designated 2012)
- Seoul Shinmun 2025-04-29 — 제48회 보성다향대축제news — 2025 dates 2–6 May, opening with Residents' Day, 500-seat tea party, related May events
- Ajunews 2024-04-17 — 제47회 보성다향대축제news — 2024 dates 3–7 May, venues, 72 programs, Residents' Day and Children's Day
- Seoul Shinmun 2024-04-19 — 확 달라진 보성다향대축제news — 2024 program details, drone show 4 May, marathon, sailing championship
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror) — 대한다원kto — Daehan Dawon admission ₩4,000/3,000, hours, parking
- MileAsia — Boseong Green Tea Fields Guide 2026blog — Transport from Seoul and Busan, 15-minute taxi from Boseong terminal
- Wikipedia — Boseong Countyother — Boseong Station on the Gyeongjeon Line; festival held each May
- Boseong → Seoul Central City express bus timetable (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-15)other — Two buses a day, 08:30 and 15:00 (scheduled arrival 20:31)
- Boseong → Gwangju U-Square intercity bus timetable (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-15)other — 16 buses a day; last 18:30, 19:15, 19:50 (arr 21:12) and 20:30 (arr 22:16)
- Boseong Station → Gwangju Songjeong train timetable, 16–19 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — Four trains a day; last 19:45 Mugunghwa 1977, arriving 21:08
- Gwangju Songjeong → Yongsan train timetable, 16–19 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — Last departure 21:22 KTX-Sancheon 442, arriving 23:26
- Gwangju Songjeong → Suseo train timetable, 16–19 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — Last departures 21:53 (arr 23:51) and 23:03 KTX-Sancheon 636 (arr 00:54), every day shown
- Gwangju U-Square → Seoul Central City express bus timetable (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-07)other — 92 buses a day; late departures 21:15, 22:00, 22:30, 23:20 and 00:00
- Wikitree — 5월 4일 임시공휴일 지정 불발·재량휴업일 확정 (24 Apr 2026)news — No temporary holiday on 4 May 2026; Labour Day 1 May a statutory public holiday from 2026
- Suncheon → Bujeon train timetable, 18–24 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-18)other — Suncheon → Bujeon 4 trains a day, same every day: Mugunghwa 1962 06:24 (arr 09:32), Saemaeul 1932 10:06 (arr 12:45), Mugunghwa 1964 15:10 (arr 18:24), Mugunghwa 1982 17:06 (arr 20:28); 2 h 39 m–3 h 22 m; adult standard ₩12,400 Mugunghwa, ₩19,200 Saemaeul. Return summary: Bujeon → Suncheon 4 a day, first 06:12, last 18:53
- KTO tourist data (ktriptips mirror, French) — Plantation de thé Daehan Dawon (보성녹차밭 대한다원)kto — Daehan Dawon open all year, May–August 09:00–19:00, September–April 09:00–18:00; adult ₩4,000, youth and 65+ ₩3,000, under 6 free; homepage dhdawon.com; 763-43 Nokcha-ro; free parking
- KTO tourist data (ktriptips mirror) — 한국차박물관kto — Korean Tea Museum at Nokcha-ro 775: 10:00–17:00, last admission 16:30; closed Mondays, 1 January, Seollal and Chuseok; adult ₩1,000; one basement and five floors (tea culture, tea history, tea life), tea-ceremony and tea-making programmes; Daehan Dawon within 535 m; homepage boseong.go.kr/tea
What we could not confirm
- Official festival site (teafestival.clickn.co.kr) blocks automated fetching; shuttle routes, parking map and the grand tea party price could not be read from it.
- Which Seoul terminal runs direct Boseong buses (a blog says Nambu Terminal) was not verified against a bus operator page.
- No 2026 visitor total or 2027 (50th edition) announcement was found.
- Wikimedia Commons could not be opened beyond its main page, so no licensed photo was recorded.
- Japanese and Chinese names were not verified on an opened page.
- Last train back to Seoul via Gwangju Songjeong, and last Boseong–Gwangju bus, on the festival dates under the timetable in force that day.
- Daehan Dawon's own site (dhdawon.com) and the county museum page were not opened; hours and fees are from KTO data and may change.
- 2027 festival shuttle routes between Boseong terminal or station and the tea park (2026 routes were not published on the pages opened).
Changes: 2026-10-16 — Full fact-first rewrite: hours, prices, stations, 2024–2027 editions, FAQs and sources. · 2026-10-16 — Rechecked against timetables, fare tables and organizer notices: conflicting dates and transport details; last trains and buses back to Seoul. · 2026-10-18 — Corrected the train option from Busan: Bujeon–Suncheon is served by Mugunghwa and Saemaeul trains (about 2 h 40 m–3 h 20 m), not KTX. · 2026-10-21 — Transport: removed last-train and last-bus clock times taken from the October 2026 timetable (next edition months away); the page now gives journey times and says to check the last train in the Korail app or at the station or terminal. · 2026-10-31 — Nearby rewritten as 'Before or after the festival' (shuttle and last-train fit); transport: added a 'Getting away' line (back via Gwangju, check the last train in Korail+); no train, bus or shuttle clock times were left to remove; prices: festival entry stays free with no fees quoted; Daehan Dawon's hours corrected from KTO data (09:00–19:00 May–August).
