At a glance
| Dates | Expected Feb/Mar 2027Probably about ten days from the second half of February 2027 to the 1 March holiday, following 23 Feb–1 Mar 2023, 23 Feb–3 Mar 2024, 22 Feb–3 Mar 2025 and 21 Feb–2 Mar 2026. Nothing announced as of 19 October 2026; the 2025 and 2026 dates were in the press by early February (4 February 2025 and 3 February 2026). |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Probably about ten days from the second half of February 2027 to the 1 March holiday, following 23 Feb–1 Mar 2023, 23 Feb–3 Mar 2024, 22 Feb–3 Mar 2025 and 21 Feb–2 Mar 2026. Nothing announced as of 19 October 2026; the 2025 and 2026 dates were in the press by early February (4 February 2025 and 3 February 2026). |
| Admission | Free entry to the festival grounds (KTO data for 2026); some hands-on programs are paid, prices not published. The Goryeo Celadon Museum normally charges ₩2,000 for adults (₩1,500 youth, ₩1,000 children 7–12); it was free daily during the 2023 festival, and its 2026 festival policy was not stated.Entry: Free (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Goryeo Celadon Museum area전라남도 강진군 대구면 청자촌길 33 |
| Nearest station | Gangjin Station (Mokpo–Boseong line, opened September 2025) (강진역), Korail Mokpo–Boseong line (Saemaeul and Mugunghwa, Mokpo–Busan Bujeon and Mokpo–Suncheon)Not walkable; the festival grounds are in Daegu-myeon on the south coast, and the road time from the station was not verified. Take a taxi. |
| From Seoul | about 4 h 42 min · Bus + TaxiLeave from Central City Terminal · One-way fare from ₩43,800Full route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Gangjin County (run by the Gangjin County Festival Promotion Committee)강진군 (주관: 강진군축제추진위원회) |
| Usual timing | About ten days from the second half of February into the first days of March, ending on or just after the 1 March holiday: 23 Feb–1 Mar 2023 (seven days), 23 Feb–3 Mar 2024, 22 Feb–3 Mar 2025 and 21 Feb–2 Mar 2026. Before 2023 it was a summer festival (8–16 Aug 2009, 28 Jul–3 Aug 2018), and press reports say it was held in October just before the move to February. Browse February / March festivals. |
| First held | 1973 |
| Last checked | 19 October 2026Checked against 32 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Gangjin, on Jeollanam-do's south coast, was the great celadon workshop of the Goryeo dynasty. Potters in Daegu-myeon and Chilyang-myeon fired kilns here from the 9th to the 14th century; about half of the roughly 400 old celadon kilns known in Korea are in the county, the kiln sites around Sadang-ri are Historic Site No. 68, and KTO data says more than 80% of the celadon now designated as national treasures or treasures came from there. The Gangjin Celadon Festival has celebrated that heritage since 1973 and is the county's flagship event. It is held around the Goryeo Celadon Museum and the kiln sites in Daegu-myeon (a township of Gangjin, not the city of Daegu), and 2026 was its 54th edition.
For decades this was a summer festival (8–16 August in 2009, 28 July–3 August in 2018). Press reports say it ran in October before the county moved it to the end of February in 2023, billing it as the festival that opens spring and the first of the year in Jeollanam-do. It now runs for about ten days up to the 1 March holiday.
The draw is getting your hands on clay. Visitors try wheel throwing, coiling and carving, paint celadon or make a celadon mug, and watch the big wood-fired kiln being lit at the opening and unloaded later in the run. A half-price auction and discounted sales of local celadon are part of the festival (royal-kiln celadon was 30% off in 2023), and celadon sales reached ₩383 million in 2026. Families get three kids' zones, children's musicals and a national children's folk-painting contest, and there are late-winter comforts: foot baths, a bonfire camp, wishes burned in the kiln fire, firewood chopping and spring herb picking. Weekend evenings bring trot concerts on the main stage.
Attendance has grown fast: 106,152 in 2023, about 204,000 in 2024, about 170,000 in 2025 and a record of about 267,000 in 2026. The county also runs a 'half-price travel' rebate: in 2026 visitors from outside Gangjin who registered in advance could claim back up to ₩200,000 of local spending as mobile Gangjin Sarang vouchers.
The honest caveats: Gangjin is more than four hours from Seoul by direct bus, the last direct bus back leaves in the afternoon, and the festival grounds are about 30 minutes beyond Gangjin town, so plan to stay the night or return late via Gwangju. It is an outdoor festival in late winter: in 2024 it rained in the first week and the 1 March holiday was cold and windy. Programs are run in Korean.
Highlights
- Hands-on celadon making in the heartland of Goryeo celadon: wheel throwing, coiling, carving, celadon painting and mug making
- The wood-fired kiln lit at the opening ceremony and unloaded later in the festival, with a rite for the unnamed potters of Goryeo and a national wheel-throwing contest
- A half-price auction of Goryeo-style celadon and discounted sales from the county kiln and private potters (celadon sales of ₩383 million in 2026)
- Family programs: three kids' zones (art, play and air bounce), children's musicals and a national children's folk-painting contest
- Late-winter comforts: celadon-valley foot baths, a bonfire camp, wishes burned in the kiln fire, firewood chopping and spring herb picking
- Evening concerts: in 2026 the opening show at 18:00 on 21 February, a concert on 28 February and an open-air concert with Kim Yong-bin on 1 March
- The Goryeo Celadon Museum and the Historic Site No. 68 kiln sites, about 1 km apart
Who it suits. Best for families with children, anyone curious about ceramics, and travelers touring the heritage sites of southern Jeollanam-do in late winter; less suited to a same-day return from Seoul by public transport (the last direct bus back leaves in the afternoon) or to visitors who need English-language programs.
Getting there
From Seoul
Direct express buses run from Seoul Central City Terminal (Honam Line) to Gangjin Bus Terminal four times a day as listed in October 2026, taking about 4 h 12 m (₩43,800 deluxe or ₩54,600 premium, depending on the departure). The festival grounds are in Daegu-myeon, south of Gangjin town: in 2023 the county's festival shuttle from the bus terminal took about 30 minutes; 2026 shuttle details were not published on the pages opened, so be ready to take a taxi. By rail, take the KTX from Yongsan to Gwangju Songjeong (about 2 h, ₩42,000 standard), cross Gwangju to U-Square bus terminal and take a bus to Gangjin (1 h 21 m–2 h 19 m, ₩12,800 regular, ₩16,600 deluxe). Bus counts, journey times and fares are as listed in October 2026; check again before the February festival.
From Busan
Intercity buses link Busan Seobu (Sasang) Terminal and Gangjin in about 4 h 52 m (₩31,600); three a day ran from Gangjin to Busan in October 2026. Since September 2025 Saemaeul and Mugunghwa trains on the Mokpo–Boseong line also stop at Gangjin Station on the Mokpo–Busan Bujeon route, a few times a day. From Gangjin, allow about 30 minutes by road to the festival grounds.
From Incheon Airport
No airport-to-Gangjin times were checked. In the other direction one overnight bus a day ran from Gangjin to Incheon Airport in October 2026 (about 4 h 35 m, ₩73,500). Otherwise go into Seoul and take the direct bus from Central City Terminal.
Last leg from Gangjin Station (Mokpo–Boseong line, opened September 2025)
Korail Mokpo–Boseong line (Saemaeul and Mugunghwa, Mokpo–Busan Bujeon and Mokpo–Suncheon). Not walkable; the festival grounds are in Daegu-myeon on the south coast, and the road time from the station was not verified. Take a taxi.
Festival shuttle
2026 shuttle details were not published on the pages opened. In 2024 shuttle buses ran 24 times a day between the county gym, the county office and Gangjin Bus Terminal. In 2023 two services ran: a Gwangju–Gangjin Terminal–Gaudo–celadon kiln site–Dangmok bus 4–5 times a day (about 1 h 20 m), and a local bus from Gangjin Stadium via the county office and the bus terminal to the site 12 times a day (about 30 minutes). Transport inquiries in 2023: 061-430-3944.
Getting home
The festival closed at 18:00 in 2026. Direct buses from Gangjin to Seoul Central City ran only four times a day in October 2026; the other way home is a bus from Gangjin to Gwangju U-Square (1 h 21 m–2 h 19 m) and then an express bus to Seoul Central City or the KTX from Gwangju Songjeong to Yongsan (about 2 h). The timetables for the 2027 festival dates have not been checked: check the last bus at Gangjin Bus Terminal and the last train in the Korail+ app (코레일+) before the festival day, and allow about 30 minutes from the festival grounds to Gangjin town first.
Parking
The Goryeo Celadon Museum has free parking (KTO data); festival car parks and their capacity were not published on the pages opened. More than 130 charter buses arrived on 28 February 2026, so expect crowded lots on concert weekends.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free | Free per KTO data |
| Hands-on celadon and craft programs | — | Some are paid; prices not published on the pages opened |
- Booking
- No ticket is needed to enter. In 2023 hands-on programs could be booked ahead on the festival website (celadonfesta.co.kr); 2026 booking channels were not confirmed. The half-price travel rebate needs registration on the Gangjin half-price travel website before the trip, then receipts are submitted afterwards. Inquiries: 061-430-3354.
- English on site
- No English-language programs or interpretation are documented; KTO's museum listing says no foreign-language guide is available. Stage shows and workshops are run in Korean.
- Crowds
- Very busy on the opening day and around the 1 March holiday: about 49,000 visitors on the first day of 2026 and about 267,000 over the ten days, a record. About 204,000 came in 2024 and 106,152 in 2023.
- Best time to go
- A weekday morning for the hands-on celadon programs with shorter queues; the opening day for the kiln lighting and the 18:00 concert; 1 March for the open-air concert, if you can handle the crowds.
- What to bring
- Warm layers, gloves and a windproof jacket for an outdoor late-winter festival on the coast, and clothes you do not mind getting clay on.
- Rain
- Outdoor festival that goes ahead in bad weather: in 2024 it continued through rain in the first week and cold, strong winds on 1 March. In 2025 wheel throwing was moved into an air dome so weather would not stop it.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Probably about ten days from the second half of February 2027 to the 1 March holiday, following 23 Feb–1 Mar 2023, 23 Feb–3 Mar 2024, 22 Feb–3 Mar 2025 and 21 Feb–2 Mar 2026. Nothing announced as of 19 October 2026; the 2025 and 2026 dates were in the press by early February (4 February 2025 and 3 February 2026). | expected | This would be the 55th edition. |
| 2026 | 21 Feb – 2 Mar 2026 | ended | Around the Goryeo Celadon Museum, Cheongjachon-gil 33, Daegu-myeon; KTO's detail also names the Goryeo celadon kiln site area. |
| 2025 | 22 Feb – 3 Mar 2025 | ended | Goryeo celadon kiln site area, Daegu-myeon. |
| 2024 | 23 Feb – 3 Mar 2024 | ended | Around the Goryeo Celadon Museum, Daegu-myeon. Shuttle buses ran 24 times a day between the county gym, the county office and Gangjin Bus Terminal. |
| 2023 | 23 Feb – 1 Mar 2023 | ended | Goryeo celadon kiln site and museum area, Daegu-myeon. |
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.
Gangjin County's museum of Goryeo celadon at the heart of the festival grounds, beside the Sadang-ri kiln sites (Historic Site No. 68, 9th–14th century), source of over 80% of the celadon designated national treasures or treasures: 30,189 items, almost all excavated shards, a digital museum and a clay-shaping centre. Open 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30; closed Mondays), the festival's own hours in 2026, so step in when the outdoor programme is cold or crowded. Adults normally ₩2,000.
Getting there: On the festival grounds; the kiln sites are about 1 km away
- Gaudo Island (가우도)Before or after
The only inhabited island in Gangjin Bay, reached from Daegu-myeon on foot over the 438 m Jeodu suspension bridge (a 716 m bridge links its far side to Doam-myeon), with a 2.5 km coastal trail of about 1–1.5 hours and a zip line from a 25 m tower. It is free and open around the clock, and both bridges are lit at night. Direct buses to Seoul are few, so day-trippers should cross the bridge and back before the festival; save the night lights for a stay in Gangjin.
Getting there: About 4 km from the festival grounds to the Daegu-myeon end of the bridge; taxi (journey time and fare not checked)
- Getting awayAfter
The grounds are about 30 minutes by road from Gangjin Bus Terminal, and direct buses to Seoul are few (four a day as listed in October 2026). Past editions ran a festival shuttle to the terminal; if none is announced, be ready to take a taxi. If you miss the direct bus, go via Gwangju U-Square (1 h 21 m–2 h 19 m), which has late buses to Seoul. Check the last bus at the terminal before you go.
Questions travelers ask
When is the Gangjin Celadon Festival 2027?
Dates had not been announced as of 19 October 2026. Since 2023 it has run every year from late February to the 1 March holiday, for a week to ten days (21 February–2 March in 2026), so expect late February to early March 2027. Recent dates were in the press by early February.
Is the Gangjin Celadon Festival held in summer?
Not any more. It was a summer festival for decades (8–16 August in 2009, 28 July–3 August in 2018) and was later held in October, but since 2023 Gangjin County has held it at the end of February into early March.
Is it free?
Yes, entry is free (KTO data for 2026). Some hands-on programs are paid. The Goryeo Celadon Museum normally charges ₩2,000 for adults; it was free during the 2023 festival.
Can I make my own celadon?
Yes. The festival offers wheel throwing, coiling, carving, celadon painting and mug making. Outside the festival the museum's celadon-making experience center is open year-round, 09:00–18:00 with a 12:00–13:00 break; fees were not verified.
How do I get there from Seoul?
Take a direct express bus from Seoul Central City Terminal to Gangjin (about 4 h 12 m; four a day as listed in October 2026; ₩43,800 deluxe or ₩54,600 premium), then a festival shuttle or taxi to Daegu-myeon (about 30 minutes). Or take the KTX to Gwangju Songjeong (about 2 h) and a bus from Gwangju U-Square to Gangjin (1 h 21 m–2 h 19 m).
What is the last bus back to Seoul?
The timetable for the 2027 festival dates has not been checked, so check the last direct bus to Seoul Central City at Gangjin Bus Terminal before the festival day. Direct buses ran only four times a day in October 2026; otherwise take a bus to Gwangju U-Square and an express bus on to Seoul.
What is Gangjin's half-price travel scheme?
In 2026 visitors from outside Gangjin who registered in advance could claim back up to ₩200,000 of their spending in Gangjin as mobile Gangjin Sarang vouchers. The 2027 rules had not been announced.
Is Daegu-myeon in the city of Daegu?
No. Daegu-myeon is a township of Gangjin County on the south coast of Jeollanam-do, far from the city of Daegu. Use the address 33 Cheongjachon-gil, Daegu-myeon, Gangjin-gun (전라남도 강진군 대구면 청자촌길 33).
Sources and verification
Facts checked
19 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: medium.
- 여기유 festival listing — 강진청자축제 (mirrors KTO TourAPI data, ⓒ한국관광공사)other — 2026 dates 21 Feb–2 Mar, hours 10:00–18:00, free entry with some paid experiences; venue 고려청자박물관 일원 / 고려청자도요지 일원; address 청자촌길 33; coordinates 34.5087/126.8009; phone 061-430-3354; host 강진군, run by 강진군축제추진위원회; theme; program list; kiln site 1 km, Gaudo 4 km, Dasan Chodang 10 km
- Seoul Shinmun (via Twig24) 2026-02-03 — 천년 고려청자의 아름다움 '강진청자축제' 21일 개막…봄의 서막 알려news — 54th edition 21 Feb–2 Mar 2026, ten days, Goryeo Celadon Museum area, Daegu-myeon; first held 1973; theme; hands-on programs; three kids' zones; Hello Carbot 22 Feb, Shinbi Apartment 28 Feb; opening show 18:00 21 Feb with Kim Su-chan, Miss Kim, Seo Ji-o, Choi Su-ho, Ahn Seong-hoon; Son Bin-a 22 Feb; half-price travel up to ₩200,000
- Seoul Shinmun 2026-02-22 — 봄의 서막 제54회 강진청자축제···첫 날 5만명 '초대박'news — About 49,000 visitors on the first day (21 Feb 2026); wheel throwing, coiling, carving, foil art, suncatchers; play, art and air-bounce kids' zones; 28 Feb 'Sound of Celadon' concert with Baek Pro, Lee Tak and Dami, Hwang Young-woong; 1 Mar open-air concert with Kim Yong-bin, Geum Jan-di; up to ₩200,000 rebate for out-of-county visitors
- Kukinews 2026-02-22 — 강진청자축제 개막 첫날 5만여 명news — Opening 21 Feb 2026: butterfly release in the canola field, wood-fired kiln lighting, celadon maebyeong block-stacking; bonfire camp; 1 Mar concert also with Vista and Granada; closing concert with Monnan Samhyeongje, Hyun Jin-woo, Choi Yeon-hwa; advance registration for the half-price travel rebate
- The Fact 2026-03-03 — 강진군, 제54회 청자축제 27만 명 돌파 '역대 최대'news — About 267,000 visitors in 2026, a record, up more than 54% from about 170,000 the year before; celadon sales ₩383 million vs ₩366 million; local produce about ₩100 million → over ₩500 million; more than 130 charter buses on 28 Feb
- Hankyung 2026-03-03 — 제54회 강진청자축제 결산news — Ten days, 21 Feb–2 Mar 2026, Goryeo Celadon Museum area, Daegu-myeon; about 267,000 visitors; direct-sales market over ₩500 million; opening, trot, open-air and closing concerts
- Wikitree 2025-02 — '봄의 서막' 제53회 강진청자축제 22일 팡파르news — 53rd edition 22 Feb–3 Mar 2025, ten days, kiln site area in Daegu-myeon; first held 1973; held in October before moving to February from 2023; 18:00 opening stage 22 Feb with Jin Hae-sung, Park Chang-geun, Sleepy; 11:00 local artists 23 Feb; programs; half-price travel up to ₩100,000, four times
- Asia Economy (English) 2025-02-04 — Gangjin-gun to Kick Off the Celadon Festival with a Fanfare on the 22ndnews — 53rd edition 22 Feb–3 Mar 2025 at the Goryeo Celadon Kiln Site, Daegu-myeon; began in 1973; held in February instead of October since 2023, the first festival of the year in Jeonnam; Play Celadon Kids Land, Bebefinn and Bread Barber Shop musicals, Pinkfong statues; programs
- Aju News 2025-02-24 — 제53회 강진 청자축제 봄의 서막 첫날 4만명 몰려 '인산인해'news — 22 Feb–3 Mar 2025; theme 'earth, people and fire'; 65 programs in 8 categories; kiln-firing ceremony 16:10 on 22 Feb; sand-animation performance; wheel throwing in an air dome; Bread Barber Shop 23 Feb 13:00, Bebefinn 2 Mar 13:00; nearly 40,000 visitors over the opening days
- Kyunghyang Shinmun 2024-02-22 — 제52회 강진청자축제news — 52nd edition 23 Feb–3 Mar 2024 around the Goryeo Celadon Museum, Daegu-myeon; 6,000 m² spring herb field by the south gate, opening day and holidays, three first-come sessions a day; half-price family trip up to 50% back, capped at ₩200,000
- Metro Seoul 2024-03-04 — 제52회 강진청자축제 결산news — 23 Feb–3 Mar 2024, ten days, three more than 2023; theme; 69 programs in 8 categories; rain and cold strong winds on 1 Mar; about 204,000 visitors, up 92%; sales ₩756,092,000, celadon ₩386,557,000; Hanwoo 20–30% below market; 20% back in paper vouchers; shuttle 24 runs a day (gym, county office, terminal); began 1973
- News Seoul 2024-02-25 — 강진 청자축제 '봄의 서막' 알리며 흥행가도news — 52nd edition opened 23 Feb 2024, opening ceremony 24 Feb, to 3 Mar; kiln lighting; Bread Barber Shop 24 Feb, Shinbi Apartment and Bread Barber Shop 2–3 Mar; Jang Min-ho, Hong Jin-young; slides, smelt fishing, mini train, wind chimes; VR digital museum; half-price private-kiln celadon
- Kyunghyang Shinmun 2023-02-16 — 강진청자축제 23일 개막news — 23 Feb–1 Mar 2023 at the Goryeo celadon kiln site, Daegu-myeon; theme 'fire and light'; kiln lighting and wish bonfire; booking via celadonfesta.co.kr; held since 1973; 188 kilns in Daegu-myeon and Chilyang-myeon; about half of 400 celadon kilns nationwide in Gangjin
- News Seoul 2023-02-21 — 겨울의 끝, 봄의 시작에 만나는 강진청자축제 D-1news — 23 Feb–1 Mar 2023; 25 Feb 17:00–19:00 KBC opening show (Lim Chang-jung, Gummy); 26 Feb 17:00 madang-geuk; busking 17:00, 19:00; lights to 21:00; Hanwoo 50–70% off, 2 kg; royal-kiln celadon 30% off; Gwangju shuttle 4–5 a day, 06:30–14:20 out, 08:50–17:30 back, 1 h 20 m; local shuttle 12 a day, 09:30–20:30 and 10:30–21:30, about 30 min; 061-430-3944
- News Seoul 2023-03 — 아듀, 2023 강진청자축제, 10만 6천 명 다녀갔다news — 51st edition 23 Feb–1 Mar 2023, one week; 106,152 visitors; sales ₩451,836,000; celadon 30% discount; museum free and open daily during the festival; snow sledding, zipline, foot baths, firewood chopping, bonfire camp, wheel throwing; AR celadon hunt; 'Dream of Celadon' light sculpture
- The Korea Times 2018-07-31 — Full of fun: Festival guide for Augustnews — Gangjin Celadon Festival 28 July–3 August 2018 (summer edition)
- Korea JoongAng Daily 2009-08-04 — Gangjin set to celebrate its deep roots in celadonnews — 37th Gangjin Celadon Festival, 8–16 August 2009, Daegu-myeon (consistent with a 1973 start)
- K-TRIP TIPS — 강진 고려청자박물관 (mirrors KTO TourAPI data)kto — Address 청자촌길 33; museum 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30), closed Mondays; experience center 09:00–18:00 with 12:00–13:00 break, open year-round; adults ₩2,000, youth ₩1,500, children 7–12 ₩1,000; free parking; no foreign-language guide; 30,189 items incl. 30,000 shards; phone 061-430-3755
- K-TRIP TIPS Japanese — 康津 高麗青磁博物館 (mirrors KTO Japanese data)kto — Japanese name of the museum 康津 高麗青磁博物館; hours 9:00–18:00; adults ₩2,000; no festival name given
- K-TRIP TIPS Traditional Chinese — 康津高麗青瓷博物館 (mirrors KTO Chinese data)kto — Traditional Chinese name of the museum 康津高麗青瓷博物館; 康津郡大口面; no festival name given
- 여기유 place listing — 강진 고려청자 요지 (mirrors KTO TourAPI data)other — Kiln sites in Sadang-ri, Daegu-myeon; Historic Site No. 68, designated 1963; used 9th–14th century; about 180 kiln sites in 9 villages; over 80% of designated national treasure/treasure celadon from Sadang-ri; museum about 1 km
- Gangjin Bus Terminal departures (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-04)other — To Central City: 08:10, 11:20, 14:20 premium ₩54,600, 15:40 deluxe ₩43,800 (arr 20:01), 4 h 21 m; to U-Square 19 a day, last 18:10 deluxe, 19:20 and 20:40 regular, 1 h 21 m–2 h 19 m, ₩12,800/₩16,600; Busan Seobu 11:30, 15:10, 16:55, 4 h 52 m, ₩31,600; Incheon Airport 00:30, T1 05:03, T2 05:05, ₩73,500
- Seoul Central City Terminal departures (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-12)other — To Gangjin Bus Terminal: 07:20, 13:40, 17:10 premium ₩54,600 and 08:40 deluxe ₩43,800; 4 h 12 m
- 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
- 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 (about 2 hours)
- Hankyung: 9월 1일부터 서울~부산 KTX 5만4400원…운임 평균 10% 인하 (31 Aug 2026)news — KTX and SRT run as KTX from 1 Sep; former SRT trainsets renamed KTX-Sancheon; Seoul–Busan ₩59,800→₩54,400, Yongsan–Gwangju Songjeong ₩46,800→₩42,000; Suseo seats +30%; booking unified in Korail+
- Korail press release: 코레일-에스알 9월 1일 하나로…안전 최우선, 더 편리한 고속철도의 시작 (31 Aug 2026)official — Integration and integrated running from 1 Sep 2026; KTX and SRT merged into KTX; average KTX fare cut about 10%; Suseo-axis seats up about 30%; 5% mileage; Korail+ app (Korail Talk + SRT app) launched 3 Aug
- eToday 2025-09-23 — 보성~목포 철도 27일 개통⋯전남 서남해안 연결news — Mokpo–Boseong line (82.5 km) opens to service 27 Sep 2025; Gangjin among 6 new stations; Saemaeul and Mugunghwa trains on Mokpo–Busan (Bujeon) and Mokpo–Suncheon routes
- Wikitree 2025-09-28 — 남해안 새 철길 열렸다…목포~부산 2시간 빨라져news — Service from 27 Sep 2025 on the Mokpo–Boseong line through Gangjin; Saemaeul and Mugunghwa services; Mokpo–Busan about 4 h 40 m by Saemaeul
- Gaudo (가우도), KTO data via ktriptipskto — Only inhabited island of Gangjin; Jeodu bridge (438 m) to Daegu-myeon and Mangho bridge (716 m) to Doam-myeon; 2.5 km trail, about 1 h 30 m; bridges lit at night; open at all times, year-round; free; parking
- Gaudo (가우도), KTO data via ktriptips (second listing)kto — Gaudo: only inhabited island in Gangjin Bay; two car-free suspension bridges; 2.5 km eco-trail about 1–1.5 hours; zip line from a 25 m tower; open at all times; homepage gangjin.go.kr/culture (county tourism site)
- Gangjin Goryeo Celadon Museum, KTO data via ktriptips (rechecked)kto — Homepage celadon.go.kr; museum 09:00–18:00, last entry 17:30; closed Mondays (next weekday when Monday is a holiday); clay-shaping experience centre; 30,189 items (189 complete pieces, 30,000 shards); adults ₩2,000
What we could not confirm
- The county's festival page and the festival website (celadonfesta.co.kr, used for bookings in 2023) were not opened, so the 2026 daily timetable, experience fees, shuttle routes and car parks were not read; 2026 details come from a site mirroring KTO TourAPI data and from news.
- KTO contentId not found: the festival is not in the site's TourAPI snapshot (listed.json, it has dropped out after ending) and no KTO page for it was opened.
- 2027 (55th) dates not announced as of 19 October 2026.
- Season history between 2019 and 2022 not verified: press reports say the festival was held in October just before the 2023 move to February, but the dates and format of the 2019–2022 editions were not checked (an Asia Economy article of 29 September 2021 could not be opened).
- Local transport from Gangjin Bus Terminal to Daegu-myeon (regular county bus, taxi fare and time) not verified; the 30-minute figure is the 2023 festival shuttle's one-way time.
- Last direct bus from Gangjin to Seoul Central City, last bus to Gwangju U-Square and last KTX from Gwangju Songjeong on the festival dates under the timetable in force that day (October 2026 bus counts, journey times and fares came from a third-party mirror of the national timetable feed).
- Japanese and Chinese names of the festival not verified on a KTO foreign-language page (KTO's Japanese and Traditional Chinese museum listings give 康津 高麗青磁博物館 / 康津高麗青瓷博物館 but no festival name).
- Whether the Goryeo Celadon Museum was free during the 2026 festival was not stated (it was in 2023).
- Distance and road time from Gangjin Station to the festival grounds not verified.
- Taxi time and fare from the festival grounds to Gaudo and to Gangjin Bus Terminal, and whether a festival shuttle runs in 2027.
Changes: 2026-10-19 — Added to the site: fact-first record (dates, hours, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-19 — Added a photograph from the Korea Tourism Organization (Korea Tourism Content Lab), KOGL Type 1. · 2026-10-20 — FAQ corrected: recent editions ran a week to ten days (2023 was seven days). · 2026-10-21 — Transport: removed bus and train clock times from the October 2026 timetables (and the 2023 shuttle times), which do not cover the 2027 festival; journey times, frequencies and fares kept, with a reminder to check the last bus and train before the festival day. · 2026-10-30 — Nearby rewritten as 'Before or after the festival' (shuttle and last-train fit); transport: added a 'Getting away' line (few direct buses, taxi, Gwangju U-Square fallback), no clock times left; prices: no change (entry free, no festival fees quoted; museum's standing admission kept).
