At a glance
| Dates | Expected Oct 2027October 2027, probably five days around Jungyangjeol (the 9th day of the 9th lunar month), which falls in early October in 2027; this would be the 54th edition. Recent runs: 30 September–4 October 2022, 19–23 October 2023, 9–13 October 2024, 29 October–2 November 2025 and 15–19 October 2026. Dates not announced as of 19 October 2026. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: October 2027, probably five days around Jungyangjeol (the 9th day of the 9th lunar month), which falls in early October in 2027; this would be the 54th edition. Recent runs: 30 September–4 October 2022, 19–23 October 2023, 9–13 October 2024, 29 October–2 November 2025 and 15–19 October 2026. Dates not announced as of 19 October 2026. |
| Admission | Free: KTO and the Ministry of Culture list the 2026 festival as free. On other days Gochang Eupseong charges ₩3,000 for adults, ₩2,000 for teenagers and soldiers and ₩1,500 for children; visitors 65 and over, children 6 and under and Gochang residents enter free, and the fee is returned in Gochang Sarang gift vouchers.Festival admission: Free (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Gochang Eupseong (Moyangseong Fortress) and surroundings전북특별자치도 고창군 고창읍 모양성로 11 (고창읍성) |
| Nearest station | Jeongeup Station (KTX) (정읍역), Honam Line (KTX)Not walkable: Gochang has no railway. Take a taxi to Jeongeup Intercity Bus Terminal, then a 31-minute bus to Gochang (₩4,500, 23 a day) |
| From Seoul | about 3 h 6 min · BusLeave from Central City Terminal · One-way fare from ₩21,700 · Back to Seoul the same nightFull route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Gochang County고창군 |
| Usual timing | Five days in October, timed around Jungyangjeol, the 9th day of the 9th lunar month, so the dates move every year and can touch late September or early November: 30 September–4 October 2022, 19–23 October 2023, 9–13 October 2024, 29 October–2 November 2025 and 15–19 October 2026. Browse October festivals. |
| First held | 1973 |
| Last checked | 19 October 2026Checked against 29 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Gochang Eupseong, also called Moyangseong, is a stone-walled county fortress built in 1453, the first year of King Danjong's reign, by people from 19 districts of the Honam region and Jeju. It is Historic Site No. 145 and is often named with Haemi and Nagan as one of Korea's three best-known eupseong (walled county towns). The wall wraps around a hillside valley in Gochang town, with a bamboo grove inside. The festival has run since 1973 and is timed each year around Jungyangjeol, the 9th day of the 9th lunar month, when the harvest is in. That is why its dates jump around the calendar: 9–13 October 2024, 29 October–2 November 2025, 15–19 October 2026.
The heart of every edition is the dapseong (답성놀이). Walkers in hanbok balance a stone on their heads and circle the 1,684 m wall path; the local legend says one circuit cures leg ailments, two bring a long life free of illness and three secure rebirth in paradise. In 2026 a daytime dapseong ran every day with a different group of walkers, from students on the first day through three generations, couples and families to people who share a surname on the last, with about 600 walkers a day at the weekend. After dark the night dapseong is lit by hanji paper lanterns and ends in ganggangsullae, the circle dance, which visitors join.
The rest of the programme turns the fortress into a time-travel set for 1453: a 'Returns 1453' zone with a market, tavern and tea room, mock state examinations at 14:00 each day, Joseon-era games, a mini-fortress maze with eight missions for children and a treasure-map history mystery. The 2026 edition opened with a street parade of more than 1,400 residents on 15 October, a 1,000-drone show on opening night (16 October) and a Black Eagles air display on 17 October. In the evening the Dongni-dangil theme street and night market link the festival to the town's shops, alongside food booths, a farmers' direct market and a Hanwoo (Korean beef) farm party. The county runs a 'three nos' policy: no accidents, no price gouging and no disposable tableware.
Honest caveats: programmes are in Korean only; the wall path climbs and descends a hillside; the evening programme runs to 22:00, well after the last direct bus to Seoul, so plan to change in Gwangju or stay the night; and because the festival follows the lunar calendar, check the year's dates rather than assuming the same week as last year.
Highlights
- Dapseong: circling the 1,684 m fortress wall in hanbok with a stone on your head; legend promises a cure for leg ailments after one circuit, long life after two and paradise after three
- Night dapseong lit by hanji paper lanterns, ending in a ganggangsullae circle dance that visitors join
- Street parade on the first day: more than 1,400 marchers from Gochang's 14 townships, multicultural families and seasonal workers in 2026
- Drone show over the fortress on opening night (1,000 drones on 16 October 2026; 650 in 2025)
- Mock Joseon state examinations (civil, military and technical) daily at 14:00, and the 'Returns 1453' period zone with tavern, tea room and market
- Gochang Pansori Museum and Shin Jae-hyo's old house, about 110 m from the festival site
Who it suits. Best for travellers interested in Joseon history and folk customs who want to take part rather than watch (walking the wall with a stone on your head is the point), and for families, with mazes, games and mock exams inside the fortress. Less suited to anyone who needs English-language programming, or who wants the night programme without staying over: Gochang is about three hours by bus from Seoul and the last direct bus back leaves in the early evening.
Getting there
From Seoul
Gochang has no railway. Express buses run from Seoul Central City Terminal (Express Bus Terminal Station, Honam-line side) to Gochang Munhwa Terminal: about 16 a day, scheduled at 3 h 06 m, ₩21,700 standard or ₩28,300 deluxe (2026 fares). The fortress is in the same town; the 2026 opening parade set off from the bus terminal, so you can walk or take a short taxi ride. By rail: KTX to Jeongeup Station on the Honam line (from Yongsan, or from Suseo since the 1 September 2026 KTX–SRT merger), then a taxi to Jeongeup Intercity Bus Terminal for a bus to Gochang: about 23 a day, 31 minutes, ₩4,500.
From Busan
Gochang's express terminal lists no Busan route, so change in Gwangju: intercity bus from Busan Seobu Intercity Bus Terminal (Sasang, Line 2 Sasang Station) to Gwangju U-Square, about 23 a day, 2 h 57 m, ₩28,300 deluxe; then a bus from U-Square to Gochang, about 48 minutes (22 buses a day run between the two). Allow about 4 hours.
From Incheon Airport
Direct airport buses link Gochang and Incheon Airport: from Gochang there were 4 a day in autumn 2026, about 3 h 40 m to Terminal 1, ₩46,400–₩65,000 depending on class. Airport-to-Gochang times were not checked; otherwise take AREX or an airport bus into Seoul and the Central City bus.
Last leg from Jeongeup Station (KTX)
Honam Line (KTX). Not walkable: Gochang has no railway. Take a taxi to Jeongeup Intercity Bus Terminal, then a 31-minute bus to Gochang (₩4,500, 23 a day)
Festival shuttle
No festival shuttle bus was documented in the sources opened.
Getting home
The festival ran until 22:00 in 2026. Direct buses from Gochang Munhwa Terminal to Seoul Central City take about 3 h 20 m, and in autumn 2026 the last one left in the early evening, well before the end of the programme. To stay for the night dapseong, the alternatives are a bus to Gwangju U-Square (48 minutes) and an express bus on to Seoul Central City, or an overnight stay in Gochang. Check the last buses at the terminal (or on the bus booking sites) before the festival day. Gochang–Jeongeup return times were not checked.
Parking
Gochang Eupseong has a free car park (KTO data); festival-day parking and road closures were not published in the sources opened.
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 the KTO and Ministry of Culture listings |
- Booking
- No booking for entry. A few participation programmes take advance applications on the festival website (in 2024: wish lanterns, a youth dance contest, a 'Gen Z' dapseong for the first 200 applicants and a spacing-out contest). The night dapseong and ganggangsullae are open to visitors on the spot, and the wall can be walked at any time.
- English on site
- Programmes are in Korean; no English interpretation is documented. KTO's foreign-language data covers the fortress (in Chinese as 高敞邑城, also called 牟陽城).
- Crowds
- More than 200,000 visitors in 2024 by the county's provisional count. Busiest on the parade and opening days and at the weekend, when about 600 people a day joined the daytime dapseong in 2026.
- Best time to go
- Daytime for the dapseong and the 14:00 mock examination; after dark for the lantern-lit night dapseong and ganggangsullae. Opening night (drone show) and the weekend are the liveliest.
- What to bring
- Comfortable shoes with grip for the wall walk, a warm layer for October evenings, and a hanbok if you have one (the walkers wear them).
- Toilets
- Restrooms at Gochang Eupseong (KTO data).
- Step-free access
- The 1,684 m wall path runs over a hillside around a valley; KTO data lists no stroller rental, and no step-free route was published.
- Pets
- The 2024 festival had a pet playground; pet rules for 2026 were not stated.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | October 2027, probably five days around Jungyangjeol (the 9th day of the 9th lunar month), which falls in early October in 2027; this would be the 54th edition. Recent runs: 30 September–4 October 2022, 19–23 October 2023, 9–13 October 2024, 29 October–2 November 2025 and 15–19 October 2026. Dates not announced as of 19 October 2026. | expected | Watch the official site (모양성제.com) and KTO's listing (contentId 604454), which Gochang County updated on 29 September 2026 for this year's edition. |
| 2026 | 15–19 Oct 2026 | ended | Gochang Eupseong, the flower garden and the Traditional Arts Experience Village area. |
| 2025 | 29 Oct – 2 Nov 2025 | ended | Gochang Eupseong, the flower garden, the Traditional Arts Experience Village and Gochang Green Maru. |
| 2024 | 9–13 Oct 2024 | ended | 51st edition; slogan '온고Z신: 옛 것에 MZ를 얹다' (adding the MZ generation to the old). More than 200,000 visitors by the county's provisional count. |
| 2023 | 19–23 Oct 2023 | ended | 50th edition; theme '50 years walked together, 100 years opening to the future'. |
| 2022 | 30 Sep – 4 Oct 2022 | ended | 49th edition; five days from 30 September 2022. |
Nearby
- Gochang Pansori Museum and Shin Jae-hyo’s old house (고창판소리박물관 · 고창 신재효 고택) — About 110 m. Museum of pansori, the Korean sung storytelling tradition, and the old house of Shin Jae-hyo beside the fortress ticket booth.
- Gochang dolmens (고창 고인돌). Bronze Age dolmen field elsewhere in the county; KTO pairs it with the fortress on its 'world's largest dolmen kingdom' Gochang travel course.
- Hampyeong Grand Chrysanthemum Festival (대한민국 국향대전) — About 45 km (straight line). Chrysanthemum sculptures and flower fields at Hampyeong Expo Park, Jeollanam-do, 23 October–8 November 2026, 10:00–18:00; adult gate ticket ₩7,000.
- Suncheon Naganeupseong Folk Culture Festival (순천 낙안읍성 민속문화축제) — About 83 km (straight line). Another of Korea's three best-known walled county towns, still lived in; its folk festival runs 24–25 October 2026, 11:00–17:00, with the village ticket (₩4,000 adults).
- Gimje Horizon Festival (김제지평선축제) — About 38 km (straight line). Rice-farming festival at the Byeokgolje reservoir embankment in Gimje, Jeonbuk State; it ran 1–5 October 2026 and is usually held in early October, close to where the Moyangseong Festival falls in 2027.
- Seosan Haemieupseong Festival (서산해미읍성축제) — About 143 km (straight line). Festival at Haemi, the third of Korea's three best-known walled county towns, in Seosan, Chungcheongnam-do; it ran 9–11 October 2026, 10:00–22:00, with free entry.
Questions travelers ask
When is the Gochang Moyangseong Festival 2027?
Not announced yet. The festival is timed around Jungyangjeol, the 9th day of the 9th lunar month, so its dates move: 9–13 October 2024, 29 October–2 November 2025, 15–19 October 2026. In 2027 that day falls in early October, so a five-day run in early to mid-October 2027 is likely.
Is the Gochang Moyangseong Festival free?
Yes. KTO lists the 2026 festival as free, 10:00–22:00. On other days Gochang Eupseong charges ₩3,000 for adults, returned as Gochang gift vouchers.
Why do people walk the fortress wall with a stone on their head?
That is the dapseong, Gochang's signature folk custom. Walkers in hanbok carry a stone on their heads around the wall; legend says one circuit cures leg ailments, two bring a long and healthy life and three open the way to paradise. A 2019 Jeonbuk Ilbo feature traces the wall-walking custom to leap months and to a repair of the fortress in 1778.
How do I get to Gochang from Seoul?
Take an express bus from Seoul Central City Terminal to Gochang Munhwa Terminal: 16 a day, about 3 h 06 m, ₩21,700 standard or ₩28,300 deluxe. Or take the KTX to Jeongeup and a 31-minute bus (₩4,500). The fortress is in Gochang town.
Can I stay for the night programme and still get back to Seoul?
Probably only with a change: in autumn 2026 the last direct bus to Seoul left Gochang in the early evening. For the night programme, take a bus to Gwangju U-Square (48 minutes) and an express bus on to Seoul Central City, or stay overnight. Check the last buses at the terminal before the festival day.
Can I walk the fortress wall outside the festival?
Yes. Gochang Eupseong is open all year, 05:00–22:00 in KTO's Korean data (its Chinese listing gives 04:00–22:00), ₩3,000 for adults with free parking.
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: high.
- KTO TourAPI listing 고창모양성제 (contentId 604454)kto — 2026 dates 15–19 Oct, hours 10:00~22:00, fee 무료, address 모양성로 11 고창읍성, coordinates 35.4331/126.7035, organizer 고창군, phone 063-560-2949, homepage 모양성제.com; overview: dapseong legend (one lap cures leg ailments, two long life, three paradise), night dapseong and ganggangsullae with residents and visitors, parade of about 1,000 residents, Returns 1453; record modified 29 Sep 2026
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror) — 고창모양성제kto — Held since 1973; fortress built 1453; 2026 dates, 10:00~22:00, free, 주최 고창군; programme list; Pansori Museum 111 m, Shin Jae-hyo house 117 m; modified 2026-09-29. Distances to nearby festivals (about 38, 45, 83 and 143 km in a straight line) computed from these coordinates and site records
- Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism — festival listing: 고창모양성제ministry — 2026 dates 15–19 Oct, 10:00–22:00, free, organizer 고창군, phone 063-560-2949, type 전통역사, programme summary
- Pressian, 1 Oct 2026 — 제53회 고창모양성제 (interview with Gochang County Governor Shim Deok-seop)news — 53rd edition 15–19 Oct 2026; venues; 'three nos'; 15 Oct parade of about 1,000 from the bus terminal to the stage; daily dapseong groups, about 600 at weekends; night dapseong with hanji lanterns; daily 14:00 mock exams; maze with 8 missions; drone show 16 Oct 19:30, 1,000+ drones; Black Eagles 17 Oct from 16:00; night market, Hanwoo party; 1453, 19 districts, Historic Site No. 145
- Wikitree, 15 Oct 2026 — “고창의 색으로 물든 거리”…제53회 고창모양성제 화려한 출발news — Parade on 15 Oct 2026, first day of five to 19 Oct; 'Colorful Gochang'; more than 1,400 participants from 14 eup/myeon, multicultural families and foreign seasonal workers; Gochang Education Arts Festival; slogan 전통을 잇고, 미래를 열다
- Wikitree, 16 Oct 2026 — 고창의 밤하늘 수놓은 1,000대 드론…제53회 고창모양성제 화려한 개막news — Opening ceremony 16 Oct 2026; theme performance; 1,000-drone show; ganggangsullae contest of farm women's groups; Moyangseong Yuramnok tour of nine scenic spots; festival to 19 Oct
- Jeonbuk Ilbo, 30 Oct 2025 — '고창愛 빠지다, 모양愛 물들다'...모양성제 개막, 11월 2일까지 계속news — 52nd edition 29 Oct–2 Nov 2025; theme; venues incl. Gochang Green Maru; Returns 1453 zone, market, tavern, tea room, Dohwaseo; new challenges; 1.5 km parade; 650 drones; concerts on opening day, 31 Oct, 1 Nov, 2 Nov; family zone; 'three nos'; Geumtokki night market; 1453, Historic Site No. 145
- Seoul Shinmun, 22 Oct 2025 — 조선으로 떠나는 시간여행… 고창의 역사·문화와 사랑에 빠진다news — 52nd edition from 29 Oct for five days, closing 2 Nov; held every year around lunar 9 September (중양절) after the harvest; legend: one lap leg ailments, two laps long life, three laps paradise; daytime walkers in hanbok carry stones on their heads; 1,684 m wall path; built 1453 by 19 districts of Honam and Jeju; 650-drone show; ganggangsullae by five farm women's groups; wish lanterns
- Jeonbuk Ilbo, 14 Oct 2024 — 제51회 고창모양성제 성황리 마무리news — 51st edition 9–13 Oct 2024; more than 200,000 visitors (provisional); National Singing Contest first in 7 years, about 5,000 spectators; dapseong with more than 1,000 in hanbok then ganggangsullae; spacing-out contest; Dohwaseo, Cheolhakgwan; flower garden, pet playground, Geumtokki night market
- Jeonbuk Ilbo, 7 Oct 2024 — ‘제51회 고창모양성제’, 9일 거리퍼레이드로 화려한 개막news — 9–13 Oct 2024, five days; parade 9 Oct afternoon with more than 1,000 residents and flash mob; slogan 온고Z신; KBS National Singing Contest 12 Oct; ganggangsullae by farm women from five cooperatives; walkers in hanbok carry stones on their heads
- Jeonbuk Ilbo, 10 Sep 2024 — 고창군, 제51회 고창모양성제 프로그램 참가 신청 접수news — Advance applications for 2024: wish lanterns and spacing-out contest via the festival website, youth dance contest via Gochang Culture & Tourism Foundation, Gen Z dapseong limited to the first 200; top prize ₩300,000 in gift vouchers
- NewsSeoul, 12 Oct 2023 — 제50회 고창모양성제, 다양한 볼거리 축제 예고news — 50th edition 19–23 Oct 2023; theme; lighting from 19:00, media façade, bamboo-grove light show; drone shows 20–21 Oct; fireworks 19 and 23 Oct; Back to the 1453 at 12 sites; concerts by date
- Ajunews, 5 Oct 2022 — 전북 제49회 고창모양성제 성황리에 마무리news — 49th edition, five days from 30 Sep 2022; about 1,000 in the dapseong; siege re-enactment; metaverse fortress; parade, governor's procession, stamp tour
- Jeonbuk Ilbo, 19 Aug 2019 — [뚜벅뚜벅 전북여행] 고창읍성 답성놀이news — Wall-walking in the leap month of leap years; custom traced to the fortress repair of 1778; fortress wraps around a valley as a hillside (mountain) fortress; Historic Site No. 145; Shin Jae-hyo house beside the ticket booth
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror) — 고창읍성kto — Fortress fees ₩3,000 adults, ₩2,000 teenagers and soldiers, ₩1,500 children; free for Gochang residents, 65+ and 6 and under; refunded in Gochang Sarang vouchers; hours 05:00~22:00; open all year; free parking; restrooms; no stroller rental; built 1453; Maengjong bamboo grove 130 m; travel course '세계 최대 고인돌 왕국'; phone 063-560-8067
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror, Traditional Chinese) — 高敞邑城kto — Chinese name 高敞邑城, also called 牟陽城; address 全北特別自治道高敞郡高敞邑牟陽城路1; hours 04:00~22:00; open all year; adults 3,000, youth and soldiers 2,000, children 1,500 won; free parking
- Seoul Central City → Gochang Munhwa Terminal express bus timetable (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-12)other — 16 buses a day, 07:05 to 19:30; 3 h 06 m on every run; adult fares ₩21,700 standard (일반), ₩28,300 deluxe (우등)
- Gochang Munhwa Terminal → Seoul Central City express bus timetable (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-06)other — 16 buses a day, 06:30 to 19:00; 3 h 20 m; last departures 18:00 (arr 21:20) and 19:00 (arr 22:20); ₩21,700 / ₩28,300
- Gochang Munhwa Terminal express departures (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — 10 routes, none to Busan; to Gwangju U-Square 22 departures 06:40–20:30, 48 min, ₩7,000 deluxe / ₩5,400 standard; to Incheon Airport T1 4 departures 00:10–11:30, about 3 h 40 m, ₩46,400–₩65,000 by class
- Jeongeup Intercity Terminal → Gochang Munhwa Terminal intercity bus timetable (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-11)other — 23 buses a day, 06:40 to 21:00; 31 minutes; ₩4,500 adult
- Jeongeup Station (high-speed) page (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-19)other — Jeongeup Station is a Honam high-speed (KTX) station with destinations including Yongsan and Suseo; timetables and fares not shown on the station page
- KTO TourAPI listing 순천 낙안읍성 민속문화축제 (contentId 527789)kto — 31st edition, 24–25 Oct 2026, hours 11:00–17:00, theme, paid entry: adults ₩4,000, teenagers and military ₩2,500, children ₩1,500; address 충민길 30, coordinates 34.9061/127.3417, host Suncheon City, phone 061-749-8838, homepage; programme list; '600 years'; record modified 14 Oct 2026
- Telltrip — 순천 낙안읍성 (travel article, 9 Jan 2026, updated 12 Jun 2026)blog — 1397; Historic Site No. 302 (1983); 290+ thatched houses, ~100 households, ~230 residents; 9 government buildings; UNESCO tentative list 2011; ~1.2 million visitors/year; Oct 09:00–18:00; ₩4,000/2,500/1,500, 65+ free, residents 50% off; buses 16, 61, 63, 68, 1-min walk; 25 min by car from Suncheon Station; 3 free car parks; wall walk ~1 h, visit 2–3 h; top 3 eupseong with Haemi, Gochang
- KTO tourist data — 대한민국 국향대전 (ktriptips mirror, updated 16 Oct 2026)kto — 2026 dates 23 Oct–8 Nov, 10:00–18:00, theme, address 곤재로 27, coordinates 35.0562/126.5199, host 함평군, run by 함평축제관광재단, phone 061-320-2247, programme list, advance 6,300/4,500/2,700 (groups 5,400/3,600/1,800), on-site 7,000/5,000/3,000 (groups 6,000/4,000/2,000), free for under 4 and others, 50% for sister municipalities, Culture Nuri card, stroller and wheelchair rental
- KTO VisitKorea — Gimje Horizon Festivalkto — 2026 period 1–5 Oct; venue and address; free admission with some fees; organizer committee and host Gimje-si; hours 09:00–21:00; food ₩4,000–10,000; honorary cultural tourism festival; phone +82-63-540-3172
- 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
- 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
- Busan Seobu (Sasang) → Gwangju U-Square intercity bus timetable (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — 23 buses a day, 06:00 to 22:00; 2 h 57 m on every run; weekday adult fares ₩28,300 deluxe (우등) and ₩36,800 premium, ₩33,900 for the 22:00 regular (일반) bus
- KTO TourAPI data (ktriptips mirror) — 서산해미읍성축제 (contentId 140752, updated 15 Oct 2026)kto — 23rd edition 9–11 Oct 2026, 10:00–22:00, free with the 600-year table paid, address 남문2로 143, phone 041-681-3560, homepage haemifest.com, host Seosan City and organizer Seosan Culture Foundation, theme and programme list (procession, drone show, Black Eagles, media façade, hands-on activities); nearby distances 155–555 m
What we could not confirm
- The official site (모양성제.com) was not opened; festival parking, shuttle buses and road closures for 2026 were not found in the sources opened.
- KTX journey times and fares from Yongsan or Suseo to Jeongeup could not be read: the timetable mirror's pages were too long for the fetch tool, and no existing record carries Jeongeup figures.
- Return buses from Gochang to Jeongeup and Incheon Airport-to-Gochang departure times were not checked.
- No visitor totals for 2025 or 2026 were found; the 2024 figure (more than 200,000) is the county's provisional count.
- First held in 1973 per KTO data, but the 49th edition fell in 2022, so at least one year was skipped; which year(s) was not found.
- KTO lists the festival as free; that the fortress's normal ticket (₩3,000 adults) is waived on festival days is implied but not stated explicitly.
- Fortress opening hours differ between KTO's Korean (05:00–22:00) and Chinese (04:00–22:00) data.
- The 2026 theme is worded differently in Pressian ('adding new fun on top of tradition') and Wikitree ('Connecting tradition, opening the future'); the record follows Wikitree.
- No KTO or official Japanese or Chinese name for the festival was found (KTO's Chinese data names the fortress 高敞邑城, also 牟陽城); names.ja, zhHans and zhHant left null.
- Rain arrangements and step-free access were not published.
- 2027 dates not announced as of 19 October 2026; the window is based on the lunar timing and recent runs.
- Bus frequencies and journey times are from the October 2026 timetable as shown by a third-party mirror of the national timetable feed; check before travelling.
- Last buses back from Gochang to Seoul Central City and to Gwangju U-Square, and the last express buses from U-Square to Seoul, on the 2027 festival dates under the timetable in force then.
Changes: 2026-10-19 — Added to the site: fact-first record (dates, hours, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-19 — Added a Wikimedia Commons photograph of Gochang Eupseong (Moyangseong Fortress), the venue (Lance Vanlewen, CC BY-SA 4.0). · 2026-10-20 — Tense: the 2026 edition has ended, so sentences about it are in the past tense. · 2026-10-21 — Transport: removed the October 2026 bus clock times, which cannot be relied on for the 2027 festival; journey times, frequencies and fares kept, with a reminder to check the last bus before the festival day.
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