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At a glance
| Dates | Expected Sep 2027Ten days, from a Friday to the Sunday of the following week, in early to mid September 2027 if the pattern holds (6–15 Sep 2024, 5–14 Sep 2025, 4–13 Sep 2026); nothing announced as of 19 October 2026. Pyeongchang County published the programme in late August in 2024 and 2025. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Ten days, from a Friday to the Sunday of the following week, in early to mid September 2027 if the pattern holds (6–15 Sep 2024, 5–14 Sep 2025, 4–13 Sep 2026); nothing announced as of 19 October 2026. Pyeongchang County published the programme in late August in 2024 and 2025. |
| Weather | September average 19/10 °C (67/51 °F), 250 mm of rainRainy: a rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that can get wet. Monthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Daegwallyeong (Pyeongchang) station, about 30 km away. |
| Admission | Free in 2026 (KTO). The Lee Hyo-seok Literary Museum and Hyoseok Moonlight Hill, normally paid, were free during the festival; the literary train ride is paid (price not published), and food and market goods cost extra.Entry: Free · Lee Hyo-seok Literary Museum and Hyoseok Moonlight Hill: Free · Festival shuttle from Pyeongchang Station: Free (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Hyoseok Culture Village, Bongpyeong-myeon강원특별자치도 평창군 봉평면 이효석길 157 |
| Nearest station | Pyeongchang Station (평창역), Gangneung Line KTX-Eum (Gyeonggang line)Not walkable: take the free festival shuttle to the grounds (2026) or a taxi |
| From Seoul | about 1 h 31 min · KTX + BusLeave from Seoul Station · One-way fare from ₩19,700 · Back to Seoul the same nightFull route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Lee Hyo-seok Literary Society, with Pyeongchang County(사)이효석문학선양회 |
| Usual timing | Ten days in early to mid September, from a Friday to the Sunday of the following week, timed to the buckwheat bloom (6–15 Sep 2024, 5–14 Sep 2025, 4–13 Sep 2026). First held in 1999; Pyeongchang County announced the programme in late August in 2024 and 2025. Browse September festivals. |
| First held | 1999 |
| Last checked | 19 October 2026Checked against 24 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Bongpyeong is a small farming township in the highlands of Pyeongchang County, Gangwon, and the home of the writer Lee Hyo-seok. His best-known short story, "When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom" (메밀꽃 필 무렵), follows travelling market traders walking a moonlit night road past fields of white buckwheat, and the village has made that scene its identity. Since 1999 it has held the Hyoseok Culture Festival each September, when the buckwheat around Hyoseok Culture Village flowers; the bloom starts in late August, and the fields look as if they have been sprinkled with salt, the image the story made famous. In 2024 about 150,000 pyeong (roughly 50 ha) of fields were opened to visitors.
The festival is run by the Lee Hyo-seok Literary Society (이효석문학선양회) with Pyeongchang County, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism lists it as an honorary Culture and Tourism Festival. In 2026 the site was split into three zones. The culture and arts zone covers the fields themselves, the Lee Hyo-seok Literary Museum and guided literary walks, including a long walk with the travel writer Song Il-bong. The experience zone has rustic wooden and stepping-stone bridges, a hunt for 'golden buckwheat' in the fields, a stamp tour, a paid literary train ride and, after 18:00, a bonfire where visitors burn fallen leaves. The festival zone has Bongpyeong folk performances, an outdoor play of the story, street parades, rice-cake pounding, a traditional market and buckwheat food such as makguksu cold noodles and buchigi pancakes. Fixed events include the National Hyoseok Writing Contest (the 47th in 2026) and the Lee Hyo-seok Literary Award ceremony.
Entry was free in 2026, and the literary museum and the Hyoseok Moonlight Hill complex, which normally charge, were open free during the festival. Getting there is straightforward: the KTX-Eum to Pyeongchang Station takes about an hour and a half from Seoul Station, and a free shuttle links the station with the festival during the event. The intercity bus alternative goes to Jangpyeong, a short taxi or local-bus ride from Bongpyeong.
Caveats: this is a quiet rural festival built around walking, not a big-stage event, and KTO lists its hours as 10:00–17:00, although a few evening events run later. Weekends are the busiest time, and the bloom depends on the weather, though the fields usually stay white for a while after the festival ends. Most information is in Korean only.
Highlights
- White buckwheat fields in bloom around Hyoseok Culture Village, the setting of Lee Hyo-seok's story "When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom"; about 150,000 pyeong (roughly 50 ha) were opened to visitors in 2024
- Free entry in 2026, with the Lee Hyo-seok Literary Museum and Hyoseok Moonlight Hill open free during the festival
- Guided literary walks, the National Hyoseok Writing Contest (47th in 2026) and the Lee Hyo-seok Literary Award ceremony
- Outdoor madang play of "When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom", Bongpyeong folk performances, street parades and rice-cake pounding
- Rustic wooden and stepping-stone bridges, a golden-buckwheat hunt in the fields, a stamp tour and a paid literary train ride
- Evening leaf-burning bonfire after 18:00 (free) and, in 2026, moonlit book talks with Lee Hyo-seok Literary Award novelists at 19:00 on 11 and 12 September
- Buckwheat food at the festival market: makguksu cold noodles, jeonbyeong rolls and buchigi pancakes
Who it suits. Best for photographers, couples, families and readers of Korean literature who want an easy early-autumn walk through flower fields on a KTX day trip from Seoul; less suited to anyone looking for big concerts or nightlife, since the day is mostly walking between fields, a museum and food stalls.
Getting there
From Seoul
By rail: KTX-Eum on the Gangneung line from Seoul Station to Pyeongchang Station, about 12 trains a day, 1 h 31 min–1 h 45 min, ₩19,700 standard (2026 fare, after the 1 Sep 2026 KTX–SRT merger; book on Korail's site or the Korail+ app). During the festival a free shuttle bus runs from Pyeongchang Station to the festival grounds; otherwise take a taxi. By bus: intercity buses run between Dong Seoul Terminal and Jangpyeong, the nearest intercity stop to Bongpyeong (about 2 hours), and from Jangpyeong a local bus or taxi goes on to Bongpyeong. Buses from Jangpyeong also run to Seoul Nambu Terminal.
From Incheon Airport
AREX to Seoul Station, then the KTX-Eum to Pyeongchang Station (1 h 31 min–1 h 45 min) and the free festival shuttle.
Last leg from Pyeongchang Station
Gangneung Line KTX-Eum (Gyeonggang line). Not walkable: take the free festival shuttle to the grounds (2026) or a taxi
Festival shuttle
A free shuttle bus ran from Pyeongchang Station to the festival grounds in 2026 (KTO); in 2024 it also linked the village with Phoenix Park, about 7 km (8 minutes by car) away. No timetable was published in the sources we could open. A travel blog also mentions shuttles from temporary car parks near the festival.
Getting home
KTX-Eum trains from Pyeongchang back to Seoul Station take 1 h 31 min–1 h 45 min, and buses from Jangpyeong to Dong Seoul about 2 hours; buses from Jangpyeong to Seoul Nambu are few. The festival's daytime programme ends around 17:00, so a day trip is easy. Korail adjusted the Gangneung Line's last trains in October 2026, so check the last train in the Korail app (코레일+) or at the station, and the last bus at Jangpyeong, before the festival day. Shuttle times back to the station were not published.
Parking
Temporary car parks near the festival with shuttle transfers, according to a travel blog; capacity and fees were not published.
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 (KTO) |
| Lee Hyo-seok Literary Museum and Hyoseok Moonlight Hill | Free | Free during the festival; normally paid |
| Literary train ride | — | Paid; price not published in the sources opened |
| Festival shuttle from Pyeongchang Station | Free | Free |
- Booking
- No booking needed for entry. Festival enquiries: +82-33-335-2323 (Lee Hyo-seok Literary Society). Pyeongchang County's tourist information centre: +82-33-330-2771.
- English on site
- No English festival information was found; KTO's Japanese, Chinese, Spanish and German listings give the dates, hours, address and phone number. Signs and MCs are mostly in Korean.
- Crowds
- Busiest at weekends; a travel blog advises weekday mornings to avoid the crowds. No official visitor total was found.
- Best time to go
- A weekday morning during the festival, when the fields are in bloom (flowering starts in late August), staying for the leaf-burning bonfire after 18:00. Bongpyeong's five-day market is held on dates ending in 2 or 7 (7 and 12 September during the 2026 festival).
- What to bring
- Comfortable shoes for walking the fields, a warm layer for the highland evening, and cash or a Korean card for the market and food stalls.
- Step-free access
- A travel blog describes the field paths as gentle enough for strollers and wheelchairs; no official accessibility information was published.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Ten days, from a Friday to the Sunday of the following week, in early to mid September 2027 if the pattern holds (6–15 Sep 2024, 5–14 Sep 2025, 4–13 Sep 2026); nothing announced as of 19 October 2026. Pyeongchang County published the programme in late August in 2024 and 2025. | expected | Dates depend on the buckwheat bloom, which starts in late August. |
| 2026 | 4–13 Sep 2026 | ended | Three zones around Hyoseok Culture Village: culture and arts, experience, and festival zones. |
| 2025 | 5–14 Sep 2025 | ended | Theme "Literature blooms as buckwheat flowers, life seeps into moonlight" (문학! 메밀꽃으로 피어나고 삶! 달빛에 스미다). Ten days from 5 September. |
| 2024 | 6–15 Sep 2024 | ended | Phoenix Park, about 7 km (8 minutes by car) from the village, ran its own buckwheat field on its 1,050 m summit, reached by gondola. |
Nearby
- Lee Hyo-seok's birthplace (이효석 생가터) — In the village (이효석길 33-11). The writer's family home in Hyoseok Culture Village, a Gangwon-style house now with a tiled roof, near a water mill and a buckwheat folk museum.
- Phoenix Park buckwheat field (휘닉스파크) — About 7 km, 8 minutes by car. A resort that plants buckwheat on its 1,050 m Mont Blanc summit each year, reached by sightseeing gondola; in 2024 it was on the free festival shuttle route.
- Bongpyeong five-day market (봉평전통시장). Traditional market held on dates ending in 2 or 7, with buckwheat pancakes, jeon and local buckwheat makgeolli.
- Pyeongchang Trout Festival (평창송어축제) — Jinbu is 16 buses a day from Jangpyeong (₩2,000), or the next KTX-Eum station east. The county's winter ice-fishing festival on the Odaecheon in Jinbu, usually January to early February; see our Pyeongchang Trout Festival page.
- Daegwallyeong Snow Festival (대관령눈꽃축제) — Hoenggye is 16 buses a day from Jangpyeong (₩3,900). Snow sculptures and sledding in Hoenggye, Pyeongchang, usually late January to February; see our Daegwallyeong Snow Festival page.
- Woljeongsa fir forest path (월정사 전나무숲길). Fir-lined path to Woljeongsa Temple in Odaesan National Park, one of Korea's best-known fir forest walks.
Questions travelers ask
When is the Hyoseok Culture Festival 2027?
Not announced as of 19 October 2026. It usually runs for ten days in early to mid September, Friday to the Sunday of the following week (6–15 Sep 2024, 5–14 Sep 2025, 4–13 Sep 2026). Pyeongchang County published the programme in late August in 2024 and 2025.
Is the Hyoseok Culture Festival free?
Yes, in 2026 entry was free (KTO), and the Lee Hyo-seok Literary Museum and Hyoseok Moonlight Hill, which normally charge, were free during the festival. The literary train ride was paid, and food is extra.
How do I get there from Seoul?
Take the KTX-Eum from Seoul Station to Pyeongchang Station: about 12 trains a day, 1 h 31 min–1 h 45 min, ₩19,700 standard (2026 fare). During the festival a free shuttle runs from the station to the grounds. Intercity buses from Dong Seoul Terminal go to Jangpyeong, about 2 hours, then a local bus or taxi to Bongpyeong.
When are the buckwheat flowers in bloom?
Flowering starts in late August, and the fields are at their busiest through September; the festival is timed to the bloom. A travel blog notes the fields usually stay in flower for a while after the festival ends.
What does the festival have to do with Lee Hyo-seok?
Bongpyeong is the writer's hometown and the setting of his short story "When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom". The festival grounds include the Lee Hyo-seok Literary Museum and Hyoseok Moonlight Hill, his birthplace site is in the village, and the programme includes literary walks, a national writing contest and the Lee Hyo-seok Literary Award.
Is there anything to do in the evening?
KTO lists the hours as 10:00–17:00, but in 2026 a free leaf-burning bonfire ran after 18:00, and on 11 and 12 September at 19:00 novelists led book talks and a moonlit walk through the fields.
Can I combine it with Phoenix Park?
Yes. Phoenix Park, about 7 km (8 minutes by car) from the village, grows its own buckwheat field on its 1,050 m summit, reached by gondola, and in 2024 the free shuttle from Pyeongchang Station served both.
What is the weather like at Hyoseok Culture Festival in September?
September in Pyeongchang: average high 19 °C (67 °F), low 10 °C (51 °F), 250 mm of rain (Daegwallyeong (Pyeongchang) station, about 30 km away, KMA 1991–2020 normals). Rainy: a rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that can get wet.
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.
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror) — 평창효석문화제 (Korean, contentId 507635)kto — 2026 dates 4–13 Sep, 10:00–17:00, free entry, paid literary train; address 이효석길 157, coordinates 37.6140/128.3716, 033-335-2323, organizer, homepage; first held 1999; 47th writing contest, 4th song festival, award ceremony, radio show, madang play, DJ, golden buckwheat, stamp tour, leaf-burning after 18:00; free shuttle from Pyeongchang Station
- ktriptips (KTO Japanese data) — 平昌孝石文化祭り (contentId 773904)kto — Japanese name 平昌孝石文化祭り; 4–13 Sep 2026, 10:00–17:00, free; +82-33-335-2323; organizer; held every September in Bongpyeong
- ktriptips (KTO Simplified Chinese data) — 平昌孝石文化节 (contentId 699255)kto — Simplified Chinese name 平昌孝石文化节; 4–13 Sep 2026, free; started in 1999
- ktriptips (KTO Traditional Chinese data) — 平昌孝石文化節 (contentId 699342)kto — Traditional Chinese name 平昌孝石文化節; 4–13 Sep 2026, 10:00–17:00, free; started in 1999
- ktriptips (KTO Spanish data) — Festival Cultural Hyoseok de Pyeongchang (contentId 1349738)kto — Romanized address Lee Hyoseok-gil 157, Bongpyeong-myeon; 4–13 Sep 2026, 10:00–17:00, free; homepage www.hyoseok.com; updated 7 Aug 2026
- Herald K — 평창 효석문화제 (31 Aug 2026)news — 4–13 Sep 2026, ten days; honorary Culture and Tourism Festival; three zones (fields, museum, 100-ri road walk with Song Il-bong; bridges, traders' journey, leaf-burning, letters, literary train, stamp tour; folk shows, outdoor theatre, parades, rice-cake pounding, market); museum and Moonlight Hill free; route rearranged; chair Gwak Dal-gyu
- MTN — 올가을엔 강원도로…메밀꽃밭 문학 산책 (4 Sep 2026)news — 2026 festival 4–13 Sep; book talks and moonlit walk at 19:00 on 11 and 12 Sep with novelists Lee Sun-won and Kang Young-sook; museum and Moonlight Hill free; three zones
- The Korea Herald — Hyoseok Cultural Festival (6 Sep 2026)news — English name 'Hyoseok Cultural Festival'; began Friday 4 Sep, runs through 13 Sep 2026; first held 1999; leaf-burning, book walks, sightseeing train
- Creatrip — Hyoseok Culture Festival (1 Sep 2026)blog — English name 'Hyoseok Culture Festival'; 4–13 Sep 2026; museum and Moonlight Hill free during the festival
- Biz Hankook (English) — Bongpyeong buckwheat flower trip (9 Sep 2026)news — Festival 4–13 Sep 2026, held since 1999; flowers bloom from late August and the area is busiest through September; museum normally paid, free during the festival
- Biz Hankook (Korean) — 봉평 메밀꽃 여행 (9 Sep 2026)news — Bongpyeong five-day market on dates ending in 2 or 7 (12 Sep 2026 suggested); buckwheat pancakes, jeon and Bongpyeong buckwheat makgeolli; Woljeongsa fir forest path
- Kukinews — 2025 평창효석문화제 (27 Aug 2025)news — 2025 festival for ten days from 5 Sep at Hyoseok Culture Village; theme; three zones (culture and arts, festival, healing) and programmes; new Byeolbitmaru space; makguksu, jeonbyeong, buchigi; organised with Pyeongchang County
- The Soul of Seoul — fall festivals in Korea (updated 29 Sep 2025)blog — 2025 dates 5–14 Sep; name 'Pyeongchang Hyoseok Cultural Festival'
- Kukinews — 2024 평창 효석문화제 (26 Aug 2024)news — 2024 dates 6–15 Sep; theme 'Literature and Gastronomy'; six experience zones; about 150,000 pyeong (about 50 ha) of buckwheat fields; book reading, literary walk, traders' road walk with Song Il-bong, forum, essay contest; 1st Modern Theatre Festival; link with the Wild Ginseng Festival; announced by Pyeongchang County
- Youth Daily — 휘닉스 파크 가을 세일 페스타 (11 Sep 2024)news — 2024 festival 6–15 Sep; free shuttle from Pyeongchang Station to the village and Phoenix Park; village about 7 km, 8 minutes by car from Phoenix Park
- Lady Kyunghyang — '메밀 꽃 필 무렵' 강원도로 (12 Sep 2024)news — Phoenix Park buckwheat field on the 1,050 m Mont Blanc summit, reached by gondola; free shuttle from Pyeongchang Station; about 7 km, 8 minutes
- Seoul Station → Pyeongchang train timetable, 18–24 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-18)other — 12 KTX-Eum trains a day, 05:06–21:31; 1 h 31 min–1 h 45 min; standard adult ₩19,700
- Pyeongchang → Seoul Station train timetable, 19–25 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-19)other — 12 KTX-Eum trains a day; last 20:55 (arr 22:32), 22:38 (arr 00:12) and 22:52 (arr 00:25); standard ₩19,700
- Jangpyeong → Dong Seoul intercity bus timetable (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-18)other — 7 premium buses a day 07:43–20:13, 1 h 46 min, ₩17,800; last 20:13 (arr 21:59)
- Jangpyeong bus stop departures (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-08)other — To Seoul Nambu 3 a day (08:03, 13:33, 16:53), about 2 h 14 min, ₩19,000; to Jinbu 16 a day, ₩2,000; to Hoenggye 16 a day, ₩3,900
- KTLit — The Lee Hyoseok Buckwheat Festival (12 Sep 2012)blog — Route from Dong Seoul Terminal to Jangpyeong by intercity bus, about 2 hours, then local bus or taxi to Bongpyeong
- ktriptips (KTO Traditional Chinese data) — 李孝石故居 이효석 생가터kto — Birthplace site at 이효석길 33-11 in the village; water mill and buckwheat folk museum; Pyeongchang County tourist information +82-33-330-2771
- Aboda — 봉평메밀꽃축제 평창효석문화제 guide (17 Sep 2026)blog — Temporary car parks with shuttle transfers; weekday mornings advised; gentle paths for strollers and wheelchairs; flowers stay in bloom after the festival
- Kyunghyang Shinmun — KTX·SRT 9월 1일 통합 (6 Aug 2026)news — Integrated KTX–SRT operation from 1 Sep 2026; average KTX fare cut about 10% (Seoul–Busan ₩59,800→₩54,400); integrated Korail+ app from 3 Aug for Seoul and Suseo departures
What we could not confirm
- The official site (hyoseok.com) and a Pyeongchang County notice could not be opened; 2026 hours, prices and programme come from KTO data (via the ktriptips mirror) and news reports.
- 2027 dates: not announced as of 19 October 2026; the county published the programme in late August in 2024 and 2025.
- Festival shuttle timetable and stops (only 'free, from Pyeongchang Station' is published), and the distance and taxi fare from Pyeongchang Station to the grounds.
- Admission in 2024 and 2025 (KTO lists free entry for 2026; earlier years' charges were not checked), the literary train fare, and the museum's normal fee.
- Visitor totals for 2024–2026 (a travel blog claims more than 220,000 in 2026; no official figure found) and the edition number of the 2026 festival.
- KTO's English name was not confirmed: the Korea Herald and Biz Hankook use 'Hyoseok Cultural Festival', Creatrip 'Hyoseok Culture Festival'.
- Hours: KTO lists 10:00–17:00, but evening events ran after 18:00 and at 19:00; the closing time of the market and stalls is not published.
- The Dong Seoul → Jangpyeong timetable could not be opened (only the return direction was checked); local bus times from Jangpyeong to Bongpyeong are unknown.
- Train and bus frequencies and journey times are from the October 2026 timetable as shown by a third-party mirror of the national feed; September festival-season timetables may differ.
- Parking capacity and fees, restrooms, rain policy, pet rules, foreign-card acceptance and English support were not published.
- Last train back on the festival date under the timetable in force that day (Pyeongchang to Seoul Station; Korail adjusted the Gangneung Line's last up train on 21 Oct 2026), and the last buses from Jangpyeong to Dong Seoul and Seoul Nambu.
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 a buckwheat field in Bongpyeong (Cho's, CC BY-SA 3.0). · 2026-10-20 — Bongpyeong market days during the 2026 festival: 7 and 12 September (7 September was missing). · 2026-10-21 — Transport: removed the October 2026 train and bus clock times (a new Korail timetable starts on 1 Nov 2026); journey times, frequencies and fares kept, with a reminder to check the last train or bus before the festival day.
