At a glance
| Dates | 2027 dates to be announced · usually OctNot announced as of 19 October 2026. The 2025 and 2026 editions both ran Friday to Sunday on the fourth weekend of October. The event depends on the Korea Heritage Service's national heritage-night funding: 28 local governments were reported selected for 2027 in September 2026, but whether Ulsan Jung-gu is one of them was not found. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Not announced as of 19 October 2026. The 2025 and 2026 editions both ran Friday to Sunday on the fourth weekend of October. The event depends on the Korea Heritage Service's national heritage-night funding: 28 local governments were reported selected for 2027 in September 2026, but whether Ulsan Jung-gu is one of them was not found. |
| Admission | Free. KTO and the culture ministry list free entry, with some hands-on experiences at ₩5,000–₩10,000; which sessions are paid was not published on the pages opened.Admission: Free (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Ulsan Dongheon and Naea, and Gyeongsang Jwado Byeongyeongseong fortress울산광역시 중구 동헌길 167 (북정동) |
| Nearest station | Ulsan Station (KTX) (울산역), KTX, Gyeongbu high-speed lineNot walkable: the station is on the city's outskirts. Take a taxi or bus to the Ulsan Museum of Art stop, about 50 m from Dongheon (transfer time not verified) |
| From Seoul | Not published · KTX + TaxiLeave from Seoul Station · One-way fare from ₩48,400 · Same-night return is tightFull route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Korea Heritage Service, Ulsan Metropolitan City and Ulsan Jung-gu Office (hosts); run by Project Group Hada Co., Ltd.국가유산청, 울산광역시, 울산광역시 중구청 (주최) · 주식회사 프로젝트그룹 하다 (운영) |
| Usual timing | Three evenings, Friday to Sunday, on the fourth weekend of October: 24–26 October 2025 and 23–25 October 2026, 17:00–22:00 both years. Browse October festivals. |
| First held | 2023 |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026Checked against 16 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Ulsan's old town in Jung-gu grew up around the Joseon-era county seat. Ulsan Dongheon was the magistrate's hall and Naea his living quarters, and Ulsan city has designated the pair as local heritage. Also in Jung-gu is Gyeongsang Jwado Byeongyeongseong, the walled army command for the eastern ('left') half of Gyeongsang Province. It was built in 1417 to guard Joseon's southeast and has been a national historic site since 1987. The Heritage Night uses both places as a pair. Its storyline comes from the Annals of King Sejong and King Myeongjong. It sets the civilian magistrate at Dongheon against the military commander at the fortress and follows the two from conflict to cooperation, told in three stages as thesis, antithesis and synthesis. In practice that means a costumed procession of the magistrate (dohobusa), performances, exhibitions and guided commentary, civil-official and military-official experiences, an ESG programme, photo zones, busking, a stamp tour and night lighting of the two sites. The event is part of the Korea Heritage Service's national heritage-night programme, co-hosted by Ulsan city and Jung-gu and run by an events company. KTO first listed it in October 2023 as the Ulsan Jung-gu Cultural Heritage Moonlight Night (울산 중구 문화재 달빛 야행). In 2025 (24–26 October) the programme was split into a 'moonlight' civil trail at Dongheon and a 'starlight' military trail at the fortress, each with its own procession, plus a night market, a Joseon army-ration workshop and a one-night hanok stay. Honest caveats: the festival's own website could not be opened for this record, so there is no session timetable, no list of which experiences are paid and no word on transport between the two venues. Programmes run in Korean. KTX trains stop at Ulsan Station, on the outskirts of the city, and the programme runs until 22:00, so staying the night in Ulsan is the easier plan; if you head back, check the last train in the Korail app (코레일톡) or at the station before you go. Dongheon sits in the old-town arts quarter, next to the Ulsan Museum of Art and on the Ulsan Culture Street. Do not confuse it with the Nam-gu heritage night, Nampo Wolmyeong, held at the Gyeongsang Jwasuyeong navy fortress and Cheoyong Park, which ran in August in 2025.
Highlights
- Three evenings at two Joseon-era heritage sites in Jung-gu, 17:00–22:00 on Friday 23, Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026
- A storyline drawn from the Annals of King Sejong and King Myeongjong: the civilian magistrate at Dongheon and the military commander at the fortress, from conflict to reconciliation
- A costumed procession of the Ulsan magistrate (dohobusa), performances, exhibitions and guided commentary
- Hands-on civil-official and military-official experiences and an ESG programme; some sessions cost ₩5,000–₩10,000
- Photo zones, busking, a stamp tour and a QR local pass
- Night lighting of both sites: in 2025 Dongheon was lit as 'moonlight' and the fortress as 'starlight'
- Dongheon is in the old-town arts quarter, about 50 m from the Ulsan Museum of Art and on the roughly 1,000 m Ulsan Culture Street
Who it suits. Best for travellers interested in Joseon-era government and military history, for families who like costume processions and hands-on stations, and for anyone already staying in Ulsan or touring the southeast coast between Busan and Gyeongju. Less suited to visitors who need English-language tours, or to a same-day return to Seoul, because the KTX station is on the city's outskirts and the programme runs until 22:00.
Getting there
From Seoul
Take a KTX from Seoul Station to Ulsan Station (울산역): about 33–34 trains a day in October 2026, taking 2 h 07 m–3 h 04 m, with standard class at ₩48,400 (₩48,000 on KTX-Sancheon trains). Since the 1 September 2026 KTX–SRT merger, former SRT trains also run as KTX-Sancheon, and all are booked in Korail's own apps and English site. Ulsan Station is on the outskirts of the city, so continue by taxi or bus to the old town. The nearest stop to Dongheon is Ulsan Museum of Art, about 50 m from the gate. The transfer time and bus routes were not verified for this record.
Last leg from Ulsan Station (KTX)
KTX, Gyeongbu high-speed line. Not walkable: the station is on the city's outskirts. Take a taxi or bus to the Ulsan Museum of Art stop, about 50 m from Dongheon (transfer time not verified)
Getting home
Last-train times for 23–25 October 2026 could not be confirmed from a Korail timetable, so none are given here: check the last KTX from Ulsan Station to Seoul in the Korail app (코레일톡) or at the station before you go. Ulsan Station is far from the old town, the transfer time was not verified and the programme runs until 22:00, so staying the night in Ulsan is the easier plan.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Admission | Free | Free per KTO and the culture ministry listing; no booking listed |
| Some hands-on experiences | — | ₩5,000–₩10,000 per KTO; which sessions are paid was not published on the pages opened |
- Booking
- No booking is listed by KTO or the culture ministry, so you can walk in. Whether the paid experiences or the civil- and military-official sessions need sign-up was not published. Ask the operator on 070-7656-0456 or check the festival site, www.ulsanjunggu.kr.
- English on site
- No English-language programme is documented; performances and commentary are in Korean.
- Best time to go
- Arrive at 17:00 to see Dongheon before dark, then stay on for the night lighting and the processions after sunset.
- What to bring
- A warm layer for a late-October evening and comfortable shoes. Dongheon and the fortress are separate sites, so plan how you will get between them.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Not announced as of 19 October 2026. The 2025 and 2026 editions both ran Friday to Sunday on the fourth weekend of October. The event depends on the Korea Heritage Service's national heritage-night funding: 28 local governments were reported selected for 2027 in September 2026, but whether Ulsan Jung-gu is one of them was not found. | tba | |
| 2026 | 23–25 Oct 2026 | ended | Two venues: Ulsan Dongheon and Naea (KTO address 167 Dongheon-gil, Bukjeong-dong, Jung-gu) and Gyeongsang Jwado Byeongyeongseong fortress, a separate site in Jung-gu whose address KTO does not give. The nearest bus stop to Dongheon is Ulsan Museum of Art, about 50 m away. |
| 2025 | 24–26 Oct 2025 | ended | Ulsan Dongheon and Naea (167 Dongheon-gil) and Gyeongsang Jwado Byeongyeongseong. |
Nearby
- Ulsan Museum of Art (울산시립미술관) — About 50 m. The city's art museum, next to Dongheon in the old town; its bus stop is the nearest to the festival
- Ulsan Culture Street (울산 문화의거리) — Around Dongheon. An arts street of about 1,000 m around Dongheon, the old guesthouse (gaeksa) and the art museum, with galleries, small theatres, cafés and restaurants; weekend art fairs and busking; always open, free
- Ulsan Keunaegi Shopping Street (울산큰애기상점가) — About 150 m. Old-town shopping street close to Dongheon and the Culture Street
- Ulsan Jung-gu Children's History and Science Experience Center (울산중구어린이역사과학체험관) — About 120 m. Hands-on history and science centre for children in the old town
- Gyeongsang Jwado Byeongyeongseong (경상좌도 병영성). The festival's second venue: the army-command fortress built in 1417, a national historic site since 1987
Questions travelers ask
When is Ulsan Jung-gu Heritage Night 2026?
Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026, 17:00–22:00 each evening, at Ulsan Dongheon and Naea and at Gyeongsang Jwado Byeongyeongseong fortress in Jung-gu, Ulsan (KTO and the culture ministry listing).
Is it free, and do I need to book?
Entry is free and no booking is listed. Some hands-on experiences cost ₩5,000–₩10,000; which ones, and whether they need sign-up, was not published. The operator's number is 070-7656-0456.
What is there to see and do?
A costumed procession of the Ulsan magistrate, performances, exhibitions and guided commentary, civil-official and military-official experiences, an ESG programme, photo zones, busking, a stamp tour and night lighting at both heritage sites. The theme is the relationship between Joseon Ulsan's civil and military leaders.
How do I get there from Seoul?
KTX from Seoul Station to Ulsan Station takes 2 h 07 m–3 h 04 m and costs ₩48,400 in standard class (October 2026 timetable). Ulsan Station is on the outskirts of the city, so continue by taxi or bus to the Ulsan Museum of Art stop beside Dongheon.
Can I visit as a day trip from Seoul?
Only if you leave early. The KTX station is far from the old town and the programme runs until 22:00; check the last KTX from Ulsan Station to Seoul in the Korail app (코레일톡) or at the station before you go. Staying overnight in Ulsan is the easier plan.
What is Gyeongsang Jwado Byeongyeongseong?
It is the walled army command of Gyeongsang Jwado, the eastern half of Gyeongsang Province. It was built in 1417 to defend Joseon's southeast and has been a national historic site since 1987. At the festival it stands for the military side of the story.
Is this the same as the Nam-gu heritage night in Ulsan?
No. Nam-gu's heritage night, Nampo Wolmyeong, is held at the Gyeongsang Jwasuyeong navy fortress and Cheoyong Park; in 2025 it ran on 22–23 August. The Jung-gu event takes place in October at Dongheon and the army fortress.
When is the 2027 edition?
Not announced as of 19 October 2026. The 2025 and 2026 editions both ran Friday to Sunday on the fourth weekend of October. Whether Jung-gu has Korea Heritage Service funding for 2027 had not been reported.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
22 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.
- KTO TourAPI listing 울산 중구 국가유산야행 (contentId 3017778)kto — 23–25 Oct 2026; 17:00–22:00; free, some experiences ₩5,000–10,000; venues 울산동헌및 내아 and 경상좌도 병영성; address 동헌길 167 (북정동), Jung-gu; coordinates 35.5577/129.3203; hosts 국가유산청, 울산광역시, 울산광역시 중구청; phone 070-7656-0456; homepage ulsanjunggu.kr; civil and military leaders from the Sejong and Myeongjong Annals, 정–반–합 arc; performances, exhibitions, experiences, commentary, night views
- KTO tourist data — 울산 중구 문화재 달빛 야행 (ktriptips mirror, contentId 3017778)kto — Older title 울산 중구 문화재 달빛 야행; listed 5 Oct 2023; 23–25 Oct 2026, 17:00–22:00, free, paid experiences ₩5,000–10,000; operator 프로젝트그룹 하다; programme: traditional experiences, 도호부사 행차, performances, photo zones, busking, stamp tour, 문관/무관 체험, ESG, QR local pass; Ulsan Museum of Art 50 m, Children's History and Science Experience Center 116 m, Keunaegi Shopping Street 146 m; unchanged on 22 Oct 2026
- Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism festival listing — 울산 중구 국가유산야행ministry — 23–25 Oct 2026, 17:00–22:00; free, some experiences ₩5,000–10,000; venues Ulsan Dongheon and Naea and Gyeongsang Jwado Byeongyeongseong; hosts 국가유산청, Ulsan city, Jung-gu Office; operator Project Group Hada, 070-7656-0456; homepage ulsanjunggu.kr; no booking information; details may change
- KoreaCharts tour info — 울산 중구 국가유산야행 (contentId 3017778)other — 23–25 Oct 2026, 17:00–22:00, free with paid experiences ₩5,000–10,000; postcode 44468; nearest bus stops Ulsan Museum of Art (about 52 m), Yangsa Elementary School (about 117 m) and Munhwa-ui Geori (about 193 m)
- 여기유 festival directory — 울산 중구 국가유산 야행 (2025)other — 2025 edition 24 Oct (Fri)–26 Oct (Sun) 2025, ended; 17:00–22:00; free, some experiences ₩5,000–10,000; venue 울산 동헌 및 내아, 경상좌도 병영성, 동헌길 167; programme 야경, 야설, 야로 (도호부사 and 병마절도사 processions, stamp tours), 야사 (동헌24시, 병영24시), 야식 (큰애기야시장, Joseon army rations), 야숙 (어련당 hanok, 1 night 2 days), 야시 (cultural night markets, climate booths); hosts 국가유산청, Ulsan city, Jung-gu; operator 프로젝트그룹 하다
- 여기유 festival directory — 울산 남구 국가유산 야행 남포월명 (2025)other — Nam-gu's separate heritage night 'Nampo Wolmyeong', 22–23 Aug 2025, 17:00–22:00, at Gyeongsang Jwasuyeong fortress and Cheoyong Park, Seongam-dong, Nam-gu; free, paid experiences ₩3,000–10,000
- Newsseoul 2023-02-16 — 중구, 오는 16일 '울산 경상좌도병영성 역사기행' 학술대회 개최news — Gyeongsang Jwado Byeongyeongseong built in 1417 (Taejong 17); designated a national historic site (사적) in 1987; army command central to the defence of Joseon's southeast; in Ulsan's Jung-gu
- Korea Heritage Service — 2024년 우리고장 국가유산 활용사업 389선 (booklet, part 18)ministry — 울산동헌및내아 listed as Ulsan city-designated heritage; Jung-gu's 2024 heritage-use programme there ('학이 날아든 동헌', April–November); Jung-gu culture and tourism division 052-290-3657
- MTN 2026-09-18 — 광주 동구, '국가유산 야행' 공모 선정…국비 8900만원 확보news — Korea Heritage Service's call for the 2027 national heritage-night programme: 28 local governments selected nationwide (reported 18 Sep 2026); no full list given
- KTO tourist data — 울산 문화의거리 (ktriptips mirror)kto — Arts street of about 1,000 m centred on Dongheon, the gaeksa and the city art museum; galleries, small theatres, cafés and restaurants; weekend art fairs, busking, street exhibitions and concerts; always open, free; 성남동 329-5; phone 052-290-3660
- Seoul Station → Ulsan train timetable, 19–23 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-19)other — 33 departures a day on 19–22 Oct and 34 on 23 Oct; journeys 2 h 07 m (KTX-Sancheon 51) to 3 h 00 m, 3 h 04 m on 23 Oct; standard fare KTX ₩48,400, KTX-Sancheon ₩48,000
- Ulsan → Seoul Station train timetable, 18–24 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-18)other — 30–31 trains a day; standard fare ₩48,400; the 24 Oct table was cut off and 25 Oct not listed
- The Korea Times 2010-10-05 — Ulsan KTX stationnews — The KTX station was built on the outskirts of Ulsan and named Ulsan Station; the old downtown Ulsan Station was renamed Taehwagang (Taehwa River) Station
- 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
- 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 Tickets (English booking site)official — English booking site; letskorail.com redirected to korail.com; Suseo is in the KTX station list; language menu has English, Japanese, Chinese (simplified/traditional), Vietnamese, Thai and Indonesian
What we could not confirm
- The festival website (www.ulsanjunggu.kr, listed by KTO) could not be opened, so no session timetable, list of paid experiences, sign-up rules, shuttle or parking information was read.
- No 2024 edition was found; whether a heritage night ran in Jung-gu in 2024 is unknown.
- First year: 2023 is inferred from KTO's listing being created on 5 Oct 2023 under the title '울산 중구 문화재 달빛 야행'. The dates of that event, and whether there were earlier editions, were not found.
- Whether Ulsan Jung-gu is among the 28 local governments reported selected for the Korea Heritage Service's 2027 heritage-night programme was not found.
- The distance and transport between Dongheon and the Byeongyeongseong fortress, and the fortress's address, were not published on the pages opened.
- Transfer from Ulsan Station to the old town (bus routes, time, taxi fare) was not verified. Trains to Taehwagang Station, the city's downtown station, were not checked.
- Last KTX times from Ulsan to Seoul on 23–25 October 2026 were not confirmed from Korail (the only timetable read was a third-party mirror covering 18–23 October), so the clock times were removed on 22 October 2026.
- Getting there from Busan and from Incheon Airport was not researched.
- Restrooms, accessibility, rain policy and visitor numbers were not published.
- Official Japanese and Chinese names were not found.
- When Ulsan Dongheon was built and its heritage designation number were not verified.
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 Ulsan Dongheon and Naea (Kim Jaemin, CC BY-SA 4.0). · 2026-10-22 — Rechecked before the 2026 edition: no change to dates, venues, hours or fees found. Removed the last-train clock times, which came from a third-party timetable mirror and did not cover 24–25 October; check the last KTX in the Korail app or at Ulsan Station.
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