SUWON, South Korea, September 29 (AJP) — Nightfall turned the gates and courtyards of Hwaseong Haenggung Palace into a stage Tuesday as performers offered a preview of the 63rd Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival.
King Jeongjo, the 22nd ruler of Korea’s Joseon dynasty, reigned from 1776 to 1800 and under his watch, Joseon enjoyed a renaissance.
Remembered for his efforts to strengthen royal authority and promote scholarship, he commissioned Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, completed in 1796.
The palace within its walls served as his residence during visits to Suwon and since 1997 listed as an UNESCO’s World Heritage.
The festival runs from Oct. 4 to 11, bringing royal processions, military displays and nighttime performances to the historic grounds.
Among the new programs is “Haenggung Yahwa,” an immersive evening performance inspired by Jeongjo’s 1795 journey to Suwon. Audiences move through the palace rather than watch from fixed seats, following scenes staged among its gates, courtyards and buildings.
“Yajo” reinterprets the nighttime military drills of the king and his royal guards. At Yongyeon Pond, “Seonyumong” combines water, light, music and media art, making the waterside setting part of the performance.
The celebrations extend beyond the palace. On Oct. 4, a large-scale reenactment of Jeongjo’s royal procession will follow a route from Seoul through Suwon to Yungneung Royal Tomb in neighboring Hwaseong.
For international visitors, a new “Royal Route 1795” shuttle will connect Seoul and Suwon, alongside interpretation services and cultural activities.
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