Jeju Wildfire Festival Transforms into Media Art Festival with 2.1 Billion Invested

Jeju Island’s representative festival, the Wildfire Festival, is scheduled to meet the island’s residents in March next year . This year, it is planning to transform into a new format with a budget of 2.1 billion won, the largest in history . However, there are several controversies related to the operation of the campsite .

[Korean Today] Jeju Wildfire Festival fireworks scene © Reporter Jeon Yun-yeong

The traditional ‘ fireworks ‘ will disappear , and instead, media art utilizing light and illumination will be displayed . Media broadcasting in the form of fire is being strongly discussed , and for this purpose, advice from experts will be sought .

Jeju’s traditional agricultural ritual, Daljiptaeugi, continues to be performed . It is an event held around the first full moon of the lunar year to burn a pile of firewood and pray for a good harvest .

[Korean Today] Saebyeol Oreum Panorama © Reporter Jeon Yun-yeong

The rock festival, one of the cultural and artistic events, is likely to be excluded , and instead, music performances featuring youth and singers are being planned .

Jeju City is considering using part of the parking lot as a camping site during the festival period due to controversy over the parking lot being turned into an illegal camping site . Various methods such as car camping and glamping are being proposed , but this is raising concerns about illegal camping .

Before the crackdown on illegal camping was implemented, camping cars were already parked at all times in the Saebyeol Oreum parking lot , and complaints were being filed . The government revised the parking lot law in March of this year and decided to impose a fine of 500,000 won for camping in public parking lots starting September 20 .

Jeju City plans to prepare a detailed plan by November and finalize the festival content through budget reflection and deliberation by the provincial council . A Jeju City official said, “ We will adjust the details of the festival based on the basic plan . ”

The Jeju Wildfire Festival is expected to be reborn as an event that can be enjoyed by both local residents and tourists with new changes.