The King Danjong Culture Festival drew larger-than-usual crowds in Yeongwol County, Gangwon Province, Saturday, as the success of the film "The King's Warden" renewed interest in the deposed young king.
The event honors King Danjong, the sixth ruler of Joseon (1392-1910), who ascended the throne at 12 and died at 17.
The highlight of this year’s festival was an expanded reenactment of King Danjong’s royal funeral procession, retracing the route from Gwanpungheon to Jangneung, where the young king is buried. The royal tomb was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2009.
The event carries added weight as the young king was denied a formal state funeral in his lifetime, with this year’s ceremony guided by the "uigwe," or the royal protocols of the Joseon era.
Now in its 59th year, the annual festival traces its roots to a local memorial for King Danjong and is held across multiple sites in the county, including Jangneung, Cheongnyeongpo, Bodeok Temple and areas along the Dong River.
(Photos: Yonhap)
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