Festivals, sights across Korea

The Daegu Chimac Festival, the city's signature summer event, runs July 1-5 at Duryu Park. First held in 2013, the chicken and beer festival has grown steadily and drawn 1 million visitors, boosting the local economy and Daegu's profile abroad.

This year's main venue, 2·28 Freedom Square, takes on a theme that blends water play with electronic music and will feature a 360-degree central stage. Themed areas such as Daefrica Waterpia, the Chimac Singalong Club and Chisang Nakwon EGG Island round out the grounds, along with photo zones and sculptures created with artists.

Admission is free, with some paid premium reservation tables available.

Everland is running its summer Water Festival through Aug. 30, built around a Splash Day & Night concept that keeps visitors cool from afternoon into the evening with water play zones, water shows and a night safari.

The centerpiece is Water Pang Pang Adventure, a new 830-square-meter zone with water carnival games, water cannons and dance performances. A giant water bucket douses guests, while the participatory "Bam Bam Man Kids Water Party" mixes music, dance and water cannon blasts.

Daytime crowds can catch the Shooting Water Fun Season 2 show at Carnival Plaza, and the Thunder Falls ride returns with a stronger water cannon spray.

Restaurants serve cooling fare, including bingsu, cold noodle dishes and a Korean-Italian bibim pasta from star chef Fabrizio Ferrari.

Now in its sixth year, the Gangneung Beach Beer Festival returns to Gyeongpo Beach in Gangwon Province from July 3-5. The lineup pairs craft beers from across the country with Gangneung local food and festival merchandise.

The grounds are split into two moods. The high-energy Blue Wave zone along the shore hosts stage performances and games such as a Beer Olympics, while the Green Wave zone in the pine forest offers a quieter retreat with shaded lounging and busking.

The beachfront stage features guest singers, a bubble segment and an EDM day, and daytime brings activities including a water gun battle. Other draws include a beach beer pub and a cooling zone.

The Muan Lotus Festival, South Jeolla Province's signature summer event, runs through Sunday at Muan Hoesan White Lotus Pond. Launched in 1997, it is the country's largest festival devoted to a single flower, the white lotus.

The festival is set against the backdrop of one of Asia's largest stretches of lotus beds, roughly 330,000 square meters, and invites visitors to walk among white blooms rising from green leaves and take in the summer scenery.

The lineup includes an opening concert and a residents' singing contest, along with a regional cooking competition and a children's reading quiz. Visitors can sample lotus tea, join a nighttime "Lotus Light, Moonlight" walk and explore permanent attractions such as an animal farm and a floating glass greenhouse.

The Worasan Hydrangea Festival runs through Sunday at Worasan in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province. The forest festival offers hands-on programs, exhibitions and performances, set against gardens of hydrangeas in full bloom. Visitors can join hydrangea-cutting and plant-potting sessions, with exhibition content tied to the 2026 Jinju Garden Expo. Other offerings include woodworking, forest interpretation walks, hydrangea healing programs and forest sports, giving visitors a chance to unwind in the woods. A weekend program on June 27 and 28 adds a stamp tour, eco-teering and hydrangea cutting. At night, lanterns and lighting create a different atmosphere, and the shaded forest offers families a cool retreat from the summer heat.