[TtL News] Daegaya, where the state of the southern part of the Korean Peninsula 1,500 years ago. Goryeong-gun in North Gyeongsang Province where their splendid and flourishing historical products, Daegaya's ancient tombs and mountain fortresses, are preserved to this day, will hold the '2019 Daegaya Experience Festival'
for four days from April 11.

▲2019 Daegaya Experience Festival

Daegaya was founded in year 42 by King Ijinasi at the Goryeong. It has become a
cultural center and has been developing for 520 years based on favorable location conditions for agriculture and iron manufacturing technology. The high cultural level has blossomed by producing Gayageum and writing music. But unfortunately, it was destroyed by the invasion of Silla in year 562 and was forgotten in the historical record. Various relics excavated from the historic site of Goryeong, including the Jisan-ri Ancient Tombs, vividly show the image of Daegaya that developed.

▲Two men are riding horses and reproducing the image of the warriors of the days of Daegaya

Various experiences as if you were traveling in time.

This festival, with the motif of Daegaya's time travel, was divided into Daegaya's past zone, present zone, and future zone. In particular, the magnificent "Daegaya Living Village," which reproduces Daegaya's past, will open to tourists with the opening ceremony.

The living village is consist of six zones, Menarigol (for the experience of the warriors), excavation experiential learning field, Yeonjo Village (for the handicraft workshop), Injul Village (for the raised houses), Bulmoetgol(iron smelter), Goadong Mural Paintings Exhibition Hall. In addition, visitors can enjoy a variety of experiences such as a lookout tower and a wooden sword and the Daegaya playground.

You can also experience Daegaya's costume experience, goldsmith experience, earthenware, ironware, warriors experience, and playing gayageum.

▲'Gaya Legend', a mobile game launched by Daegaya Festival

The mobile game 'Gaya Legend', which was first attempted last year, had a new composition and is trying to change. You can experience the culture of Daegaya by mobile devices. In particular, this time, the GPS map guidance function (using the character to guide users current location) has improved the weak point of last year. It also included a function to promote the culture of Daegaya and to guide the location of the event venue in 3D.

Daegaya's present zone operates a booth for sale of agricultural, special products and souvenirs produced in Goryeong, displaying and selling the present of Goryeong in various products. In addition, it will announce the present of Goryeong through the 'Daegaya Culture and Art Exhibition', which displays various works on the theme of Goryeong.

Future zone contains the image of the Daegaya that changes in the future. It runs the Iron History Museum on the subject of "Iron, change the world." Through a business agreement with POSCO, Korea`s leading steelmaker, it provides vivid information on iron by utilizing the materials of POSCO Exhibition. Visitors can also experience the future of iron culture in the VR Experience Hall. It is composed of multiple analysis of the iron future, such as aircraft, cars, farming tool to provide a virtual experience of iron culture in various fields.

▲The performers are playing gayageum at the String Festival. Gayageum is a traditional Korean musical instrument.

Culture performances such as Gayageum and costume collection

They also prepared a cultural performance where visitors can actually get access to the culture of Daegaya. As a representative example, the 2nd International String Festival will be held this year following last year. Through the performance of modern instruments and Gayageum, they are planning to build an image of Goryeong by utilizing contents that represent it. They Invited current music experts from sisterhood cities at home and abroad to improve the quality of the performances.

Daegaya Collection, which will be held for the first time this year, is a fashion show that utilizes traditional clothes, which will be held under the theme "We embrace the past, present, and future of 1,500 years." Apart from implementing the Daegaya costumes of the past, they prepared a variety of attractions through a model contest, musicals with local people, and Korean traditional music(Gukak) shows.

▲A man is riding a carriage and marching a parade for the festival.

The organizers said they prepared three kinds of performances for the Daegaya Experience Festival. To show the way of harmony, Daegaya Unity Performance, Daegaya Parade and Daegaya Harmony Hanmadang will proceed. 'Daegaya Unity Performance' is the event that wishes for the harmony of Daegaya and the inclusion of ancient tombs in UNESCO listing. A total of 520 people will participate in the event.

At the 'Daegaya Parade', we will meet Gaya's birth myth. The parade, composed of the past, present, and future of Daegaya, can be reproduced visiting of the heavenly gods and mountain gods that created the Gaya Kingdom, thus providing a vividly meet of the ancient, modern and future Gaya people.

▲Participants of the festival are taking the tour 'Ancient tombs night-tracking' with white lanterns.

Various programs are also held during the festival. 'Ancient tombs Night tracking', which left much of desired last year, is set to proceed to the three times thanks to popularity. It is a program that allows visitors to feel directly about Daegaya's culture while walking on a night road with a tourist commentator. Ancient tombs Night tracking begins with pre-booking and visitors can walk on the tomb road by relying on the bright lanterns with your wishes written on the white lanterns. You can also watch cultural performances that local people voluntarily participate in and enjoy a small busking performance throughout the event, including the outdoor concert hall of Daegaya.

▲Goryeong specialty products with excellent quality, strawberries

Benefit from just looking at strawberries and cherry blossoms

Visitors to Daegaya Experience Festival in April will be able to taste the special delicacy. The specialty of Goryeong is strawberries. Goryeong strawberries are grown in eco-friendly farming methods and using natural fertilization with bees, showing their old cultivation history and skills. The color, sugar content, fragrance are excellent and rich in vitamin C, so they are exported abroad. In the festival hall, they run strawberry cafes. Visitors pick as many strawberries as they like on the major
farms, eat them on the spot, and can take fresh strawberries home.

▲Goryeng Daegaya Experience Festival, where you can enjoy beautiful cherry blossoms.

You can also enjoy the cherry blossoms that are in full bloom. If you travel five minutes from the Festival place by car, you will be able to meet the beautiful cherry blossoms that extend about 10 kilometers.

Location: Gyeongbuk Goryeong-gun, Goryeong-eup, Daegaya Historical Theme Tourist Site, Daegaya Museum District

Translation  Editor Yumi Choi / ym@ttlnews.com

Sr. Journalist Sangin Lee / lagolftime@ttlnews.com

▶photograph source : Goryeong county office