Chungcheongnam-do

The tenth Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival is held in Seodong park from July 26 to July 29. The festival is hosted in the first man-made garden in Korea, Gungnam-ji, with gorgeously bloomed lotus flowers in as big as about 380,000㎡.

▲The tenth Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival

The theme of the festival is ‘Love and Romance' this year. With the opening ceremony at 8 pm in July 26 and performances to celebrate the festival, main celebration is ‘Seodong's Song', a musical drama with dance, at 8 pm in July 28. Seodong is the 30th king of Baekje who is known as his famous romance in the era of Three States.

When he heard the rumor that princess Seonhwa, the third daughter of king Jinpyeong in Shila, was very pretty, he himself went to Shila and had kids of Seorabeol (currently, Gyeongju) sing a song of Seodong. The song was about romance of princess Seonhwa dating secretly with ‘Matdungseobang', resulting in being thrown out of her royal family and country and finally. According to a story handed down, at the very minute, king Mu (Seodong) was said to bring her to Baekje.

▲The tenth Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival  

‘Seodong's Song' was created based on the legendary story. Besides, a variety of activities are created related with lotus. Finally, Japanese delegation of traditional performance consisting of 35 people will celebrate the festival, hosted by Koshinomiyako Baekje Exchange Association, Hukui hyeon, Japan.