"Nakhwa Nori" Craze at Baekje Cultural Land ... 30,000 Vie for 3,500 Tickets

[Financial News | Hongseong, South Chungcheong Province = Kim Won-jun] Tickets to see Nakhwa Nori, the signature nighttime attraction at Baekje Cultural Land in Buyeo County, South Chungcheong Province, sold out as soon as reservations opened, extending its phenomenal run of popularity.
 According to South Chungcheong Province on the 6th, all tickets for Baekje Cultural Land Nakhwa Nori, which will take place from 6:30 p.m. on the 7th around the five-story wooden pagoda at Neungsa in Baekje Cultural Land, Buyeo County, sold out as soon as online reservations opened. When online reservations opened on the 13th of last month, a huge number of people logged on, with the number waiting to book at the same time surging to around 30,000. The excitement continues, with online community posts offering "tips for booking Nakhwa Nori" and "how to snag canceled tickets" appearing one after another.
 Baekje Cultural Land's Nakhwa Nori has drawn widespread attention since its debut in 2024. At the first event, which had no limit on attendance, around 7,800 people flocked to the venue at once, causing the on-site ticketing system to malfunction. To prevent accidents and ensure a comfortable viewing experience, South Chungcheong Province capped attendance at 2,500 last year. This year, in response to requests to increase capacity, it raised the limit by 1,000 to 3,500 and switched to a system requiring 100% advance reservations.
 This year's event will be enlivened by a performance of Seungmu, an intangible cultural heritage of South Chungcheong Province. An additional program to observe the autumn night sky through astronomical telescopes will also be held from 8:30 p.m. on the day of the event.
 The success of Nakhwa Nori is attributed to its rarity and sense of place. The dreamlike atmosphere created by the falling sparks blends with the landscape lighting of Neungsa's five-story wooden pagoda, set within Korea's only recreation of a Baekje royal palace, creating a uniquely compelling nighttime spectacle, observers say.
 South Chungcheong Province plans to make the event a leading model for "Healing Chungnam" and "revitalizing the night economy."
 South Chungcheong Governor Park Soo-hyun said of Healing Chungnam, "In addition to industry and the economy, this is another identity Chungnam should embrace. Chungnam must take on the role of healing the lives of 25 million people in the Seoul metropolitan area." He added, "Taking on the identity of a city of healing and wellness will create a new opportunity to draw residents of the capital region to Chungnam." On revitalizing the night economy, he said, "There need to be things to enjoy that give people a reason to stay at night, not just daytime attractions," and stressed that "the key is permanent nighttime performances." He also said he was working to secure national funding.
 Nakhwa Nori is a traditional Korean nighttime fireworks display in which charcoal powder is placed in pouches, hung from straw ropes and set alight so that the burning sparks fall. The tradition nearly died out during the Japanese colonial period, but in recent years the restoration of local cultural heritage and the development of modern tourism attractions have combined to spark a nationwide "K-fireworks" craze. In particular, Nakhwa Nori at Baekje Cultural Land offers the distinctive sound and scent of burning charcoal, along with scenery like an ink-wash painting framed by wooden buildings. It is drawing attention among younger generations and foreign tourists as a distinctive "Korean-style healing culture."

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