[COVER STORY]
Incheon Nightscape Festival
THE CITY OF LIGHT, INCHEON
WALKING IN THE NIGHT UNDER THE LIGHTS
INCHEON NIGHTSCAPE FESTIVAL
The days are getting shorter, and the night is getting longer. Incheon is becoming an even more splendid place for everyone to enjoy the night to the fullest. Let’s take a look at the lights shining in Incheon, which offer a different charm compared to the day.
① INCHEON OPEN PORT HERITAGE CULTURE NIGHT
② MANSUCHEON STREET OF LIGHT
③ GYEYANG LIGHT FESTIVAL
A NIGHT OF MODERN HISTORY ALONG THE ALLEYS
INCHEON OPEN PORT HERITAGE CULTURE NIGHT
It’s back: the time to explore the night, shining along the history. Incheon Open Port Heritage Culture Night, the ninth this year, has become Incheon’s representative festival. The Incheon Open Port Area is where the history of the open port began, and the traces of the time remain intact. The night festival on this street is held twice yearly, in summer and autumn.
Incheon Open Port Heritage Culture Night offers various night programs on eight themes. The Jung-gu Office, a cultural heritage site, was colorfully decorated to begin the festival. A lighting show projected on the outer wall during the festival using marquee lights and Twinkly Pro. Cultural facilities on the street lit their lights and welcomed people. Experiences, such as enjoying games with actors dressed as if they are from the time of port opening and listening to culture commentators, are added to it. It drew visitors’ attention with the ‘Night Tour Fringe’ held with local artists and the ‘Photo Exhibition’ introducing the residents of the open port area. This year, in particular, it gave all those who came to the festival a special memory by launching new tour programs, such as the Colorful K-Culture Experience for foreign tourists and the Walking Tour for foreigners to understand the culture and history behind the open port area.
- Date : June and October every year (Twice a year)
- Location : Incheon Open Port Area Culture District
- Program : Various programs on eight themes: Night view, night walk, night story, night history, night picture, night market, night snack, and night stay
- Website : www.culturenight.co.kr
TOWN SCENERY WITH BRIGHTER LIGHT
MANSUCHEON STREET OF LIGHT
The streets are deserted. At night, it is getting darker and colder. Namdonggu made the ‘Mansucheon Street of Light’ in December 2023 to bring warmth and energy to this street. Located in the area of the Mansucheon Public Parking Lot in Namdong-gu, the Mansucheon Street of Light welcomes visitors with two tunnels of light between Public Parking Lots 1 and 2. The most popular ones are the Flower Tunnel and the Star Tunnel, which create different atmospheres. A photo zone in the shape of a dandelion field and a full moon is installed between Public Parking Lots 2 and 3, and an LED Playground and light bulb trees decorate the space between Public Parking Lots 3 and 4. In addition, the ‘Aurora Light,’ placed along the street, emits various colors and lights up the darkness.
Mansucheon Street of Light brightened the town. It made streets safer for residents and brought in tourists with unique attractions, revitalizing the stagnant commercial district. The Mansucheon Street of Light is expected to become even more colorful. Namdong-gu added Mansucheon District 3 to the area this year and will create landscape lighting and photo zones at Mansucheon Stream, Ganseok-dong Hyangnamu Rest Area, and Aehyang Children’s Park as they did last year. This project has two goals: ‘Installing landscape facilities that are good to see even during the day’ and ‘thoroughly maintaining the facilities after installation.’ In addition, it plans to hold lighting ceremonies and busking to provide diverse cultural content.
- Period : February 1 – December 31, 2024
- Time : 17:00-22:00 *Lighting hours may vary depending on the sunset time.
- Location : Around Mansucheon Stream Public Parking Lot
+ Seochang Starlight Street
It is another shining spot in Namdong-gu. Seochange Starlight Street is a unique local tourism festival that has already been held five times. Perfect for winter and Christmas, Starlight Street is made around the rotary in Seochang District, and various performances are held. The giant Christmas tree lights installed in the center of the rotary characterize the venue.
- Date : Every end of the year
- Time : After sunset
- Location : Rotary in Seochang District 2, Namdong-gu, Incheon (754 Seochang-dong)
SLEEPLESS LIGHT OF THE CITY
GYEYANG LIGHT FESTIVAL
The 3rd Gyeyang Light Festival started on October 2 to brilliantly color the night of Gyeyang. The Gyeyang Light Festival, which began in 2022, transformed the atmosphere of the city by installing landscape lighting on streets once lit only by neon signs, turning it into a popular spot for nighttime views. The second festival provided more spectacles in a larger space. The third festival, held this year, set up the stage in the Gyesan Station area, the old city center of Gyeyanggu. Visitors can enjoy different content in a new space, and residents expect the revitalization of the local businesses.
The main theme for the 3rd Gyeyang Light Festival is ‘Picnic,’ and various content related to the theme was presented. First, the ‘Light Wall Trail’ section displayed heartwarming phrases, including the verses from ‘A Night of Counting Stars’ by the poet Yoon Dongjoo. The following sections are ‘Sea of Light’ and ‘Forest of Sea.’ Sculptures in the shapes of fish and jellyfish fill the section to give a feeling of walking in the sea. Streets decorated with unique sculptures and landscape lighting, such as the ‘Space Exploration’ with cute moon, rabbit, and hot-air balloon models, welcome tourists.
- Date and time : October 2, 2024 - January 31, 2025
- Time : After sunset
- Location : Around Jubuto-ro near Gyesan National Sports Park
