Gurye County, South Jeolla Province, drew roughly 200,000 visitors to its cherry blossom festival.
Officials said on March 31 that about 200,000 people attended the 2026 Gurye 300-ri Cherry Blossom Festival, held March 28–30. Events were centered along a 129 km (about 80 miles) stretch of cherry blossom paths beside the Seomjin River and Seosi Stream, which became the main draw for tourists.
This year the festival leaned into interactive experiences, led by the nighttime "Cherry Blossom Night Walk," where illuminated paths turned the blooms into a dreamy evening backdrop. The after-dark atmosphere felt distinctly different from daytime and encouraged visitors to linger.
Hands-on booths—like keychain-making and face painting—along with picnic-style areas were especially popular with families, shifting the event from passive viewing to an experience-focused celebration.
Gurye County wrapped up the event without any major safety incidents and said it will refine and expand future programming.
Officials expect the blossoms to last through the week, and with petals beginning to fall this weekend, they anticipate continued visitor interest.
