[Sports Seoul | Reporter Won Seong-yun] Samcheok in Gangwon Province—once known as the "black land" for the coal that powered Korea's industrial rise—has shed that coal-dark identity. Where miners sweated and coal dust rose, a heady rose scent now fills the air. Waves of roses along the Oshipcheon River have pushed away the shadows of the past and injected new life into the region. Samcheok Rose Park is no mere place to rest; it's a vast ecological art piece that celebrates the area's stubborn resilience.
The biggest draw of Samcheok Rose Park (located in Jeongsang-dong, Samcheok, Gangwon Province) is its breathtaking scale. The site spans about 84,730 m² (roughly 912,000 sq ft or 21 acres)—bigger than 12 soccer fields combined. Across this vast ground are 160,000 rose bushes representing 222 rare varieties from around the world. At peak bloom, some 10 million flower stems ripple together, creating an almost unreal sea of petals. As the nation's largest rose garden of its kind, it serves up stunning vistas at every turn.
The park is arranged into six themed gardens—Hope & Happiness, Love & Art, and others—each with its own story. Since opening officially in 2014, the park has become a symbolic place where people from the former mining community can heal past wounds and grow fresh hope.
The 2026 festival runs seven days, May 19–25, under the concept "The Birth of Samcheok Rose Country," and promises richer programming than ever. Singer Paul Kim will raise the energy at the opening ceremony on the 19th. Weekend highlights include Park Chang-geun and Kassy on the 23rd, and VIVIZ and Kyungseo on the 24th. At 5 p.m. on the 23rd, the Black Eagles air show will dazzle the Samcheok sky.
This year's festival will also feature a daily Rose Country Parade, where fairies and costumed characters bring the gardens to life—an instant crowd-pleaser. Organizers have expanded hands-on experiences to encourage visitor participation. From 10 a.m., free activities include "Make a Rose Country Book" and career-experience booths that let you capture your own rose-inspired vibe. Paid workshops—like making rose-themed keychains—are available too. On May 24 at 5 p.m., a ticketed gourmet program will offer a premium multi-course dining experience at designated "rose-table" areas, adding a foodie twist to the visit.
The festival grounds are meticulously planned. Centered on the main stage, nine major zones cluster food vendors, goods and local-content booths showcasing Samcheok, and hands-on and sales areas. A four-sided LED "cube screen" media photo zone is set to be a must-stop for picture-perfect moments and storytelling backdrops. For families, thoughtful infrastructure includes information booths, medical support stations, wheelchair and stroller rentals, and nursing rooms scattered across the venue.
The festival's standout attraction is the pontoon bridge experience over the Oshipcheon. Open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., the bridge offers a layered, three-dimensional perspective of the rose beds that you just can't get from land. Having transformed from a once-barren "black land" into a miraculous garden of 10 million roses, Samcheok Rose Park is primed this spring to hand every visitor a moment of pure awe and a hopeful, unforgettable experience. socool@sportsseoul.com
