Get ready to stop and smell the roses: the 18th Goyang International Flower Festival runs 17 days, April 24–May 10, across 250,000 m² (about 2.69 million sq ft / 62 acres) around Ilsan Lake Park. Since its 1997 debut, this signature Goyang event has welcomed more than 9 million visitors from Korea and beyond. This year’s theme, “Flowers Dye Time,” brings together outdoor displays, special indoor exhibitions, live performances, events and a lively flower market.
The outdoor exhibitions are designed for lingering and interaction. Gardens inspired by the past, present and future will open, while the central plaza—called the Garden of the Time Traveler—features a dramatic main sculpture inspired by the traditional Korean astronomical instrument honcheongi. The installation rises 13 m and stretches 26 m, symbolizing the flow of time with rotating spherical floral ornaments, a sundial and a water clock.
The Bitdam Garden turns a metasequoia-lined avenue into an aerial retreat, combining three-dimensional structures that nod to traditional Korean aesthetics with hanging gardens that capture natural light. At the Garden of Emotional Temperature, visitors can express their feelings through flowers and color by using MBTI and personal-color profiling. The Flower Therapy Garden offers peaceful landscaping that complements existing trees and shrubs, plus hands-on emotional-healing activities like planting companion plants.
Nostalgia is a running theme in several gardens—The Flowers of Those Days, Memory Alley Garden and Answer Back 1997—each creating special moments that invite memory and reflection.
The Rose Garden hosts the Rose Festa, featuring a hands-on rose workshop area, live performances and a rotational speed-dating mixer aimed at singles in their 20s and 30s. Family-friendly highlights include Pengsoo’s Flower Play Garden, created with the popular EBS character Pengsoo; look for an approximately 5 m Pengsoo inflatable and a picnic-style camping zone. Pengsoo will make an appearance for a meet-and-greet on May 1.
Inside the Floral Exchange Hall, five floral artists from five countries present a global exhibition titled Floral Odyssey. Artists from Belgium, Russia, Spain, Hong Kong and Korea will showcase works under the theme Colors of Memory.
The international section includes about 30 participating countries such as Colombia, Ecuador and Indonesia, and features unusual plants like the Elsa tulip, oversized dahlias and a giant rose nearly 1.2 m tall. The floriculture industry hall unveils more than 30 overseas and over 170 domestic new varieties. In a joint campaign with the Korea National Arboretum, visitors can make seed balls using soil and seeds to support areas affected by wildfires.
The indoor stage lineup includes the 13th Preserved Flower Cup competition on April 26, the Korea Flower Arrangement Contest on April 30, the IHK Cup Flower Design competition on May 2–3, and the 8th Children’s Flower Decoration Contest plus an amateur flower-decoration contest on May 5.
Performances take place across three stages—the Waterside Stage, the Busking Stage and the Rose Stage. On opening day, April 24, the Goyang City Choir and Kim Da-hyun from the TV show “Miss Trot 2” will perform at the Waterside Stage. Expect a variety of genres: pop, trot, classical vocals, flute recitals, cheerleading and even a senior fashion show. Near the Waterside Stage, visitors can try the floating flower bicycle during the festival.
The Goyang Flower Market near Hanul Plaza will feature about 30 local flower farms selling fresh blooms, regional specialties and unique floral goods.
Admission is 15,000 KRW (about $11.25) for general admission and 12,000 KRW (about $9.00) for discounted tickets. Goyang residents, public-transport users and multi-child families receive an extra 3,000 KRW (about $2.25) off. Visitors using spring flower travel packages—such as the Korail Tourism Development “Flower Path Train”—can show the same-day notification message or voucher at on-site ticket booths to get a 20% discount. Presenting a festival ticket at Paju Peace Imjingak Gondola, Aqua Field or Aqua Planet also qualifies for a 20% discount.
The festival is accessible from Jeongbalsan Station (Line 3) exits 1 and 2, and GTX-A KINTEX Station exit 2. GTX-A riders can catch a free shuttle at the One Mount bus stop, and a shuttle serves visitors using the temporary Kkachi Parking Lot. For full details, check the Goyang International Flower Festival official website.
