Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival
진주남강유등축제
Thousands of handcrafted lanterns floated on the Namgang River in Jinju, commemorating a 16th-century battle. The most photographed lantern festival in Korea.
Origins trace to the 1592 Imjin War, when defenders of Jinju Fortress used floating lanterns to signal positions and deter enemy crossings. Today the festival fills the Namgang with lit installations, dragons, fortresses, mythological figures, that are most striking at dusk. The fortress itself is illuminated and worth a separate evening visit.
From Seoul: 3.5 hours by KTX (Suseo → Jinju) or ~4 hours by express bus. From Busan: 1.5 hours by bus. The festival site is along the Namgang in central Jinju, walkable from Jinju Station via taxi or local bus.
Best visited at sunset for the lighting transition. Weekday evenings are far less crowded than Saturdays. Tickets are sold at gates; bring cash or a Korean card. Combine with Jinju Castle for a full evening.
https://www.yudeung.com/