Korea Festivals

Guardians of Jinju

Oct 3 – Oct 18, 2026 · Gyeongsangnam-do

Guardians of Jinju
Guardians of Jinju. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization

Overview

Guardians of Jinju is a mission-based tour set around Jinjuseong Fortress and the Jinju Battle History Culture Park. Participants can enjoy the content simply by accessing a web-based platform, without having to install a separate app, and move between designated locations within Jinjuseong Fortress and the Jinju Battle History Culture Park to complete missions.

The content consists of a three-part series. Part 1 features story-driven missions based on historical events that took place at Jinjuseong Fortress. Part 2 takes the form of a mystery, with the story unfolding around three characters. Part 3 is designed around a fantasy concept and will be available in both Korean and English. Participants collect clues throughout the tour to complete a final sentence.

The event takes place at night in conjunction with the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival, allowing participants to experience the missions against the backdrop of Jinjuseong Fortress illuminated by lights and lanterns. The tour begins at the lawn plaza inside Gongbukmun Gate of Jinjuseong Fortress. Participants who complete the missions can receive a commemorative souvenir.

Why go

Guardians of Jinju is a mission-based tour that sends visitors through Jinjuseong Fortress and the adjacent Battle History Culture Park to complete a three-part story - historical missions tied to real events at the fortress, a mystery involving three characters, and a fantasy-themed finale offered in Korean and English. It runs at night alongside the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival, so the fortress is lit with lights and lanterns while you play. Finish the missions and you get a commemorative souvenir.

Getting there from Seoul

Take a KTX or ITX train from Seoul to Jinju station, or an express bus from Seoul's express bus terminals to the Jinju bus terminal; either option takes a few hours. From Jinju station or the bus terminal, a local taxi or bus gets you to Jinjuseong Fortress.

Tips

  • Everything runs on a web platform accessed through your phone browser, not an app, so make sure you have mobile data or wifi and a charged phone.
  • It's an evening event (13:00-21:00), so bring a layer for the cooler night air in early-to-mid October.
  • Start point is the lawn plaza inside Gongbukmun Gate of Jinjuseong Fortress; since it overlaps with the lantern festival, expect crowds and go early.

Best for: history, night events, photographers, puzzle fans.

Program

Evening mission-based tour

Other festivals in Gyeongsangnam-do

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    Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival

    Oct 3 – Oct 18, 2026

    The tradition of yudeung, or floating lanterns, dates back to the Battle of Jinjuseong Fortress, one of the three major victories of the Imjin War (Japanese invasions of Korea, 1592–1598). During the battle, lanterns were floated on the Namgang River as military signals to communicate with Righteous Army forces outside the fortress and as a means for families to exchange messages and check on one another. Jinju has carried on this tradition by organizing the Yudeung event as part of the Gaecheon Art Festival, first held in 1949 and regarded as Korea's first comprehensive regional arts festival. Since 2000, the festival has been held independently as the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival.

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    Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival

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Festivals: Gyeongsangnam-do

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Dates and programs can change. Check the official site before you go.