Overview
Iksan is a thousand-year-old ancient capital of the Baekje Kingdom, where the legend of Seodong and the Seodongyo (Ballad of Seodong) live on. It is the birthplace of Seodong, who won the love of Princess Seonhwa through the Seodongyo and eventually ascended to the throne as King Mu, the 30th king of Baekje, with the ambition to unify the Three Kingdoms. The Iksan Seodong Festival is a historical and cultural festival that tells the story of the border-transcending love between Seodong (King Mu) of Baekje, born in Iksan 1,400 years ago, and Princess Seonhwa of the rival Silla Kingdom. It originated from the Mahan Folk Festival in 1969 and has been held annually under the name Iksan Seodong Festival since 2004. It is the only historical figure festival in the Jeonbuk region, featuring programs and content centered around the figure of 'Seodong' that children and family visitors can enjoy together.
