Announcement
- Announcement
2024. 08. 20
The slogan image for "Festival SHIWOL." Image courtesy of Busan City
A variety of international events that have been held in Busan—covering themes like film, music, webtoons, and business—will now take place under the collective banner of Festival SHIWOL, happening simultaneously. Modeled after the world’s largest convergence festival, the U.S.-based South by Southwest (SXSW), the strategy aims to attract global tourists by showcasing a broad range of creative industries.
On August 20, the City of Busan announced that the inaugural Festival SHIWOL will take place from September 30 to October 8 across various locations in the city, with Haeundae serving as the central hub.
During the nine-day festival, 17 international events across six sectors will be held. Key events include SHIWOL Music (Busan International Rock Festival, K-Music Season Good Night Concert, and the Festival SHIWOL Opening Ceremony), SHIWOL Movie (Busan International Film Festival, Asia Contents & Film Market), SHIWOL Culture (Busan Global Webtoon Festival, World Creator Festival, Beyond Hangeul & K-Culture), SHIWOL Gourmet (International Food Expo & Marina Chef Challenge, Craft Beer Festival), SHIWOL Biz (Asia Startup Expo, Busan Design Festival, Han-ASEAN Fashion Week), and SHIWOL Tech (Data Global Hackathon, AI Data Seminar).
To facilitate interaction among attendees, Busan will also set up SHIWOL Village in the outdoor parking area of BEXCO. SHIWOL Village will feature national pavilions where participating countries can promote their culture, along with themed houses showcasing Busan’s content. Additionally, it will include networking spaces for professionals from diverse industries—such as film, music, food, content, startups, design, fashion, and investors—to exchange knowledge and ideas. Conference areas will also be available for sharing insights through various sessions.
The city has introduced an integrated festival pass to allow attendees to enjoy multiple events. Those who purchase the pass will gain free entry to all 17 events, as well as to the "Silence Music & Party," which will take place outdoors at BEXCO. The integrated pass will be available for purchase starting on August 30.
To encourage longer stays in Busan, the city has also collaborated with 11 local hotels to offer bundled tourism packages. Additionally, a special tourism package has been developed in partnership with China’s largest online travel platform, Ctrip, specifically targeting Chinese individual tourists during their National Day holidays (October 1-7).
