Ulsan is so famous for being called the "Whale City". The Ulsan Whale Festival is held to honor the whales that are friendly to the sea and that are also used as a mascot in Jung-gu, Ulsan. This festival's complete name is Ulsan Jangsaengpo Whale Festival. In Ulsan Jangsaengpo Whale Festival, there are many activities to enjoy such as whale-hunting ship experience, cruise tours, whale meat tasting, and whale ice sculpture competition.

▲ Ulsan Jangsaengpo Whale Festival

Ulsan Jangsaengpo Whale Festival started in 1995 to reexamine the history of whaling in prehistoric times and to highlight its cultural value and symbolism to foster whale-related tourism resources. The purpose of the event is to protect whales and their ecosystems.

According to a survey of 265 visitors conducted to Nam-gu, Ulsan, this year's tourist's visit rose up to four percent than last year's, exceeding the average of 23 other major festivals. Seo Dong-wook, head of Nam-gu District Office, said that this year's whale festival is the only whale-themed festival in South Korea, so they will prepare for the festival with professional and diverse strategies and programs to protect the whales.

▲ Ulsan Jangsaengpo Whale Village

The Ulsan Jangsaengpo Whale Festival has no age limit for visitors and the admission is free. The dates are usually every year in the month of May, but this year, it will be held on September 11 to September 13, due to COVID-19. Other activities are held in different facilities which include the Whale Museum, the Whale Oceanographic Exploration Ship, the Whale Ecology Museum, and the Whale Culture Village. Men and women of all ages can enjoy the festival without any restrictions.

The Jangsaengpo Whale Festival in Ulsan provides a lot of entertainment for the good purpose of protecting whales. As Ulsan is called the "Whale City", Ulsan citizens hope that many people in other regions will enjoy the famous whale festival and appreciate the whales with interest and love. Why not come to Ulsan and enjoy Ulsan Jangsaengpo Whale Festival this year?

By Jiwoo Kim