Gangneung is located at the east coast of South Korea. With 230,000 inhabitants, it is one of the largest cities in Gangwon Province.

Gangneung is bordering the East Sea in the east and the eastern foothills of the great Baekdu Mountains in the west, so parts of the urban area are very hilly. Due to its proximity to various national parks, the Seorak Mountains in the north, which is an excellent winter ski resort, the beautiful beach and large pine forests inviting for hiking, Gangneung is a popular recreation area for tourists. Moreover, it is the economic centre of the region Yeongdong, especially concerning the fields of information technology and biotechnology.

Climate

Due to its location between the sea and mountains, the climate in Gangneung somewhat differs from the general climate of South Korea. Winter is relatively warm, summer relatively cool. However, the specific wind conditions may cause heavy snowfalls in winter and heavy rainstorms in summer. The average annual temperature is 12.9 ° C. In July/August it is rising to 27 ° C and the humidity is fairly high, reaching 80%.

Gyeongpo-dae Beach is known for its fine white sand and crystal-clear blue water and is considered the most beautiful beach on the east coast of South Korea.

The main stage of the festival is located at Gyeongpo-dae and the opening and farewell ceremony of the International Junior Art Festival take place here. The beach is 1.8 ㎞ long and has a surface area of 1.4 sq. km. In summer, several festivals attract thousands of tourists from all over the country. Near Gyeongpo-dae Beach there is Gyeongpo-ho Lake, the lake of Gangneung. In the middle of the lake there is a pavilion, an important retreat area for birds. Previously, the lake had a circumference of 12 km, but it was limited on 4 km nowadays. Gyeongpo-dae itself is a pavilion near the lake, which is situated on a hill and offers a good view at the surrounding area. A traditional story tells of the five moons which could only be seen in Gangneung in Gyeongpo-dae: one moon appears in the sky, one on the surface of the lake, one in the sea, one in the wine glass and one in the eyes of a lover. The lake is partially surrounded by pine forests. There are a number of cultural monuments and museums nearby.

Gwanno Gamyeongeuk is a traditional Korean mask dance. It is performed by state actors, but only at the full moon festival Danoje in Gangneung. The Danoje counts as an intangible cultural heritage and is protected by UNESCO.

As part of the cultural program of the International Junior Art Festival, participants will have the opportunity to visit a show of Gwanno Gamyeongeuk. The Gwanno mask drama is the only Korean drama which consists exclusively of pantomimes. The characters are a Yangban (gentleman), a Gaksi (bride), two robbers and two farmers. The colourful spectacle lasts approximately 30 minutes and is accompanied by an ensemble of 20 traditional Korean rhythm instruments.

The Ojukheon museum is named after the black bamboo which grows in this area.

Shin Saimdang (1504-1551), the mother of Yulgok Yi Yi (1536-1584) lived in this property. She was a famous artist, known for her poems, calligraphy and embroidery. Because of her proverbial virtue, Saimdang was the ideal Korean woman. Her memory is still respected today. The 50,000 won note is decorated with her portrait and one of her drawings. Her son Yulgok was a great philosopher and politician. Under king Seon Jo, he hold several offices over the years, including the Minister of Defense, Minister of Justice and Minister of Finance. He was a reformer and brought the Neoconfucianism to Korea. His portrait can be seen on the 5,000 won note. The Ojukheon property was built during the reign of king Jungjong (1506-1544) and is one of the oldest wooden buildings in South Korea. Since 1963, it is protected as National Heritage No. 165. On the property there are several buildings like homes and shrines. In addition, the Municipal Museum of Gangneung is connected to Ojukheon, exhibiting pieces of the history of Gangneung.

The exhibition at the Daegwallyeong Museum is based on a private collection of an elderly lady from Gangneung, who is passionate about the history of her home country.

The building of the Daegwallyeong museum is surrounded by hills. It is located near a forest and can only be reached via a bridge over a small mountain stream. The architecture resembles an ancient dolmen tomb and won a national architecture prize. The collection includes around 1,000 pieces from the Bronze Age to the Modern Age, divided into six major exhibition rooms. The rooms are named after the protecting gods of the four directions: Green Dragon Cheongnyongbang in the east, White Tiger Baekobang in the west, Red Phoenix Jujakbang in the south and Black Tortoise Hyeonmubang in the north. Each room is dedicated to a topic, such as ceramics, calligraphy or everyday objects. Outside of the museum there are many pagodas and sculptures as well as an old but still working water mill.