Program

The lecture series took place every Wednesday at the Eastern Hall in the Gangneungdaedohobu Government Office. Designed to deepen understanding of the festival’s themes and exhibitions, the program invited audiences to explore Gangneung’s historical, geographical, and artistic contexts. Each lecture served as a space for integrated reflection of the city, the artworks, and the themes of the festival. In doing so, the program allowed audiences to engage with the festival from a more layered perspective.

Operation Schedule 

Operating days | Every Wednesday
Time and venue | 17:00 – 18:30 in Dongdaecheong, Gangneung-daedohobu Government Office
Application requirements | 14 years and older and 10 t o 15 participants per session



Session 1
Jong-Duck, Yi, Representative director,
Culture&Art Platform BOMA
Tracing how Gangneung’s urban center shifted over time, Yi examined changes in place names, historical figures, and landmarks. He traced how Gangneung’s place names changed over time and what those changes tell us about the city’s development.

Session 2
HUH Kyoung, Philosopher, Hyeyeum Philosophy School
HUH critiqued the hierarchical structure between the capital and other regions, offering a philosophical perspective grounded in peripheral cities like Gangneung. The talk invited reflection on how we perceive a place, proposing a reconfiguration of center and margin.

Session 3
Hwang, RUSHI, Folklorist and Emeritus
Professor at Catholic Kwandong University
Hwang offered an introduction to the structure and origins of the Gangneung Danoje Festival, including its mythic narratives and historical figures. Her lecture shed light on the significance of the festival as a form of intangible cultural heritage within both local and international contexts.

Session 4
Park Hyeon Suk, Narrative Researcher
Focusing on folktales passed down in Gangneung, Park explored recurring narrative elements such as the female Guksaseonghwang deity, Beomilguksa, goblins (dokkaebi), and tigers. Her analysis centered on the connection between Gangneung’s landscape and the thematic patterns found across regional myths.

Session 5
Kim Woon Seok, Instructor for Successor
Training of the Gangneung Danoje Festival
Kim offered a practice-based lecture on the musical and ritual structure of the Dano Gut Ritual, including explanations of instruments, tools, and the role of the musician-shaman. The session concluded with a hands-on workshop on crafting paper flowers (jihwa) used in the ritual.