International Slow Life Festival to Open in Namyangju

An international festival promoting healthy eating and an eco-friendly lifestyle is slated to kick off in a city east of Seoul later this month, organizers said Thursday. (Image: Yonhap)

NAMYANGJU, South Korea, Sept. 7 (Korea Bizwire) – An international festival promoting healthy eating and an eco-friendly lifestyle is slated to kick off in a city east of Seoul later this month, organizers said Thursday.

Under the theme “Food, City and Health,” the Namyangju Slow Life International Festival will be held for five days starting Sept. 22 in the city about 30 kilometers east of the South Korean capital, bringing together participants from around 40 countries.

The slow lifestyle is designed to improve the quality of life by adopting traditional methods of eating and living, which will eventually lead to the three spirits of the event — health, environment and empathy.

Organizers said the three core spirits are based on a philosophy advocated by Jeong Yak-yong, a scholar from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). His philosophy is aimed at improving the environment, economic value and the social status of rural regions.

Under the slogan of “Slow Life into Living,” the festival will feature a variety of exhibitions, performances, forums, and opportunities to taste foreign foods and drinks.

Famous South Korean designer Lie Sang-bong will hold a fashion show in collaboration with 30 futuristic designers at the opening ceremony, with some 40 models appearing on the catwalk.

Under the slogan of “Slow Life into Living,” the festival will feature a variety of exhibitions, performances, forums, and opportunities to taste foreign foods and drinks. (Image: Yonhap)

Visitors can experience a slow urban life model at a “grocery restaurant” and other venues, and shop at a market promoting five Rs — renew, reuse, reduce, recycle and return.

Other events include a food show where visitors can sample various dishes and drinks from countries around the globe, including Germany, Egypt, Peru, Spain and Vietnam.

Wives of foreign ambassadors stationed in South Korea will introduce dishes and the food cultures of their countries, while famous South Korean cooks will explain their latest recipes.

With the festival to be held about a week before the start of the Chuseok holiday, eco-friendly livestock products, grains, fruits and traditional foods are available for sale during the festival. Chuseok, one of the biggest annual holidays here, falls on Oct. 4 this year.

(Yonhap)