A scene from the first Jeju Native Horse Grazing and Cultural Festival held in 2024 (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
JEJU, South Korea, April 13 (Korea Bizwire) — A rare opportunity to witness Jeju’s indigenous horse culture up close will take place on April 19–20, as the 2025 Jeju Native Horse Grazing Festival—known as the “347 Festival”—returns to the island’s horse pasture, a site usually closed to the public.
Named after Jeju’s designation as Natural Monument No. 347, the event centers around the Jeju horse, a small, hardy breed long integral to the island’s pastoral heritage.
Known locally as gwahama (“fruit tree horse”) for its short stature that allows it to walk beneath orchard branches, the Jeju horse averages around 115 to 117 centimeters in height and is renowned for its gentle temperament, disease resistance, and endurance.
The festival celebrates ipmok—a centuries-old tradition marking the seasonal release of livestock into open pastures—and includes a dramatic re-enactment of herding rituals.
A scene from the first Jeju Native Horse Grazing and Cultural Festival held in 2024 (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
More than 100 Jeju horses will gallop across the green plains in choreographed performances held twice daily. These signature moments will take place at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on the 19th, and at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the 20th.
A parade called the “347 Parade” will feature a procession of Jeju horses, the crossbred Hanlamas, ponies, and Jeju black cattle (Heukwoo, Natural Monument No. 546). Scheduled appearances are at 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m., and 4 p.m. on the 19th, and at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the 20th.
The first day will close with a twilight “Cholbat (Grass Field) Concert,” featuring performances by singers Jung-in and John Park against the backdrop of a golden sunset.
The Jeju Native Horse Grazing Culture Festival will be held from April 19 to 20 at the Jeju horse pasture along Route 516. (Image provided by the Jeju Livestock Research Institute)
Other festival offerings include Zatseong trekking, which traces ancient stone-fenced trails once used by herders, and the whimsically named “Mongsaengyi Marathon,” where participants race in balloon animal costumes shaped like horses.
Family-friendly craft stations will operate throughout the event, offering activities like horse mask-making, temporary horse tattoos, and crafting traditional horse amulets. Visitors can also relax at the “Cholbat Picnic” space, designed to foster leisurely interaction with the animals.
“This festival is a rare celebration of Jeju’s livestock heritage and the cultural value of the native Jeju horse,” said Kim Dae-cheol, director of the Jeju Livestock Research Institute. “We hope families can create lasting memories while enjoying this unique fusion of nature and tradition.”
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
