▲ This poster for the "2026 Jikji Cultural Festival" is provided by the city of Cheongju. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE)(Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, July 10 (Yonhap) -- The city of Cheongju will hold the "2026 Jikji Cultural Festival" from Sept. 4-6 in the Jikji Cultural District in Uncheon-dong, Heungdeok-gu, including the Cheongju Early Printing Museum, city officials said Friday.

 

This year's festival, themed "Jikji Opens the Door to Time," will feature programs linking historical record-keeping culture with contemporary arts and future digital technologies.

 

A special exhibition at the Modern Printing Exhibition Hall will trace the evolution of recording media, from papyrus, bamboo slips and parchment to paper and digital storage media.

 

The Metal Type Casting Education Center will host demonstrations by a national intangible cultural heritage master of metal movable type casting and a Western expert in metal type printing.

 

Hands-on programs, including stamp-making for personal book seals and traditional bookbinding, will also be offered.

 

At the International Centre for Documentary Heritage, visitors will be able to view a scientifically restored replica of the "Jikji," along with a digital edition and a Korean-language translation.

 

Other programs include the "Jikji Golden Bell" quiz competition for students, the "Jikji Concert" combining history lectures with live performances, and a media art exhibition at the Heungdeok Temple site.

 

This year's festival will also introduce new content incorporating generative artificial intelligence and digital technologies.

 

Visitors will be able to leave messages via QR codes that will be displayed on a large LED media wall, while AI-powered handwriting generation, an AI imagination contest and AI film screenings are also planned.

 

"We will prepare a festival that connects the past, present and future while highlighting the value of the 'Jikji,'" a city official said.

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]