Icheon Ceramic Festival Opens New Chapter by Attracting More than 1 Million Spectators

A poster to promote the 39th Icheon Ceramic Festival, which took place in Icheon City from April 25 to May 6.

The 39th Icheon Ceramic Festival saw visitors top 1 million cumulatively on May 6, marking a major milestone 12 days after Icheon’s representative annual festival opened on April 25.

The 1 millionth spectator at the Exhibition of Ceramic Animals, an exhibition of the ceramic festival, was confirmed to be a member of a family living Jungpo-dong, Icheon, who visited along with their companion dog, dubbed “Byeoli.”

The visitor was presented with a set of five ceramic products, made by five ceramic masters in Icheon by the Icheon City Ceramic Festival Promotion Committee.

The special award winner said, “I love ceramics and I would come here to participate in a ceramic festival every year, but I never dreamed of being the hero of the special moment.”

The 2025 festival, the 39th rendition of the annual Icheon Ceramic Festival, took place for a 12-day run from April 25 to May 6.

The latest festival was held at the Yes Park and Sagimakgol Pottery Village area under the theme “Colors of Ceramics, Icheon’s Lights” to showcase harmony between tradition and modernity. Organizers estimated the number of visitors at 1,141,540.

Icheon Mayor Kim Kyung-hee president a souvenir to the 1 millionth spectator at the Exhibition of Ceramic Animals, part of the 39th Icheon Ceramic Festival.

The festival featured a variety of programs, such as the Exhibition of Ceramic Animals, Ceramic Masters’ Experience Program, a busking, “Yes Park's Village-Specific Exhibition Planning Program” and a live commerce offering an abundance of content tailored to all generations.

Mayor Kim Kyung-hee, concurrently chairman of the Icheon City Ceramic Festival Promotion Committee, said, “This year’s festival has evolved in terms of its composition, amenities and marketing, enough to be dubbed ‘the second ceramic festival renaissance era,’ and visitors topping 1 million was the achievements made by all the spectators not only from Icheon and other parts of the nation.”

As Icheon’s representative festival, the city has gained a reputation in Korea and abroad as it boasts high-quality clay and excellent kiln technology.

Diverse ceramic artworks encompassing tradition and modernity are produced there.

During the annual festival, potters and spectators converge to reevaluate the historic and artistic values of ceramics and participate in hands-on programs, such as pottery wheel experience programs and programs writing personal wishes on large-sized ceramic works.

Visitors may buy ceramic works produced in traditional ceramic-making or modern-type methods.

Visitors choose ceramic products to buy at a ceramic outlet during the 39th Icheon Ceramic Festival. (Photos: Icheon City)

The annual festival has served as an opportunity to not only invigorate the regional economy through proactive participation by people in the ceramic industry and residents, but also promote the excellence of Icheon ceramic culture and the international competitiveness of Korean ceramics abroad.

Among the hottest programs was the Exhibition of Ceramic Animals.

The exhibition showcased about 600 ceramic works, made under the motif “animals,” reminding the process of the birth of ceramics, the environment and the ecosystem of the earth.

The exhibits were made by Korea’s prominent ceramic masters, and produced by Icheon and the city’s renowned potters.