[Jinju, Gyeongnam] Bullfighting at the stadium and a remembrance ceremony at the fortress

[Jinju, Gyeongnam] Bullfighting at the stadium and a remembrance ceremony at the fortress

Chosun.com Media Reporting Team media@chosun.com

There’s a place in Korea that has a bullfighting culture which dates back a millennium, and every Saturday from March to November, locals gather to enjoy the traditional game. The following are some spots in Jinju to learn more about Korean history.

# Jinju bullfight, a millennium-history

Bullfights have somewhat lost popularity over the years like ssieum, a folk wrestling style and traditional national sport, but in Jinju, the massive crowd that gather every Saturday to watch the games will have you wonder exactly how it lose amusement in other places.

  

<A Jinju bullfight.>

There are diverse bullfighting techniques that make the game even more exhilarating to watch, such as pulling down or pushing up each other’s horns, called bbulgeoli, in Korean.

The rules are simple: The game continues until one of the two bulls runs away; if both refuse to do so, the referee decides the winner after each game.

<Jinju Traditional Bullfight Stadium>

Bull fights are held 15 times each year, every Saturday between March and November. Prizes to audiences include bikes, agricultural products and sometimes, even calves.

Inside the stadium you will find the Rest Pavilion, from which the placid Jinyang Pond is seen.

<Jinyang Pond, seen from the Rest Pavilion at the Jinju Traditional Bullfight Stadium.>

# The ceremony of changing gate guards, in honor of the Siege of Jinju (1952)

Not only is Jinju famous for bullfights, but also for its ceremony of changing guards, performed at Jinju Fortress; the rite is to commemorate Kim Si-min (1554-1592), a prominent general who, with 3,800 soldiers, defended the fortress against 200,000 Japanese invaders.

The 30-minute show also features various programs like traditional games and photo sessions with the commanders.

<The ceremony of changing gate guards at Jinju Fortress.>

# How to get to Jinju

Ride a Jinju-bound express bus at any express or inter-city bus terminal near your location. From Seoul to Jinju, rides take around 4.5 hours. In order to get to the Jinju Traditional Bullfight Stadium from the Jinju Express Bus Terminal, ride buses No. 250, 262, or 252 and get off at the Jinyang Pond Three-Way Intersection; for Jinju Fortress get off at Nonghyup Central Branch.

Train rides from Seoul to Jinju take 3 hours and 20 minutes.

※ Relevant information

▷Jinju Traditional Bullfight Stadium (March to November, every Saturday, 1:30 to 6 p.m.)
-Address: 146-1 Panmun-dong, Jinju, Gyeongnam (http://www.jinjubulls.com/) -Entrance fee: Free -Contact: 055-749-2114

▷The ceremony of changing gate guards at Jinju Fortress (March to November, every Saturday, 3 to 5 p.m.)

- Address: Ilwon, Jinju Fortress, Bonseong-dong, Jinju, Gyeongnam - Entrance fee: Adult 2,000 won, Teenager 1,000 won, Child 600 won
- Contact: 055-749-2480