The 59th Danjong Cultural Festival, hosted by Yeongwol County, will be held from the 24th to the 26th at Jangneung, Donggang Riverside, and Cheongryeongpo areas in Yeongwol County, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. This year's festival, themed "The King's Return, The Dawn of Hope," features various historical and cultural programs that vividly recreate the life of Danjong.

This year's Danjong Cultural Festival is held amid a surge of public interest in Danjong and Yeongwol, fueled by the success of the film "A Man Who Lives as a King" (director Jang Hang-jun, hereafter "AMWLK"). During the festival, key events from Danjong's life, such as his exile, wedding ceremony, and state funeral, will be presented as experiential programs based on historical verification. Traditional events including the Cheongryeongpo exile reenactment, Danjong's state funeral reenactment, and memorial rites will also take place. Additionally, family-friendly experiential events such as "Danjong and Queen Jeongsun's Wedding," "Gaebinoriter Danjong Past Examination," and the royal cuisine contest "Danjong's Gourmet Festival" are prepared.

On the final day of the festival, the 26th, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province's intangible cultural heritages, "Kichil Rope Tug-of-War" and "Kichil Rope Parade," will be held. Park Ji-hwan, who played the role of Yeongwol County governor in the film, will participate in the bell-ringing event, creating a space for harmony between residents and tourists. Park Ji-hoon, who played Danjong Lee Hong-wi, could not attend in person but conveyed through a video message, "Various programs are prepared to help people feel closer to Danjong's story, and I hope many will join."

Director Jang Hang-jun, who directed the film "A Man Who Lives as a King," held a special history lecture titled "History Seen Through the Creator's Eyes: The Story of Danjong" during the festival and attended the opening ceremony. Director Jang received a plaque of appreciation for his contribution to promoting tourism in Yeongwol and spreading historical and cultural content.

Yeongwol County and the Yeongwol Cultural Tourism Foundation have strengthened on-site response systems by expanding temporary parking lots around Donggang Riverside and deploying guidance personnel along main routes in preparation for the increase in tourists. The operating hours of Cheongryeongpo have also been extended into the night to encourage visitor dispersion and longer stays. Modern content such as drone shows and nighttime performances have been added, offering programs that connect day and night.

Meanwhile, the Danjong Cultural Festival, which began in 1967, is approaching its 60th anniversary next year and is taking a major step toward becoming a new historical and cultural festival that combines tradition and modernity, starting with this year's event. The film "A Man Who Lives as a King," released on February 4, recorded a cumulative audience of 16.6 million, ranking second in all-time box office success.