Everland's firefly festival draws more than 20,000 visitors in first 10 days

Everland, operated by Samsung C&T's resort division, said Monday that more than 20,000 visitors attended its "Midsummer Night's Firefly Festival" in the 10 days since the event opened on July 24.

The festival has been drawing large crowds of summer vacationers, with thousands of fireflies on display and free admission introduced this year.

The event has attracted particular attention as a rare ecological experience — fireflies are considered indicators of a clean environment and are seldom seen in urban daily life — allowing visitors to observe the insects up close and learn about the mysteries of nature and life.

Everland's firefly festival, which launched in 2017, is the largest firefly experience program in South Korea. This year, the park opened the venue free of charge so that any Everland visitor can take part by joining an on-site queue.

Once inside, a zookeeper explains the ecological characteristics of fireflies before guests enter a below-ground forest enclosure to watch the insects blink and glow. The surrounding area is decorated with a "starlight camping" theme, complete with camping chairs and a bonfire to evoke the atmosphere of a summer night outdoors.

"Since we expanded the firefly festival to free admission this year, a large number of customers have been visiting every day," an Everland official said. "We hope families will come and observe the mysterious natural light up close, and share in both the preciousness of life and the romance of a summer night."