Eumseong Pumba Festival Blends Satire with Spirit

Legacy of Love Comes Alive at Eumseong Pumba Festival

The 2025 Eumseong Pumba Festival, a unique cultural celebration inspired by the life and legacy of the late “beggar saint” Choi Gwi-dong, will take place from June 11 to 15 in Eumseong, Chungcheongbuk-do.

As a festival rooted in spiritual and cultural heritage, it honors Choi’s legacy of compassion and selfless service while blending traditional Korean satire with communal healing.

Choi Gwi-dong, who lived in Eumseong’s Mugeuk-ri area despite his own disabilities, is remembered for feeding and caring for homeless individuals who couldn’t even beg for themselves.

His life and actions later inspired Father Oh Woong-jin to found the Flower Village (Kkotdongnae), a renowned welfare community.

Choi’s legacy as a figure of unmatched charity and sacrifice is central to the identity of the festival.

The term “Pumba” is derived from the rhythmic interjections found in Gakseori Taryeong, traditional songs performed by traveling entertainers.

Today, the Pumba Festival connects this folkloric symbol of the wandering musician with Choi’s deep humanism, creating a space where humor, music, and satire meet empathy and generosity.

Under the theme of “healing spiritual poverty and inequality through satire and sharing,” the festival will feature an array of programs aimed at fostering love, laughter, and community spirit.

Main Programs:

National Pumba Parade through town streets
Pumba House Building Contest, a theatrical take on traditional living
National Pumba Rapper Competition, fusing tradition with modern rhythm

Side Programs:

Pumba King Contest
Rapper Camp
National Pumba Photography Contest
Youth Dance Performance Competition
Pumba Musical
“Love and Hope for the Homeless” campaign
“Today’s Pumba” storytelling and live concerts
“2pan4pan Nanjangpan” — a festival of organized chaos and laughter

Experience Programs:

Learn Pumba rhythms and songs
Try on Pumba costumes
Join the symbolic “1,000-person Bibimbap” mixing and traditional taffy-pulling activity

Celebrated as a festival of spiritual generosity, the Eumseong Pumba Festival continues to evolve into a powerful expression of community, humor, and care — reminding visitors that, in a world of material wealth, spiritual sharing is more essential than ever.

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