A wide range of events are scheduled throughout the week in central Seoul’s Haebangchon (HBC) neighborhood. The name “Haebangchon” translates to “Liberation Village,”making it a meaningful place to celebrate National Liberation Day, or “Gwangbokjeol” (Restoration of Light Day), on Aug. 15.

“In history this village was formed after World War II,” Haebangchon Merchants’ Association Vice President Lee Jin, owner of Miam Miam, told The Korea Times. “Many Koreans who lived in Japan, North, China or elsewhere, they wanted to come 바카라게임 back to Korea. There were only two choices: go to Seoul or go to Busan. Many arrived in Seoul but they didn’t have families or homes. Some came here. There weren’t any houses, only trees and rocks, but people made kinds of camps. They made homes with boxes and wood. So after that, this became a real village… and people called it Haebangchon.”

Lee said when the idea for creating a new festival was introduced, having it around this time of year was a natural choice. “I thought if we do a newborn festival, we should memorialize the origin of Haebangchon,” he said. “So that is why we started it around Gwangbokjeol.”

The main festivities are threefold: a robust schedule of live music to be hosted at The Studio HBC from Aug. 14 to 18, a flea market at multiple venues on the afternoon of Aug. 15 and a Korean-language forum on gentrification on Aug. 16.