Residents will kick off their shoes and walk together along the shore at a festival at Ilgwang Beach in Gijang-gun, Busan. Gijang Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, operated by the Gijang City Management Corporation, will host the 2026 Only You Barefoot Walking Festival with the Only You community group at Ilgwang Beach from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. It is the second year the event has been held.
Line dancing opens the festival, followed by a wellness movement session and a barefoot walk along the shore
The festival will open with a line-dancing performance by residents and a performance by a youth dance team. Next comes a wellness movement session, giving participants a chance to loosen up and awaken stiff muscles to music. The event will conclude with a group barefoot walk against the backdrop of Ilgwang Beach.
Walking barefoot on the sand naturally draws attention to the feel and temperature beneath your feet, the sound of the waves and the breeze. This simple act of focusing on your steps and sensations resembles the starting point of walking meditation. For people who find it daunting to sit quietly and focus on their breathing, or who spend most of the day in front of a chair and screen, moving the body first can be a much easier way in.
Yoga and singing bowl meditation require advance registration; activity booths offer aromatherapy, herbal tea and more
Side programs will run alongside the main event. Advance registration is required for yoga and singing bowl meditation. Other offerings include making salt bath soaks, face painting, barefoot footprint stamping, herbal tea, tarot cards and aromatherapy.
Yoga may suit those who want to relax while moving, while those who prefer to rest in stillness may find meditation accompanied by the sound of singing bowls a good fit. Some may feel more comfortable easing tension through the senses, such as with scents and tea. The festival’s appeal lies in the chance to try different approaches on a single beach and find the kind of rest that works for you.
A seaside wellness festival planned and hosted by residents brings meditation into the neighborhood
The festival was organized to encourage residents to build healthy habits through barefoot walking, connect with their neighbors and foster a healthy community culture. The Only You group is handling everything from preparation to event operations. Rather than residents attending an event arranged by an institution as guests, this is a festival where residents take the lead and welcome their neighbors.
Meditation and wellness are moving beyond specialty centers and retreat facilities into neighborhood beaches, welfare centers and gatherings among neighbors. When experiences that begin simply and close to home become part of everyday life, more people can discover meditation for the first time.
Sports towels for 300 barefoot-walking participants; register via the QR code on the event poster
The first 300 residents who take part in the barefoot walk will receive commemorative sports towels. Details on how to participate and how to register in advance for yoga and singing bowl meditation are available through the QR code on the event poster. For other inquiries, contact Gijang Comprehensive Social Welfare Center.
Event: 2026 Only You Barefoot Walking Festival
Date and time: Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, 2–4 p.m.
Location: Ilgwang Beach, Gijang-gun, Busan
Organizers: Gijang Comprehensive Social Welfare Center (operated by the Gijang City Management Corporation) and the Only You community group
Program: Line-dancing and youth dance team performances, wellness movement session, barefoot walk
Side programs: Yoga, singing bowl meditation (advance registration required), salt bath soak making, face painting, barefoot footprint stamping, herbal tea, tarot cards and aromatherapy
Commemorative gift: Sports towels for 300 residents who participate in the barefoot walk
Registration: QR code on the event poster
Inquiries: Gijang Comprehensive Social Welfare Center
Press inquiries: fare3041@naver.com